Make a Soothing Chamomile Face Serum

Ah, chamomile. I once had a friend tell me that chamomile tea gives her the same relaxing feeling as a nice warm bath. It’s true isn’t it? It comes as no surprise that it's one of the most popular herbal teas. About 1 million cups are consumed around the world each and every day.

I think we can all use a little soothing chamomile in our lives right about now, which is why I chose it as the main ingredient in today’s recipe. This face serum is the ultimate self-care in a bottle – it’s soothing, light & earthy.

This is a great serum for all skin types. People with sensitive skin will likely benefit from it the most. If you have oily skin and want hydration without adding oils to your skincare routine, then this is also for you. The hyaluronic acid in the serum also makes it a great choice for people with dry skin who prefer light products during the day. This serum wears well under makeup, because it quickly absorbs and won’t slip.

Let's get started!

Because I’m new to formulating water-based products and they feel a little daunting (anyone else?), I chose to play it safe and adapt an existing recipe by Formula Botanica.

The ingredients

Chamomile hydrosol

I used an organic flower water made with Canadian chamomile. In Ontario, they grow wild in pastures and along our country roads.

Chamomile was one of the very first document medicinal herbs and has many benefits for the skin. The flowers contain flavonoids that penetrate into the deeper layer of the skin to:

• reduce redness

• sooth irritated skin

• decrease inflammation

• help protect cells from damage

The original recipe dilutes the hydrosol with distilled water, but I chose not to dilute it in order to maximise the chamomile benefits. The end result is a delightfully fragrant serum with bright and earthy notes. If a fragrant serum isn’t for you, simply reduce the amount of hydrosol and add distilled water in its place.

Hyaluronic acid

This is one of my favorite hydrating ingredients. You won’t find it along your hiking trails, but it is naturally found in the layers of our skin. Hyaluronic acid’s main function is to retain moisture. It can retain up to 1,000 times its weight in water, which goes to show how incredibly hydrating it is! With this in mind, it’s important to use hyaluronic acid on damp skin, so it can pull moisture from the excess water and not the moisture that’s already in your skin.

Also in this formulation:

• Glycerin: Vegetable glycerin gives you a healthy glow by pulling water into the outer layer of the skin.

• Preservative: Because this is a water-based product, it’s important to use a preservative to keep mold and bacteria at bay. I used Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate, which is an is ECOCERT certified blend.

• Xanthan gum: This is a natural thickening agent and gives the serum a gel like consistency.

The measurements

To make approximately 1 oz of serum, you will need:

• Chamomile hydrosol 28.6 g

• Glycerin 0.9 g

• Xanthan gum 0.15 g

• Hyaluronic acid 0.06 g

• Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate 0.3 g

The steps

1. Add the hydrosol to a glass beaker.

2. In a separate beaker, stir the glycerin, xanthan gum and hyaluronic acid until the powders dissolve.

3. A little at a time, add the hydrosol to the blend and stir. Set the blend aside to thicken.

4. Once the blend has reached a gel-like consistency, stir in the preservative. Continue to stir until the blend is clear.

5. Check the pH. It should be between 5.0-5.5.

6. Pour your serum into your bottle using a small funnel.

7. Do a patch test before using the product.

Did you make this serum? How did it turn out?