Fountain of Youth in a pretty blue bottle?

Perhaps I have been spending my days off steadying with Snape in potions? (Rawwwwwr Alan Rickman....) Ah, if only. If only we could find and bottle the Fountain of Youth, but alas, Time marches on, and is tracking it's muddy, crap covered boot treads on my face. So I am always on the look out for some slop to slather on my face to fight the ravages of Time (the bastard).

I am a Clinique fan and last year I fell for a particular potion found at Holt's. It was a Clinique anti-oxident/vitamin C serum. Darn them, they put a sample in a package I bought, and like a stupid fish, I fell for the bait. Except I should have asked what it cost. Two hundred dollars later (GULP!), I was the proud owner of this serum. BUT, it did work!!!! If I used it consistently, my complexion did brighten and feel smoother. It really was awesome, but really, I did not want to spend that kind of cash regularly...

Then one day this winter, I was snuggling in bed with the puppies, trying to warm my frozen toes under Ginger's belly, watching Steven and Chris. They had a segment on anti-aging beauty ingredients and GAVE AWAY A RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE VITAMIN C SERUM!!!!!! I was sold!!!!!!

It took me awhile to finish the last of my Clinique serum, then I had to find the ingredients - L-ascorbic acid crystals or powder, vegetable glycerin, alcohol, amber/blue glass vials, and distilled/bottled water. Finally I made the serum today.

• First, sterilize the bottles with alcohol (or boiling water) and let dry. Sterilize a small glass/ceramic/metal mixing bowl, small funnel, and measures and let dry.


• To bowl, add 1/2 tsp l-ascorbic acid. Add 3 1/2 tsp room temp bottled/distilled water, and mix well. Add 1 1/2 tsp glycerin, and mix well.


• When mixed well, pour via funnel into the sterilized bottles, and seal tightly. Make small batches at a time as the vitamin C breaks down quickly. This batch made enough to fill about 3 of these small blue vials


• To use, gently rub half to 1 dropperful on clean face. Make sure to use a good moisturizer with sunscreen

I used Natural Factors vitamin C crystals, which on e-mailing, was confirmed by the company to be l-ascorbic acid. The glycerin was from Now Solutions. Basic isopropyl alcohol (70%) from the local pharmacy, and the glass bottles from the Whole Carrot. Bottled water could be used - Costco brand (and the rest I drunk).

Here's hoping my youthful radiant beauty is maintained for many generations to come!!!