If you purchase anti-aging skincare products that cost a small fortune, then you may look at the ingredient lists and wonder what is in those creams and serums that makes them so expensive. The truth is that most of those products contain ingredients that cost very little on their own. Yes, that pricey cream may contain pennies worth of actual ingredients. Even most packages are very inexpensive. What are you actually paying that high price for? Mostly to fund the marketing campaign of the product-maker and pad their pockets. Here are two budget-friendly DIY versions of popular anti-aging products that you can recreate at home to save. 

1. DIY Vitamin C Serum

Vitamin C serums are popular anti-aging products for good reason. Topical vitamin C cannot only increase collagen production in your skin to reduce skin thinning and sagging that comes with age, but it also fades skin discolorations, such as scars and melasma, and it gives an overall "bright" look to your face. Even low-cost, ready-made vitamin C serums can cost $20, while there are pricier versions that can cost $50 to over $100. The cost of this recipe? Pennies per batch. 

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. L-ascorbic Acid Powder. This is the chemical name of vitamin C, and you can find it online at many stores. 
• 3 tsp. Distilled water. 
• 1 tsp. Vegetable Glycerine. This ingredient moisturizes skin and helps give the serum its consistency. You can also find this sold online. 
• 2 drops Lemon or Orange Essential oil. This will add a great energizing fragrance and additional antioxidants to the serum. 

Instructions: 

Mix the Ascorbic acid powder and the distilled water in an opaque container. Don't use a clear bottle, as the serum will lose potency when exposed to light. When the powder is completely dissolved, add the vegetable glycerine and essential oil. That's it! This makes a 20-percent potency serum. Apply it every morning right after washing your face, then wait 20 minutes to let it sink in before you add any other products to your face. Store the solution away from sunlight and high heat. 

2. DIY Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer

Hyaluronic acid is already present in your body in your skin and cartilage. As you age, your skin begins to contain less of it, which is part of what leads to wrinkles and drier skin as you age. Although the name contains the word "acid", it is very gentle when used on skin. Hyaluronic acid moisturizers add back this important skin component to keep your skin plump and reduce the look of wrinkles. Department store hyaluronic acid moisturizers vary in price, and you don't have control of what is in them. When you make your own at home, you can save money and add ingredients that can help your other skin problems while you moisturize. 

Ingredients:

• 1/8 tsp. Sodium hyaluronate powder. You can find this in many online stores that sell nutritional supplements or DIY beauty supplies.
• 4 T. distilled water. 
• 3 T. Shea Butter. This is one option to create a dry-skin cream, but you can experiment with glycerine, coconut oil, and other oils to make the final consistency perfect for your skin.
• 3 Drops essential oil. Chose the essential oil based on your other skin needs. Oregano and tea tree oils are both great to kill bacteria on acne-prone skin. Calm rosacea with geranium, rosehip, or borage oil. 

Instructions:

Dissolve sodium hyaluronate powder in room temperature water. This will create a gel. Then, add shea butter or your other oil of choice along with the essential oil. Mix it all together and store in a jar or container. This is not sensitive to light, so you can make it in a clear container, if you desire. 

Use these two effective, money-saving recipes to create anti-aging skincare products that really work. Feel free to experiment, click here to read, and add different essential oils to each recipe to help with your unique skin care problems and to customize the recipes to make them perfect for you!