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You are going to love this homemade face moisturizer. It’s made with 3 simple ingredients, and you can choose to leave it fragrance-free or customize it with natural essential oils to suit your preferences.
During the winter months, I go through so much moisturizer! Those cold Midwest winters are no joke! Right now, as I’m writing this, the temperature outside is hovering around zero. That’s why I rely on this moisturizer, paired with a DIY facial oil.
It’s the perfect combination for keeping my skin feeling soft and nourished while knowing exactly what I’m putting on it.
If you have sensitive skin or just want to make simple, natural skincare swaps, this recipe is perfect. It’s lightweight, hydrating, and made with just three easy ingredients.
Natural skincare is easier than you think. Once you get started, you will see! To make your life even easier, I have a free ebook with all my favorite skincare recipes!
Recipe Ingredients
- Shea Butter: Shea butter is perfect for DIY skincare recipes. It is also used in many different lotions, creams, and conventional cosmetics. I love that it has a rich, creamy texture and feels so moisturizing on my dry skin!
- Jojoba Oil: This oil is one of my favorite carrier oils for its light yet nourishing touch. As a natural emollient, it’s perfect for adding to homemade face moisturizers. It absorbs easily and leaves a smooth, non-greasy finish, making it suitable for all skin types.
- Fractionated Coconut Oil: I love using this oil in my face products because it’s naturally sourced, eco-friendly, easy to blend into lotions, and has a long shelf life!
- Essential Oils (optional): You are free to keep this fragrance free, but if you would like to add some delightful scents, I do provide several different essential oil blends below!
Ingredient Variations
- If you don’t have shea butter, you can substitute it for cocoa butter or mango butter. The texture will be slightly harder, but it will still work just fine.
- Other carrier oil options include argan oil, avocado oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, hemp seed oil, or rosehip oil. You can also make your own rosehip oil if you would like! You can read more about the best carrier oils to decide which one is best for your skin.
Homemade Face Moisturizer Recipe
Step 1: Add shea butter, jojoba oil, and fractionated coconut oil to the top of a double boiler or a large glass mixing bowl over a pot of water and bring it to a boil.
Step 2: Once the butter and oils are melted, remove them from the heat to cool slightly.
Step 3: Add essential oils if you are using them, and stir them well.
Step 4: While the moisturizer is still melted, carefully pour it into your clean storage container. Allow it to cool completely before securing the airtight lid.
Recipe Tips
Whip the ingredients for a softer final product. Similar to my whipped body butter recipe, you can wait for the melted ingredients to set up ever so slightly and then whip it with a hand mixer for 60 seconds or until light and airy. Then, simply use a spoon to scoop it into your container.
Avoid using citrus essential oils on the face. If you do want to use citrus essential oils, avoid direct sunlight for 24 hours due to photosensitivity. You can learn more about photosensitive essential oils here.
Make sure you’re working in a clean space. Keeping everything sterile helps avoid contamination and ensures your product has the best possible shelf life.
Be sure to label your homemade face moisturizer! After making plenty of DIYs, I can tell you that adding a label is a total lifesaver—it helps keep everything organized and easy to identify.
Essential Oil Blends
Essential oils are very concentrated and potent. Diluting them before using them topically is important, especially when using them on the face. Here are some of my favorite blends for this moisturizer.
Clear skin
- 5 drops frankincense
- 5 drops lavender
- 5 drops tea tree
Learn more about essential oils for clear skin.
Anti-aging
- 3 drops frankincense
- 3 drops rose
- 3 drops helichrysum
- 2 drops myrrh
- 2 drops lavender
Learn more about essential oils for anti-aging.
Dry skin
- 5 drops myrrh
- 5 drops lavender
- 5 drops sandalwood
Rejuvenating blend
- 5 drops lavender
- 5 drops sandalwood
- 5 drops yarrow pom
This is my favorite blend!
Recipe FAQs
Coconut oil may cause breakouts on your face, depending on your skin type. That is why I use fractionated coconut oil in this recipe because it absorbs easily into the skin. I do use regular coconut oil in several of my lotion recipes, including my homemade lotion bars, with no issues.
If stored in an airtight container, your face moisturizer will last up to one year. Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
No. Because this doesn’t contain any water-based products, we are able to store it at room temperature without it spoiling.
I suggest a glass jar, such as a shallow, wide-mouth mason jar. You can also use old moisturizer containers or heavy-duty plastic containers.
Yes! This moisturizer is gentle and hydrating, making it perfect for use on other dry areas like your hands, elbows, or even your neck. For more skincare ideas, check out my DIY hand mask and my skincare recipes for oily skin.
How do you use face moisturizer?
Always use any face moisturizer with a clean face! I like to use one of my 5 DIY face wash recipes first.
Then, add about a dime-size amount of face lotion to the palm of your hand and massage it into the skin. For best results, use daily.
I do suggest doing a small patch test with this product first to ensure it suits your skin type.
Related Recipes
- Homemade Face Toner
- Face Lotion for Anti-Aging
- Homemade Body Cream
- Tinted Moisturizer for all skin types
- How to Make a Face Mist
If you tried this Homemade Face Moisturizer Tutorial or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Homemade Face Moisturizer
Equipment
- Airtight container
Ingredients
- 2.75 oz shea butter, approximately ½ cup of raw shea butter
- 0.5 oz jojoba oil, 1 tbsp
- 0.5 oz fractionated coconut oil, 1 tbsp
- 5 drops lavender, optional
- 5 drops sandalwood, optional
- 5 drops yarrow pom, optional
Instructions
- Add shea butter, jojoba oil, and coconut oil to a glass bowl.
- Set the glass bowl over a pot of water to create a double boiler. Melt all ingredients together.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Add in essential oils if you are using them, and stir together well.
- Transfer to an airtight container and allow it to cool completely before securing the lid.
Video
Notes
- I have included the essential oil amounts in the recipe; however, if you prefer to leave it fragrance-free, you can simply omit them.
- Be sure to check out the detailed step-by-step images in the post.
- Whip the ingredients for a softer final product. Similar to my whipped body butter recipe, you can wait for the melted ingredients to set up slightly and then whip it with a hand mixer for 60 seconds or until light and airy. Then, simply use a spoon to scoop it into your container.
- Avoid using citrus essential oils on the face. If you want to use citrus essential oils, avoid direct sunlight for 24 hours due to photosensitivity.
- Make sure you’re working in a clean space.
- Be sure to label your moisturizer! After making plenty of DIYs, I can tell you that adding a label is a total lifesaver—it helps keep everything organized and easy to identify.
Bit confused.
The instructions don’t outline what to do once the mixture has cooled. Just to “add essential oils”. Do you need to whisk it? Use a blender to emulsify it? If you just let the melted oils cool and add essential oils, you will just have a bowl of solidified oils. Can you clarify?
You can use it as is, or you can whip it with a hand help mixer if you prefer. The only diofference is the texture. Works great both ways!
I made this recipe and accidently put too much almond oil in, (the bottle slipped a little as I was measuring out the Tablespoon.) i continued to finish but it is a little oily, how can I remedy this? remelt and add a pinch of beeswax? Will blending it help?
Yes you can try that, can you drain any oil off the top?
What would be the difference in the final outcome between simply leaving it to settle or to whipp it? I’m looking for consistency which I could squeeze through cake sleeves with a nose into container for nice visual effect as well as the physical benefits
It just changes the consistency. It works the same either way. That sounds like a great idea!
Is there part of the instructions missing you will need to let harden then mix to get to the consistency as in the picture
You will want it to cool slightly to thicken before whipping it. You don’t want it to harden completely, just slightly. Does that make sense?
I was literally looking for a face cream recently and I stumbled on this. Think I will give this one a try. Thank you!
I really love the way it makes my skin feel!
This is such a great tutorial! Over the past few years my skin has changed so much and now it is so dry and needing moisture!! Will have to try some of these moisturizers!!
Thank you! I love the way it works and makes my skin feel. 🙂
Laura these are great tips and recipes. I use coconut oil, Shea butter and tea tree for every thing. Thanks for sharing.
That is a great combo for anything skin related!