How to Make Moisturizer

Co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD

Last Updated: December 17, 2023 Approved

Moisturizer is an important part of skincare routine, whether you have dry skin, oily skin, or combination skin. Unlike lotion, moisturizer goes mainly on your face and neck. Unfortunately, many store bought moisturizers are either too expensive or too full of chemicals. Luckily, it is easy to make your own moisturizer right at home! The best part: you can see and control exactly what goes into it to suit your personal needs and tastes.

Ingredients

Shea Butter Based Moisturizer^{[1]
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½ cup (115 grams) shea butter
2 tablespoons oil (ie: apricot seed, avocado, jojoba, or sweet almond oil)
10 to 15 drops essential oil (choose 2 to 3 different kinds)

Coconut Oil Based Moisturizer^{[2]
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½ cup (115 grams) coconut oil
1 tablespoon (15 grams) cocoa butter
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) oil (ie: apricot seed, avocado, jojoba, or sweet almond oil)
10 to 15 drops essential oil (choose 2 to 3 different kinds)

Beeswax Based Moisturizer^{[3]
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½ cup (120 milliliters) sweet almond oil
¼ cup (55 grams) coconut oil
¼ cup (227 grams) beeswax
2 tablespoons (30 grams) cocoa butter or shea butter (optional)
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil (optional)
10 to 15 drops essential oil (optional)

Anti-Aging Moisturizer

3 tablespoons (45 grams) shea butter
3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) apricot seed oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
10 to 15 drops essential oil (Clary sage, helichrysum, and myrrh recommended)

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making a Shea Butter Based Moisturizer

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Fill a saucepan with 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) of water and place a glass, heat-safe bowl on top. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the surface of the water.
Stir the shea butter occasionally to help it melt evenly. Unlike coconut oil, shea butter does not clog pores, making it ideal for sensitive skin or acne-prone skin.

Warning: Shea butter is a nut derivative, so avoid handling it if you have a nut allergy.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Mohiba Tareen, MD
FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.}

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3
Add 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of oil and stir with a whisk until combined. You can use just one type of oil, or you can use a combination of two different kinds. Consider using any of the following oils:^{[5]
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- Apricot seed
- Avocado
- Jojoba
- Sweet almond
Take the bowl off of the saucepan, cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap, and place it into the fridge. Take it out when the mixture starts to harden and turn translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes. Don't let it harden completely.^{[6]
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5
Add in 10 to 15 drops of your desired essential oils. Choose 2 to 3 different types of essential oil, and add them to the bowl. You need 10 to 15 drops total, so play around with the different proportions. For example, you could have 5 drops of lavender essential oil, 3 drops of carrot seed oil, and 3 drops of Clary sage. Consider any of the following oils listed below:^{[7]
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- Carrot seed
- Clary sage
- Frankincense
- Lavender
- Myrrh
- Rosemary
The cream is ready once it turns thick and creamy—like whipped cream. You can do this using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer. If you don't have a mixer, you can use a food processor fitted with whisk attachments.
Avoid using plastic, as it tends to leach chemicals overtime. The essential oils in the cream may also degrade the plastic overtime. Use the cream within 6 to 12 months.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making a Coconut Oil Based Moisturizer

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Fill a saucepan with 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) of water and place a glass, heat-safe bowl on top. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Stir the two together with a whisk to help them melt evenly. Coconut oil and cocoa butter are both very moisturizing. Keep in mind, however, that coconut oil can clog pores, so it may not be recommended for those who suffer from acne, blackheads, or oily skin.
3
Remove the mixture from heat, let it cool, then whisk in 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of oil. You can use just one type of oil or a combination of two different types. Consider using any of the following oils:^{[8]
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- Apricot seed
- Avocado
- Jojoba
- Sweet almond
4
Add in 10 to 15 drops of your desired essential oils. Choose 2 to 3 different types of essential oil, then add them to the bowl. You will need 10 to 15 drops total, so you can experiment with different combinations. For example, you could have 4 drops of carrot seed essential oil, 4 drops of Clary sage, and 4 drops of Myrrh. Consider any of the following oils listed below:^{[9]
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- Carrot seed
- Clary sage
- Frankincense
- Lavender
- Myrrh
- Rosemary
Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and put it into the fridge. Leave it there for 1 hour so that it can harden and set. This will make it easier to whip later on.
Take the bowl out of the fridge, and whisk the mixture together. You can do it by hand with a whisk, but an electric mixer (either stand or handheld) will be much faster and easier. You can even use a food processor fitted with whisks.
This will set the mixture to its final consistency and make it more cream like.
8
Use a rubber spatula to transfer the cream to a glass jar, and store it in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Do not use a plastic jar. The plastic may leach chemicals into the cream over time; the essential oils may also degrade the plastic as well. Use the cream within 6 to 12 months.
- Coconut oil has a low melting point. If your cream starts to get too soft, store it in the fridge.^{[10]
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  Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making a Beeswax Based Moisturizer

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1
Assemble a double boiler. Fill a saucepan with 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) of water and place it on the stove. Set a heat-safe glass bowl on top and make sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
- This is a beeswax-based moisturizer, so it is best to use it on the body and not on the face.
Chop up the beeswax into smaller pieces first, then place it into the bowl. Turn the heat to medium, and wait until the wax starts to melt. Stir it occasionally with a spoon to help it melt faster. This will create the base for your moisturizer.
Keep stirring until the coconut oil melts and gets evenly mixed into the melted beeswax. Coconut oil is naturally moisturizing, but some people find that it clogs pores. If you tend to get a lot of blackheads or acne, you may wish to omit it or replace it with shea butter.
Keep stirring these until they melt and combine with the beeswax mixture. All three are wonderful for the skin. They are not completely necessary, but they can take your moisturizer to the next level.
5
Remove the mixture from heat and stir in the sweet almond oil. Carefully lift the bowl off of the saucepan and set it down on your counter. Stir in the sweet almond oil. If you can't find any sweet almond oil, try any of the following:
- Apricot seed
- Avocado
- Jojoba
6
Add 10 to 15 drops of your favorite essential oil, if desired. You can use just one type of essential oil or a combination of different types. If you wish to use more than one type of essential oil, make sure that you end up with 10 to 15 drops total. For example, you could use 5 drops of lavender essential oil, 3 drops of frankincense, and 3 drops of rosemary. All of the below essential oils are wonderful for the skin.
- Carrot seed
- Clary sage
- Frankincense
- Lavender
- Myrrh
- Rosemary
Avoid using a plastic jar, as the chemicals in the plastic may eventually leach into the moisturizer. The essential oils may also corrode the plastic as well.
Store it in a cool, dry place, out of reach of sunlight, and use it within 6 months.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making an Anti-Aging Moisturizer

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1
Whip 3 tablespoons (45 grams) of shea butter in a bowl until it turns creamy. You can do this by hand using a whisk, but an electric mixer (such as a stand mixer or a handheld mixer) would be much faster. You can even use a food processor fitted with whisks.
- Shea butter is great for sensitive skin, because it doesn't clog pores. It also contains lots of anti-aging vitamins.
2
Add 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) of apricot seed oil. Apricot seed oil is especially good for sensitive skin because it is non-irritating and soothing. It also feels light and doesn't clog up pores. If you can't find any apricot seed oil, consider any of the following oils:
- Avocado
- Jojoba
- Sweet almond
Vitamin E oil helps reduce signs of aging, such as wrinkles and lines. It also helps promote skin growth and regeneration. Aloe vera gel is cool and soothing, making it idea for reducing acne and inflammation.
4
Add in your essential oils. You will need 3 drops of Clary sage, 5 drops of myrrh, and 5 drops of helichrysum. All three oils have anti-aging benefits and help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and lines. If you can't find these oils anywhere, or if you simply don't like them, consider any of the following anti-aging oils:
- Carrot seed
- Frankincense
- Geranium
- Patchouli
- Sandalwood
Once you have all of the ingredients in your bowl, beat them together with a whisk until all of the oils, butters, and gels are evenly mixed together. Transfer the mixture into a glass jar using a rubber spatula.
Use it within 6 to 12 months.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What ingredients are the most effective at moisturizing?

Mohiba Tareen, MD
FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist
Mohiba Tareen is a board certified Dermatologist and the founder of Tareen Dermatology located in Roseville, Maplewood and Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Tareen completed medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. While a dermatology resident at Columbia University in New York City, she won the Conrad Stritzler award of the New York Dermatologic Society and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Tareen then completed a procedural fellowship which focused on dermatologic surgery, laser, and cosmetic dermatology.

Mohiba Tareen, MD

FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

I recommend that my patients use moisturizers that have Ceramide as their base. Ceramide is a protein that helps hold onto water, and it really helps the water stay deeper in the skin barrier. Shea butter is also fantastic, but it's a nut derivative, so you'd need to be careful with that if you have a nut allergy. Glycerin and petrolatum are good options, as well.

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Tips

Don't be afraid to create your own blend. For instance, Ceramide is a protein that helps hold onto water, which allows the moisturizer to penetrate deeper into the skin barrier. You can also use products like glycerin or petroleum jelly.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Mohiba Tareen, MD
FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.}

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Carrot seed oil has a natural SPF of 38 t0 40. Coconut oil has an SPF of 6 to 8.^{[12]
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Look at the properties of the essential oils that you choose. Ylang Ylang and neroli will make an uplifting day-cream whilst geranium and lavender makes a vigorous night-cream.

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Warnings

Always make sure that you are not allergic to any ingredients that you add to your moisturizer.

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These moisturizers are thick and may not do well in a pump dispenser. It is best to store them in a jar.

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To reduce the risk of infection, make sure that all of the utensils you are using have been properly cleaned and sterilized.

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