Natural At-Home Face Moisturizer Recipe

A delightful trend I’ve noticed is that we’re becoming more conscious of what chemicals we’re putting in and on our bodies. With the rising costs of skin care products and the unprecedented accessibility we now have for natural cosmetic ingredients, I’d like to share my tried-and-true face moisturizer recipe. I’ve been using this formula for over five years now, and I’ve only had to buy ingredients a handful of times in that span. Plus, these ingredients are shared in homemade bath-bombs, bath-salts, face washes, soaps, and other cosmetic recipes, so they will likely get used abundantly without waste.

The first section of this article will focus on relevant knowledge on what various ingredients do to our skin, particularly comedogenic levels of oils and their skin-related effects, and then I will share my formula. I’d also like to note that, with homemade moisturizer, the base and ingredients are, simply, oil-based. As such, after applying the moisturizer, an oil sheen will be apparent on the skin, but this can easily be blotted off when one is ready to leave the house.

Overall, my aim in this article is to share my herbalism knowledge on beauty-care products so that readers can make healthy and wise decisions, and take the power of proper skincare back into their own hands.

Disclaimer: This information is not to be used for medical advice. Please consult a physician for medical issues. Sources for the content in this article are listed at the end of the article.

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Which oils are best for my skin?

It’s likely that each of us have heard just how bad “oils” can be for our skin, clogging pores, causing acne, and so forth. This is only partially true, and knowing the difference between oils will make all the difference!

The key term used when describing how badly an oil will clog the skin is its comedogenic level. Each oil falls on the comedogenic scale, rated from 0 to 5, which ranks how likely it is to clog your skin (0 = not likely to clog, 5 = highly likely to clog). Most skins can tolerate up to a 2 without causing a breakout, and oils at a 4, such as coconut oil, will most likely clog pores, which is great for some parts of the skin such as dry hands or the scalp (which need extra moisturizing), but will cause acne on the face.

A second metric used in determining which oils are best is the composition of linolenic and oleic acids. Oils high in linoleic and low in oleic acids absorb quickly into the skin and don’t leave a sheen. Oils high in oleic and low in linolenic acids moisturize deeper and longer, so are perfect for drier skins, which is believed to reduce wrinkles over time.

Here is a table of the most commonly-found oils and butters in the household or in stores with their comedogenic levels and acid compositions.^[1]Herbal Dynamics Beauty

Common Oils, Comedogenic Levels, and Acid Content

A Note on Essential Oils

It is not without reason that many people are cautious about using essential oils. In too high of a concentration, essential oils can cause burns, infiltrate the blood stream recklessly, and affect hormone balances. The biggest caution I have against using essential oils is to not use them directly on your skin.

Essential oils should always be used with a non-reactive carrier oil, which you can find in the tables above. Almond oil, argan oil, coconut oil, and so forth, are all stable carrier oils. And only a few drops of essential oil are needed per cup of carrier oil. Additionally, each individual may react sensitively to differing essential oils, so use caution and test in small batches.

Take this advice from the New York Times and avoid the following essential oils in your skincare creations:

DIY Face Moisturizer Recipe

With all of this in mind, I am going to give you the basic recipe for my face moisturizer, then list specific ingredients that work for my skin (dry). Use the table above to determine which ingredients are best for your skin type!

1 cup Shea Butter. With a low comedogenic rating of 2, this base will deeply moisturize your skin without clogging your pores. Shea butter acts as a thick carrier oil with the consistency of lotion and will be the largest portion of your formula. Alternatively, consider using mango butter (CL 2) for a less oily moisturizer.

1/2 tbsp Bees Wax. With a comedogenic level between 0 and 2, bees wax is high in Vitamin A. This ingredient is great for rejuvenating and healing skin, protecting against UV rays^[2]Evaluation of Beeswax Influence on Physical Properties[…], Lithuania University of Health Sciences, as well as thickening up the moisturizer.

1-2 tbsp Liquid Carrier Oils. While the shea butter (or mango butter) will act as a carrier oil, add a bit of liquid carrier oil to help the final product apply easier. Depending on your skin type, this can be anything from jojoba oil to almond oil to olive oil to rosehip oil⁠—or a combination of them. I use about a tablespoon of liquid carrier oil per cup of shea butter. I personally use jojoba (fades wrinkles^[3]Good Housekeeping), rosehip (high in Vitamin C^[4]Healthline), argan (anti-aging^[5]Healthline), and Vitamin E (tocopherol, cell regeneration^[6]Healthline).

1 tbsp Pure Aloe Vera. Pure aloe vera, which is what you would get straight off the leaf (without any alcohol additives) is non-comedogenic and will not clog your pores, but will benefit your skin greatly with antibacterial, healing, and soothing properties.

1-6 drops Essential Oils. There are many essential oils beneficial for the skin. Use 1-6 drops of essential oils per cup of carrier oil, utilizing a combination of different essential oils. Remember to test small batches to see how you react to the essential oil first! Some essential oils I use with their effective properties^[7]Commercial Essential Oils as Potential Antimicrobials to Treat Skin Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand are as follows:

• Frankincense (anti-acne, anti-aging, anti-bacterial/fungal, anti-inflammation, regenerative, toner)
• Ylang-ylang (anti-acne, balancing sebum, oil-reducing, toner)
• Neroli (anti-acne, anti-aging, moisturizing, healing agent, regenerative, toner)
• Geranium (anti-acne, moisturizing, anti-bacterial, balancing sebum, anti-cellulite, healing, anti-inflammation, anti-rosacea)
• Rose (heals broken capillaries, anti-aging, moisturizing, reduces burns, anti-inflammation, reduces scars/stretch marks, toner)
• Lavender (anti-acne, antiseptic, anti-bacterial/fungal, anti-cellulite, oil-reducing, healing, anti-inflammation, anti-rosacea) *caution, may be cytotoxic and cause dermatitis.
• Tea tree (anti-bacterial, anti-inflammation, reduces spots, oil-reducing) *beware, this oil may cause a skin irritation.

Also note that the effects of essential oils when diluted with carrier oils has been less-than studied scientifically. Use this information with this in mind.

Process

Bring water in a small pot to a boil. Place a small (wide-mouth is best) glass jar in the pot of water. The amount of water in the pot should only be about halfway up a small glass jar so that the jar does not tip over in the water.

Place the bees wax and shea (or mango) butter in the glass jar. Let it sit and simmer in the pot of boiling water until the two ingredients are completely melted. Remove the jar from the water and set it on a hot pad. Let the mixture cool slightly but not enough to allow it to congeal.

When the oils have cooled slightly, add in the liquid carrier, aloe vera, and essential oils. Mix with a wooden dowel or stick (I use sturdy bamboo chopsticks) that you will not be using for food-grade cooking again. Mix until all ingredients have combined. Allow the jar and its ingredients to cool completely until the mixture turns opaque and is room temperature. It will have a dark yellow-green tint to it.

Place the jar (with its lid on) in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. The formula will lighten up to a creamy white. After this time, remove the mixture and use the thick wooden dowel (or chopstick) to whip the mixture until it is airy and lotion-like. If you skip this whipping step, the moisturizer will still work, but it will be more like a balm or salve, as the whipped texture aids in application to the skin.

How to Use the Moisturizer

Apply whenever your skin is feeling dry! Whether your face is clean or not, you will still benefit from the good nutrients and moisturizing properties in the lotion. However, I think the moisturizer does best in the morning after cleaning my face thoroughly with witch hazel, and at night before bed. I also use a Retinol-based night serum about once per week, then apply my moisturizer on top once it has dried.

Take note that if you use an excessive amount of the moisturizer on your face, you will have a glowing sheen that appears oily. Use a small amount, but enough to cover your face until it does not feel dry. If you find your skin continues to have an oily sheen, dab off the excess after a few minutes with a dry washcloth or cotton pad.

Bonus: Use as a Foundation Primer

If a very small amount is applied before foundation, this moisturizer will double as a primer and leave a layer of protection between the acne-causing foundation and your skin. Plus, your skin will feel and look hydrated under the makeup, which is a double win.