My homemade Face Serum for glowing, nourished, and firm skin

For a long time, coconut oil was my trusted companion for my face. Until I learned that while it’s wonderful for the body, it can clog the much smaller pores on the face. So, I switched to jojoba oil which is so similar to our natural sebum that it balances both oily and dry skin beautifully.

Then one day, I decided to treat myself to a fancy face serum from Weleda. It contained a mix of natural oils and smelled divine. My skin felt silky, and I thought: “That’s the one.“

Until it wasn’t.

I noticed that I burned my face several times. Since I don’t burn easily, I was puzzled. It took me a while to figure out that the “magic serum” contained lemon oil. Lovely scent, but phototoxic. That means when exposed to sunlight, it makes your skin react and burn.

Even if you apply such oils at night, they can stay in the skin for up to 18 hours. So unless you gently wash your face the next morning, those compounds can still react when daylight touches your skin.

Many natural ingredients sound harmless and fresh but can actually make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Common phototoxic ingredients include Lemon, Lime, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Bitter Orange, and also oils like Angelica root, Cumin, Fig leaf absolute, and Tagetes (marigold).
Even ingredients such as retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid increase photosensitivity, but are not phototoxic itself.

These aren’t “bad” ingredients. They just don’t belong in my daily skin care.

So, I decided to create my own serum for which I share the recipe below.
A blend of pure oils that boost collagen production, enhance elasticity, smooth fine lines, and deeply hydrate. Rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, this serum helps repair skin damage, fade hyperpigmentation and scars, and support natural cell renewal.

My DIY Face Serum Recipe

How to Use Facial Oils the Right Way

Apply oil only on damp skin!
Water hydrates, oil seals. When your face is still slightly wet, the oil locks that moisture in, leaving your skin soft and radiant.

Apply 4-7 drops of the oil and massage gently. On dry skin, oil just sits on the surface and feels greasy.

Since switching to my homemade serum, my skin feels nourished and glowy. This serum isn’t an overnight miracle, but within a few weeks, you’ll start to notice a difference.

If you’ve experimented with natural skincare or facial oils, I’d be curious to hear how it went for you.