Updated: 26.08.25
Have you ever wanted to make your own skincare but weren’t sure about how or where to start? Then you’ve come to the right place.
At Formula Botanica, we’ve taught tens of thousands of students how to formulate natural and organic skincare from the comfort of their home through our award-winning online courses – no prior experience or scientific knowledge needed.
To give you a glimpse of what’s possible, we wanted to share with you today how to make a hydrating facial serum with rose in just four steps. This serum formula is lightweight, delicately scented with rose floral water, and features hyaluronic acid as its hero ingredient to help keep your skin hydrated all day long.
Whether you’re brand new to formulating or just looking for an easy win, this is the perfect place to start.
What is a hydrating serum?
A hydrating facial serum is a targeted skincare product designed to deliver deep and lasting moisture to the skin. It typically contains powerful ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, that attract and retain water, helping the skin feel plumper, smoother, and thoroughly hydrated.
Curious to learn the difference between moisturising and hydrating? Then check out this post:
Serums are also one of the simplest skincare formulations to get started with – and some of the most rewarding. You can make your own serum at home, using either an emulsion base (a cream base), a water base, an oil base, or a gel base. You can then customise it by adding botanical extracts and active ingredients tailored to your skin’s needs.
Want to learn more about the different types of serums you can make at home? Then you’ll like this post:
How to use a facial serum
Serums are typically used after cleansing and before applying a moisturiser. Some oil-based serums are so nourishing that they can be used instead of a moisturiser altogether.
Because serums are so concentrated, they usually come in smaller bottles since you only need a small amount. Apply one or two drops of the hydrating serum formula featured in this post into your palm and gently massage it into cleansed skin. You can then follow with your favourite moisturiser right away.
You can also use serums as a treatment by adding a couple of drops to your favourite facial mask before applying it to your skin.
Our rose hydrating facial serum formulation
Our rose hydrating facial serum is a lightweight, water-based formula designed for easy application and enhanced skin hydration. We’ve kept the formula (the recipe) simple yet effective, perfect for beginners, and included tips later in the post to help you customise and upgrade the formula as your formulating skills grow.
The hero ingredient in this hydrating facial serum is hyaluronic acid, a powerful humectant known for its ability to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Naturally present in the skin, hyaluronic acid plays a key role in keeping it supple, smooth, and plump. However, its levels decline with age, so incorporating it into your skincare, alongside a healthy diet, can help maintain long-term hydration and skin health.
Hyaluronic acid is commonly used in anti-ageing skincare and can be added to any product that contains water. While oil-soluble versions are now emerging on the market, we haven’t trialled them yet. Want to learn more about this incredible ingredient? Then check out our dedicated guide:
Hydration revolution: The formulator’s guide to hyaluronic acid
Please note that hyaluronic acid can be animal-derived, so always check your supplier’s details. The one we use in this formula is produced through a bio-fermentation process, making it suitable for vegan-friendly formulations. There are two main types of hyaluronic acid you can use:
- High molecular weight hyaluronic acid: Creates a hydrating film on the skin’s surface, forming a gel-like texture and providing immediate moisture. It can be up to 10 times more effective than glycerine, one of the most commonly used humectants.
- Low molecular weight hyaluronic acid: Penetrates further into the skin and is more targeted towards anti-ageing benefits.
For this formula, our focus is pure hydration, so we’ve used only high molecular weight hyaluronic acid. However, combining both molecular weights in future formulations can create a more advanced serum with both surface hydration and more anti-ageing benefits.
Key ingredients
In addition to hyaluronic acid, we’ve also used the following natural ingredients in this formula:
Hydrosol (floral water)
Instead of using essential oils (which can irritate the skin if not used correctly), we’ve chosen to use a hydrosol to give the serum a gentle, non-overpowering scent.
A hydrosol is essentially a floral water derived from the steam distillation of plants. You can learn more about hydrosols below:
We selected rose hydrosol to match the theme of this serum, but you can use any other hydrosol you like, such as frankincense, lavender, chamomile, peppermint, or neroli – or even create a custom blend.
Just make sure the total amount of hydrosol you use keeps the overall formula weight the same.
Thickener (gum)
To give the serum a smooth, gel-like texture, we’ve used xanthan gum, a widely available and beginner-friendly gum and thickener, which also keeps your serum stable.
We opted for clear grade xanthan gum to maintain the serum’s transparent appearance.
Water-soluble preservative
We know this can be a heated topic, but preservation is essential when it comes to cosmetic products. Because this is a water-based formulation, proper preservation is needed to prevent microbial growth and ensure safety.
For this serum, we used a broad-spectrum, water-soluble and naturally-derived preservative (Sodium Benzoate & Potassium Sorbate).
Learn more about the importance of preservation below:
Don’t forget to test and adjust the pH of your final product as needed: this helps ensure both the stability of the preservative system and the overall safety of your serum. Read more here:
What can go wrong if you don’t control your formulation’s pH?
How to make a rose hydrating serum
Here’s how to make this rose hydrating serum in only 4 steps:
- Makes: 100g
- Level: Beginner-friendly
- Method: Cold process
| Phase | Ingredients | INCI | Weight (g) |
| A | Rose hydrosol (preserved) | Rosa Damascena Flower Water & Aqua & Sodium Benzoate & Potassium Sorbate | 50.00 |
| A | Distilled water | Aqua | 45.30 |
| A | Glycerine | Glycerin | 3.00 |
| A | Xanthan gum | Xanthan Gum | 0.50 |
| B | Hyaluronic acid | Sodium Hyaluronate | 0.20 |
| C | Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate | Aqua, Sodium Benzoate & Potassium Sorbate | 1.00 |
| Total: 100.00 |
Equipment:
Here’s what you’ll need to make this serum:
- Jewellery scale
- Glass beakers
- Glass rods or mini whisk
- Pipettes
- Suitable container – pipette/dropper bottle
You can find all of this equipment on our Formula Botanica Amazon storefront!
Formulation method:
Here’s the step-by-step method to make this rose hydrating serum. You can also watch our corresponding YouTube video.
- Step 1: Weigh the rose hydrosol
Start by cleaning and sanitising your workspace and equipment. Wash your surfaces and tools with hot, soapy water, let them air dry, and then sanitise them using 70% isopropyl alcohol or ethanol. Make sure to also wear an apron and tie your hair.
Then, weigh your rose hydrosol in a sanitised glass beaker. Add the distilled water, stir with a gloss rod, and set the blend aside.
- Step 2: Weigh the glycerine, the xanthan gum, and the hyaluronic acid
Next, weigh the glycerine in a small beaker, and add the xanthan gum and the hyaluronic acid, taring after each addition (using the ‘tare’ button of your scale)
Stir the blend thoroughly.
Step 3: Add the gum blend to the water base
Slowly, in small increments, add the gum blend to the water base and stir well.
Set the beaker aside to allow the gum and hyaluronic acid to swell (or ‘hydrate).
Step 4: Add the preservative, package, and label!
When the blend is clear and has no particles from the gum, add the preservative.
Check the pH and adjust it to around pH 5.0-5.5 if needed. We teach you how to do this in our Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation.
And that’s it! You can now pour the blend into a pretty bottle and label it with the name and date. Enjoy!
Take your hydrating facial serum to the next level
If you have already mastered this formula and would like to take your serum to the next level, here are some ideas for you:
- Increase the hyaluronic acid to 0.5% to make it even more effective (but always conduct a patch test first).
- Add other humectants, such as sodium lactate or sodium PCA.
- Replace the glycerine with some glycerites (plants, flowers, herbs or fruit infused in glycerine) such as pomegranate or cucumber.
- Try other thickeners or blend gums for a synergistic effect. You may need to alter the amount you use, though, so bear this in mind.
- Depending on your goal or target audience, you can add other water-soluble actives, vitamins and botanicals. Remember to reduce the hydrosol to keep the formulation to 100%.
- If you wanted to use essential oils, you would need to include a solubiliser in your formulation, as essential oils are oil-soluble.
Bonus: Free serum formulations
If you enjoyed making this facial serum, why not try making these other serum formulations available to you for free on our blog:
How to make a skin-loving green tea serum
How to formulate a restoring vitamin C face serum
How to formulate a prebiotic glycerine serum
How to formulate an indulgent lip serum
How to make a brightening body serum
How to make a caffeine & pea natural under eye serum
Final thoughts
Making your own skincare doesn’t have to be intimidating. This simple rose hydrating serum is proof that even beginners can create beautiful, effective products using natural and organic ingredients. And once you’ve made one product, the possibilities open up fast.
If you’re ready to take the next step and go deeper into the world of formulation, why not take the next step and join our free online training? It’s the perfect way to dip your toes into the world of botanical skincare, with no cost, no pressure, just practical, step-by-step guidance from our expert team.
Until then, have fun experimenting with your rose serum – and let us know how it turns out in the comments below!
Suggested suppliers
Here are the suppliers we’ve used to make this hydrating rose serum:
Rose hydrosol
- UK: Baldwins
- US: Mountain Rose Herbs
Glycerine
Xanthan gum
Hyaluronic acid
- UK: Gracefruit
- US: Making Cosmetics
Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate
Once you enrol in one of our courses, we also provide you with a comprehensive supplier list of natural and organic cosmetic ingredients – and more – featuring suppliers from all over the world.
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Timi was a key member of the Formula Botanica team from 2015 to 2020; first as our Education Manager and then as Head of Formulation & Research. You can find out more about the Formula Botanica team here.
