Homemade Moisturizer for Oily, Acne Prone Skin
Making your own facial moisturizer isn’t difficult, and it can save you a lot of money. Learn to make a homemade moisturizer for oily, acne prone skin, and customize it to suit your skin.
For the last 30 years or so, I’ve struggled with oily, acne prone skin. When I was 13 years old, it wasn’t that unusual. I could blame it on the hormonal changes of adolescence. When I hit 20, I was excited that it was finally time for my skin to clear up, but it didn’t; nor did it when I hit 30, or 40!
To be honest, I’ve always avoided wearing any type of facial moisturizer because I was afraid that it would make my skin break out more than it already was.
As I’ve gotten older, though, I have new concerns. I want to use some sort of moisturizer to prevent age lines and wrinkles. While my homemade hyaluronic acid serum does seem to work quite well to help my skin stay youthful, I wanted to make myself a moisturizer to use with my serum.
Why make your own moisturizer?
Making your own moisturizer may sound intimidating, but it’s actually very easy. If you can bake a cake or make aioli, you should have no issues making your own lotions and moisturizers.
Of course, just because you can do something, doesn’t always mean you should. In this case, though, there are many benefits to making your own facial moisturizer.
Customize it to suit your skin
In this article, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite oils and other ingredients for oily and acne prone skin. These oils have worked well for me, and I think they are a great starting point for making your own moisturizer if you have acne prone skin.
While non-comedogenic oils are generally less problematic for most people with acne-prone skin, not all non-comedogenic oils work well for all people. Some people may have sensitivities to certain oils. Being able to customize a moisturizer to suit your needs can be life-changing for people with sensitive skin.
It’s not just about the oils, though. You can also avoid perfumes, parabens, and other problematic ingredients.
Save money
Not only do you gain the ability to choose what goes into your moisturizer, but you can also save money. Moisturizers tend to be quite expensive despite the fact that normally over 50% of the product is water! Once you’ve invested in a good emulsifier and preservative, you can use it for multiple batches of moisturizers and other products.
Ingredients
A moisturizer has 4 basic ingredients: oils, water, and emulsifier, and a preservative.
I have decided to use a variety of oils to add a variety of skin benefits to this moisturizer. That said, you could simplify the recipe, using only one or two of the oils that I have used.
I have also added rose water as part of the water phase of the recipe for its lovely fragrance and its skin-soothing properties. Feel free to only use water, though. You can always add some essential oils for fragrance when you add in the preservative.
The best oils for oily and acne prone skin
After a bit of research, I realized that not all oils will cause breakouts. Nor will they all make your skin feel oily. In fact, some oils can actually help balance the oils in your skin. That makes them beneficial for someone like me with oily or combination skin.
When making your own homemade moisturizer, it’s important to use the best oils for your skin type! Today, I’ll cover some non-comedogenic oils that I use in my homemade moisturizer.
While you can use my recipe as written, you can use your own combination of oils. (Just make sure to keep the total oil weight the same.)
Hemp seed oil
Hemp seed oil may be my favorite oil for people with oily and/or acne prone skin!
Not only does it have a comedogenic rating of ZERO, but it is known to help balance the oils in your skin. It may also help clear up blackheads and small pimples. It does all of that while helping reduce dry patches, inflammation, redness, and fine lines!
It’s a definite must have in any homemade lotion for oily and acne prone skin.
You may notice that in some of my photos, my homemade moisturizer is a bright white color. In others, it’s more of a pale yellow. This is due to using different hemp oils from different suppliers. When using a light-colored hemp oil, the moisturizer is very light in color or even bright white. When using a dark green hemp oil, the moisturizer is darker in color.
Some hemp oils may also add a scent that can be overpowering, so keep that in mind. (Oils with less scent and less color probably make a prettier, more pleasant moisturizer, but either type will work.)
Argan oil
Argan oil was already one of my favorite oils for both skin and hair, but I love it even more knowing that it also has a comedogenic rating of ZERO. In fact, it may even directly inhibit the bacteria that cause acne, making it a possible acne treatment!
The great thing about argan oil is that, because it helps balance the sebum production of the skin, it is a great oil to use on any skin type. It hydrates and works great on flaking or itchy dry skin. It is normally very well tolerated by people with sensitive skin, and it may help eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis.
Because it helps balance the sebum production of your skin, it’s especially great for moisturizing oily or combination skin.
Sunflower oil
I was very surprised to find that sunflower oil is another oil with a comedogenic rating of ZERO!
There is a catch, though. You shouldn’t use sunflower oil with a high oleic content which may clog pores. Sunflower oil that doesn’t specifically say it is high oleic should be fine. (High oleic sunflower oil is made from sunflowers that have been crossbred to be high in oleic acid in an attempt to prolong their shelf life and make them healthier for eating.)
Otherwise, sunflower oil may be the best oil to use on acne-prone skin because it is the highest, of the oils with a comedogenic rating of zero, in linoleic acid. People who are acne-prone tend to have lower levels of linoleic acid in their skin, and it is generally thought that oils high in linoleic acid will help problems with acne.
Sunflower oil has also been shown to hydrate the skin better than olive oil, and it also may provide a barrier against the bacteria that could cause acne and other infections.
Shea butter
Shea butter is another one of those surprising oils. Because it’s so thick, you’d probably imagine it would cause your skin to break out. Interestingly enough, though, it also has a comedogenic rating of zero!
An amazing emollient, shea butter has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. It also naturally blocks some UVB rays, making it a useful addition to day creams.
If your skin is very oily, shea butter may feel slightly heavy for your skin. That’s why I use it in a low concentration. It adds its anti-aging benefits without feeling too heavy.
Unrefined shea butter also has a scent that many people find overpowering and unpleasant. Keep that in mind when choosing which type of shea butter you’d like to use.
Some people (not all) with a latex allergy may also react to shea butter. If you are in doubt, sub out the shea butter for a different oil in the recipe!
Rosehip oil
Rosehip oil is great for helping combat the redness and inflammation from acne. It has antioxidant qualities and is a good source of phytonutrients.
I was first introduced to rosehip oil when my husband was badly burned in an accident on his fishing boat. During the rehabilitation phase, the doctors prescribed massaging rosehip oil into the scars daily. They told us that rosehip oil and massage could help reduce the thickness of the scars, allowing for mobility in the scarred areas of skin.
It’s not just useful for acne and scars, though. Rosehip oil may help with a variety of skin conditions. It may help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, scarring, and skin discolorations like age spots. It may also help improve eczema, psoriasis, and stretch marks.
With all of its potential benefits, rosehip oil makes a great addition to a homemade moisturizer for acne-prone skin!
Unlike the other oils listed, rosehip oil has a comedogenic rating of 1. That is still a very low rating and most people react well to it.
Some people with acne use rosehip oil on alternate days and find that it helps them when used in that way. I added it in a low percentage to the moisturizer recipe, just in case. It works well for me. If you have issues with rosehip oil, though, sub it out for a different oil!
The water phase
While this moisturizer can be made with only distilled water, I combined the water with rose water. Rose water adds a lovely floral fragrance to the moisturizer, additional moisturizing and anti-aging properties, and it can help fight acne and eczema. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may protect cells from damage. It may also help heal wounds and clear up scars!
My homemade rose hydrosol didn’t have as potent of a fragrance as the store-bought rose water sold for use in foods. So, the last time I made this moisturizer, I actually combined the two. I had an abundance of homemade rose hydrosol, so I used that in place of the distilled water. I then used the food grade rose water for the rose water in the recipe below.
While I normally add essential oils to my lotions and creams, the rose water left this facial cream with such a lovely fragrance that I didn’t choose to add any. If you have moderate to more severe acne, though, you may want to consider adding some tea tree essential oil to your cream.
Choosing an emulsifier
Because this is a recipe for acne-prone skin, I chose to use an emulsifier that is known to be non-comedogenic, Montanov 68. It’s an emulsifier that is made from tapioca and coconut oil. It gave my cream a light, yet thick, texture that goes on wonderfully. It makes my skin feel nice and smooth.
Some readers have commented that it is harder to find Montanov 68 in the United States, so I have researched other emulsifiers. (Check out my guide to cosmetic emulsifiers for more information about the various emulsifiers.)
Olivem 1000 is another natural emulsifier that is considered non-comedogenic. It’s an emulsifier derived from the olive plant that also makes a nice creamy lotion. While I haven’t tried it in this specific recipe, I have used in many other homemade lotions like the anti-stress and headache lotion posted on the blog.
Some people say that Olivem is a more difficult emulsifier to use. Others think it has a soapy feel to it in lotions. While I don’t have issues with Olivem, both of those issues can be resolved somewhat by combining it with a co-emulsifier like cetyl alcohol or cetearyl alcohol. (I’ve also read that Olivem may cause problems when over-beaten. If you think you have that issue, either hand-mix it or blend in short bursts during the cooling phase.)
Natural Preservatives
For this recipe, I originally chose Leucidal because it’s a fairly accesible natural preservative both in Spain and in the United States. Leucidal comes from fermenting radishes with a bacteria called Leuconostoc Kimchii. Using it as 3-4% of your recipe by weight allows you to keep your finished lotion for 2-3 months (outside of the fridge) provided that you have made the lotion in hygienic conditions.
I have since switched to using other preservatives instead. Lately, I’ve been making it with either Sharomix 705 or Euxyl® K 903. Both are allowed in natural and organic cosmetics. Most natural preservatives (other than Leucidal) are used at a dosage of around 1% of the recipe, by weight. That means that you’d add 1g of preservative for every 100g of cream (99g other ingredients).
There are several other natural preservatives that you can use. Check out my guide to natural preservatives for more preservatives that can be used and how to safely substitute them in recipes.
I also cover more about preservatives and emulsions in my post about how to make a basic lotion. If you haven’t made lotions or creams before, it’s a good idea to read through that post to give you a better idea of the process. (Don’t worry, it’s easy!)
Using essential oils
This is one of the few times that I haven’t added essential oils to one of my homemade lotions. That doesn’t mean that you can’t add them, though. I mostly didn’t add them because I loved the rose scent of this lotion obtained from using rose water. (This could be made more potent by adding some rose essential oil!)
If you want to try to help increase the acne-fighting benefits of this homemade moisturizer, though, tea tree oil is probably the best essential oil for treating acne. Not only is it gentle enough to be well tolerated by most people, but it has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties, which may very well help clear up acne.
Lavender essential oil is often used in skin treatments for acne-prone skin and it effectively helps clear up the skin of some people. Plus, it has a lovely fragrance!
Some people may find that they are sensitive to essential oils, and their use may cause redness, making the problem worse. If you have sensitive skin, it may be a good idea to divide your batch of moisturizer and only add essential oils to a small amount to test out before adding them to an entire batch.
When adding essential oils, I normally add them at around 1% of the product, by weight. (So, 1g for every 100g of product.)
How to make the moisturizer
To make the moisturizer, you first need to weigh out the various ingredients. The oil-based ingredients should be combined in a heat-safe container and the water-based ingredients should be combined in a separate heat-safe container.
I find it easiest weigh out all of the oil-based ingredients together and all of the water-based ingredients together. To do so, tare the scale with the empty container on it. Add the first ingredient, up to the correct weight. Tare the scale between ingredients to get the reading back to zero again.
The emulsifier will normally be added to the oil-based ingredients. (Check on the instructions that come with your particular emulsifier to make sure.)
For those who will be making their own soaps and other cosmetics, having at least one scale is essential. You can buy an inexpensive kitchen scale for under $20. A kitchen scale is great for recipes where you don’t need to be super precise. It will give you a reading to the nearest gram.
More precise measurements may be needed for making smaller batches. (For example, when measuring out preservatives or when making a homemade serum.) I use an inexpensive jeweler’s scale for those times.
Once you’ve weighed out the various ingredients, heat both the oils and the waters in a water bath until the emulsifier has melted.
Once the emulsifier has melted, remove both containers from the hot water bath. Immediately pour the oil-based ingredients into the water-based ingredients while warm. Ideally, they should both be around 70º-75ºC/160º-170ºF.
Periodically blend the ingredients together with an immersion blender or a milk frother while the mixture cools. You can also whisk by hand, but an electric mixer can help ensure a more stable emulsion. The moisturizer will thicken as it cools.
Once the ingredients have cooled enough, add the preservative and any other heat-sensitive ingredients that you may want to add. (This includes essential oils and/or vitamins like b-panthenol.)
Then, pour the mixture into clean packaging. I like using airless dispensers and silicone travel tubes because they allow you to dispense the moisturizer without contaminating it with your hands.
Day cream or night cream?
This moisturizer works well both day and night. It’s not too heavy and it includes several oils with anti-aging properties.
Normally, the main difference between day and night creams is that night creams often use photosensitive ingredients that can’t be used in day creams. They are also sometimes a bit heavier and greasier than a cream that you would want to wear in the day under your makeup.
This cream doesn’t have any photosensitive ingredients (unless you were to add a citrus essential oil or some other additive that may increase sun sensitivity), so it’s perfectly fine to use both night and day. Perhaps as I get older, though unnecessary, I may try making a separate night cream that is slightly heavier.
Video
Homemade Moisturizer for Oily, Acne Prone Skin
Materials
- 10 g sunflower oil not high oleic
- 5 g argan oil
- 5 g hemp seed oil
- 5 g shea butter
- 5 g rosehip oil
- 40 g distilled water
- 25 g rose water
- 5 g montanov 68 or olivem or other emulsifier
- 1 g natural preservative (follow the recommended dosage for preservative chosen)
Instructions
- Weigh out the distilled water and rose water in a heat-safe container.
- Weigh the oils and emulsifier in a separate heat-safe container.
- Heat both containers in a hot water bath until the emulsifier has melted. (You may also use double boiler inserts for heating the ingredients over the hot water.)
- Combine the hot oils and waters while still hot, stirring until well combined. Ideally, both should be around 70º-75ºC/160º-170ºF when you combine them.
- Periodically whisk the ingredients together while they cool. The mixture will thicken and become more opaque as it cools.
- Once the mixture has cooled to around 30ºC/85ºF, add the preservative and, optionally, essential oils or other heat-sensitive ingredients. Mix together well to incorporate all of the ingredients.
- Test the pH of the lotion. Adjust it down with a few drops of lactic acid, if needed.
- Pour the facial cream into bottles. I love airless dispensers because they allow you to dispense the cream easily without contaminating it with your fingers.
Notes
Customizing oils
You may adjust the amounts and combination of oils used to suit your skin and sensitivities. (Just keep the total weight of the oils the same.Adding fragrance
This moisturizer obtains its subtle floral scent from the rose water. If you want a more pronounced rose scent, you can substitute part of the distilled water for more rose water or add a few drops of rose essential oil. If you prefer, you can also substitute the rose water with another floral water or hydrosol. You can also add an essential oil like lavender or tea tree oil at around 1% of the recipe by weight. Some essential oils may also help prevent and clear up acne.Preservatives
I normally use Sharomix 705 and Euxyl k903 to preserve this moisturizer. If using Leucidal for your preservative, it should be dosed around 3-4% of the recipe by weight (rather than 1%). For more information about preservatives, check out my guide to natural preservatives.Emulsifiers
Different emulsifiers will give different consistencies and textures. You may need to adjust the amount of emulsifier used depending on the one chosen. (Adding more will give a thicker consistency.) For more information about emulsifiers, check out my guide to emulsifiers. I like Montanov 68 and Olivem 1000.Testing the pH
You can use ph test strips to test the pH of the lotion. Test the pH to ensure the lotion falls in a decent range for both your skin (5-6 is ideal) and for the preservative you want to useYield
This recipe makes around 100g of lotion. In volume, it will make slightly less than 100ml. (The oil component of ml to grams isn’t interchangeable in the same way water is.) You can adjust the amount of the recipe to suit whichever container you plan to use.This post was originally published on April 8, 2017. It was rewritten, adding new photos, video, and clearer instructions in April of 2021.
Hi Tracy,
Thank you for the recipe. I find this lotion to be still too oily for my taste. Do you have recommendation to remedy that? Will aloe vera gel do the trick?
Hi jc,
What emulsifier did you use? I think the issue may be in the emulsifier as this moisturizer was very light for me and not at all oily. If you were to add something like aloe vera gel at this point, it may or may not combine well into a stable emulsion, and you’d want to calculate out the amount of extra preservative that you’d need based on the new weight of the product. You can definitely try it, though.
Hi Tracy,
Thanks for replying! I used vegetable emulsifyer. Now that i have been using it for couple of days i absolutely love it – i just wish the texture was silkier? Perhaps if i use olivem that might do the trick? 🙂
Hi JC,
I have had good success with Olivem, but some people say it’s very finicky and hard to use. I haven’t had problems with it separating, but it is something to keep in mind. It may need another co-emulsifier to help keep things stable.
The other possible issue with Olivem is that some people say it feels “soapy.” Again, I didn’t feel that way, but so far I’ve only used it for a couple of batches of my stress and headache cream where you only use a little bit of the cream at a time. I’ve been meaning to experiment more with Olivem before making too many recommendations, though. (I’m planning on making a cleansing cream with olivem soon as I think the “soapy” properties of it would be great in those sorts of recipes.)
Montanov is really my favorite in texture so far. I absolutely love it, but I realize that it may not be easy for everybody to find. I’ll need to start looking for more sources for everything.
If you do try with Olivem, I’d love to hear how it turns out.
I am formulating a face cream right now. The problem is that it will be highly perishable. Even with preservatives and refrigeration I don’t dare make too much at a time. I will need to mix and whip a quantity not much more than 1/4 cup. I am going nuts trying to find a blender or mixer that can handle such a small amount. Do any of you have any ideas? I would prefer things that you have actually tested.
Hi Denise – I find using a hand coffee frother works really well for lotions.
Thanks, Laurie, for the tip! 🙂
Hey Tracy, Im very new about making natural cosmetics, so maybe my question will be so old, nobody talks about anymore. 🙂
I tried your recipe with beeswax, as i see nobody does that anymore, so my production started to sweating 🙁 isnt there any way to work with beeswax?
Hi Tuonela,
I’m not sure I understand the question. Are you adding the beeswax to the moisturizer recipe as such to make it thicker?
Or are you trying to emulsify the lotion with beeswax?
Beeswax is NOT an emulsifier, so you can’t use it to try to get the water and oils to come together into a stable emulsion. You may be able to get a temporary one, if lucky, but it will separate again. You can add beeswax to formulas to make them thicker, though.
To make a lotion or moisturizer with both water and oils, you need to use an emulsifying wax of some sort, or some other type of emulsifier.
Yes, I was trying to emulsify the lotion with beeswax.
Thank you very much for your reply.
You’re welcome.
I made that mistake a long time ago myself. 😉
Definitely try again with an emulsifying wax. I promise the result will be much nicer!
Dear Tracy,
I’ve made this cream and it seems perfect for my skin. Thank you. Do you have a recipe for a facial cleanser? I usually use commercially available cleansing milk + toner, but I would prefer to make them by myself.
Hi Vesna,
I’m so happy to hear it!
It works really well for me, too. 🙂
Yes! You’ll be happy to know that I’ve made a few cleansers recently. I posted the first of them last week, a micellar water. It’s a gentle, no-need-to-rinse cleanser. I like it for mornings and for taking off hard to remove makeup.
Over the next weeks, I have other cleansers planned for posting, so stay tuned. 😉
That’s great, thank you 🙂
Hi Tracy,
What a lovely looking recipe 🙂 I just had a couple of questions:
-Can you sub out the distilled water for aloe Vera juice?
– can I make up the total amount of oil weight with just 2 different oils (hemp and Argan)?
Thank you!
Hi Vanessa,
Yes! To both of your questions with a slight warning on the first one.
Aloe juice, and other botanicals make your product more difficult to preserve. That’s especially true with the more natural preservatives.
I wouldn’t use aloe juice that you extract yourself as it’s really impossible to know how to preserve it adequately. I’d use a commercially bought aloe juice that already has some sort of natural preservative. I’d probably only sub out part of the water, and use aloe and/or other extracts as part of the water component.
If you use a commercial aloe “gel”- that could affect the texture/emulsion, depending on the ingredients in the gel. So keep that in mind too. 🙂
I just made this and it is lovely! I ended up not adding all the water (I used only distilled water and no rose water) because the texture was very thin. I’m wondering if others have experienced this. This also happened to me when I doubled the conditioner recipe (I commented on that post too!) and I’m wondering if maybe my issue is that my scale is not very accurate? Thank you so much for these recipes!
Hi Maeve,
Hmmm- that does have me wondering. Why in both cases your product was much lighter than mine. I actually wouldn’t mind a thin conditioner, to use in a spray bottle as a leave-in conditioner. (I poured my first batch into spray bottles, thinking it was thinner than it was, but it got thicker overnight, leaving the spray bottles difficult to use.)
In this case, though, a thin lotion probably isn’t optimal. I absolutely loved the texture of my resulting moisturizer.
I will say this- that many digital scales seem to be much less accurate when you have more weight on them. I mean that when you first add ingredients, every drop seems to show up on the scale, but when you start to add more ingredients, and the total amount on the scale weighs more, those smaller amounts no longer show up as well. If that was the case, it would make sense that you could have issues when doubling a recipe for that very reason. (You may try weighing out each main ingredient separately and then combining them to see if that changes things.
Here, though, you were only making a small batch, so I’m not sure what the issue would be. You aren’t MK, are you?
I did just get another comment- coincidentally for the first time today- that said that this recipe came out thinner using the amount that I mentioned, but that when the amount of emulsifier was increased, it all worked out.
I’m wondering if Montanov 68 changes from distributor to distributor. I’ve made this recipe several times by now, and it always turns out the same for me. I’m starting to think that maybe I need to make a note that each person use the percentage of emulsifier suggested by their seller. Did you packaging give a suggested usage range for emulsifying?
Hi again! I’m in the US (though will soon be in Europe!). I didn’t have access to Monatov and used the emulsifier I had on hand – BTMS. I suspect the problem is a combination of a crappy scale and not letting it sit long enough and the wrong emulsifier! I ordered Olivem and will try that next. I made the lotion for my partner who just started massage school to use as a hand moisturizer, as he has to wash his hands at least 6 times a day! He’s going through it quickly!!
Do you have suggestions on what to donif it is not absorbing quickly enough, and ending up feeling greasy if he uses more than a tiny bit? This time I’m going to try adding all of the water and maybe that will help.
Oh, and no I’m not MK! Thanks again for your thoughtful help with using these recipes!
You’re very welcome. I’m happy to help!
Hello again,
Well BTMS is a bit different and makes a different consistency product. It still should thicken up, but it’s mostly used for hair conditioners and “light lotions” according my packaging. That’s why I decided to use it in my roll on deodorant recipe, because I wanted something that wasn’t too thick. The emulsifier used does make a big difference in the final consistency and general feel of the product.
I’ve used Olivem, and didn’t have any issues with it (I keep reading about people having a hard time getting it to work for them), and I’ve suggested it at times because it seems like a natural option that is generally easy to find worldwide. That said, I have to admit that I like Montanov a lot more. I just love the nice texture it gives creams. People sometimes say that Olivem gives a bit of a soap feeling- which is why it is sometimes used in cleansing creams. (I’m going to be giving a try at those soon.) 😉
I’m not sure about the feeling greasy part. I didn’t notice mine feeling greasy, but it could, again, have something to do with the feel of the BTMS. It’s a great conditioner because it has something that makes hair untangle wonderfully. I absolutely love it for my hair. I don’t notice it being a problem in the roll on deodorant, but that’s a small area of skin in a sensitive area. Perhaps, though, as you say, adding more water will help- or just using more lotion and trying to spread it out more? I wish I could be of more help there. 🙂
After making about 5 batches of your recipes, conditioner and lotion, I have determined…my digital scale is the worst!!! I’m pretty sure that is the source of all my troubles :). I will affiliate link one from you! Thanks.
Hi,
Thank you so much for posting! I followed the directions precisely and used the Montanov68 emulsifier. The mixture did emulsify, but was in liquid form.
Since I didn’t add the preservative yet, I tried re-heating and adding 4 more grams of the Montanov68. That worked! The mixture ended up being similar to the consistency of a really, really, light moisturizer. Will definitely continue to use this recipe.
Also, I’m in the US and not sure why the batch needed the additional 4 grams of emulsifier. Maybe manufacturers produce different strengths?
Thank you again for the guidance. 🙂
Hi MK,
That is interesting!
I’m not sure why, but, yes, it seems like it would have to be an emulsifier issue.
I guess I should have people use the percentage amount that is recommended by their particular supplier. Did your packaging have a suggested percentage amount?
What’s even more interesting is that mine was actually quite thick at the amounts given. (Well, you can probably see the texture in the photos somewhat.)
Good evening!
I am very new at making my own skin care products, and where I live i couldn’t find any emulsifier. The lady at the health store gave me some cetyl alcohol (and suggested to do 50-50 with some stearic acid), and I was wondering if you ever tried it? Should I put 5gr of it instead of the emulsifier you recommended?
Thanks a lot!
Hello Mathilde,
As far as I know cetyl alcohol and stearic acid aren’t true emulsifiers themselves and are normally used a co-emulsifiers. I don’t have any idea of what the result will be. I will say, though, that the texture of resultant moisturizer is heavily dependent upon which emulsifier you use, so I’d choose a decent one.
I can’t find emulsifiers in stores, either, but they can be easily found online and will send to you. Emulsifiers themselves are pretty inexpensive, and make all of the difference when it comes to the lotions you make. When you switch up the emulsifiers, you end up with different products. (For example, BTMS is a great emulsifier for making light lotions, but is especially great for making a homemade hair conditioner that does an excellent job at detangling your hair!)
I’d highly recommend buying an actual emulsifier for making lotions, and especially for a homemade facial moisturizer. You don’t want to waste expensive oils on something that will just turn out so-so, when you can make something wonderful, just as good as expensive moisturizers you’d buy in the stores (perhaps better) !
I think you may live in France? I’m nearby in Spain and can buy from many local Spanish companies. Some of them send all over Europe if you can’t find a decent one in France (which would surprise me).
Thank you so much! I live in Canada but I am from France. I will try to find something online then, but would you have anything to recommend…? I tried to look up on Amazon but they don’t seem to have neither the emulsifier nor the preservative… Any help would be super appreciated! 🙂
Hi Tracy,
I have decided to experiment with making my own creams, and was wondering how this cream appears on the skin. Is it shiny? Do you feel like it gets absorbed?
Thanks,
Becca
Hi Becca,
I love this moisturizer. It absorbs right away, and, no, it’s not shiny. It’s like the sort of expensive moisturizer you would buy in the store. I hate body butters normally because I don’t like greasy feeling creams. That’s why I started making my own lotions and studying other DIY type products. (I like my hair conditioner more than most conditioners I’ve bought too!) 😉
Hi Tracy,
Thank you sharing your recipe! I am so excited to try this inthe near future. Will you also please advise on the suggested temperature for heating the cream? Thank you again! 🙂
Hi JC,
I’m sorry I missed your comment before. I’m cleaning out the message box and have found some overlooked messages in the process!
Ideal temperatures for both water and oils is 70º-75ºC/160º-170ºF.
Hi Tracy!
Thanks so much for this easy-to-follow recipe!
I am new to making homemade natural products for my personal care and apothecary, and, thus, I’ve certainly been doing a lot of research lately before diving in to the deep-end (so to speak.)
I have found your recipe to be not only easy to follow, but rather simple, and thorough when explaining the ingredients used. As a sufferer of oily, problematic, acne-prone, and sensitive skin, it’s been hard to find recipes that don’t call for coconut oil, olive oil, and other comedogenic products.
I do, however, have a few questions for you, hoping to find some answers.
Firstly, I do have a latex allergy, so I worry about using the Shea butter. In your experience, is there another butter with which I could substitute, and that has a non-comedogenic rating? — if not (as I want to be able to use some butter in my recipe) I will try a patch test on my skin for a few days and see if it affects me.
Secondly, I’ve heard that Rosehip Oil is not good for people with sensitive skin. I’ve read that it is a natural retinol (or has natural retinoids within)… which scares me as I’ve had bad experiences with retinol in the past.
Is there another oil you’d recommend that offers similar properties and consistency as Rosehip?
Lastly, would I be able to use Polysorbate? I’m having a hard time finding Leucidal here in Canada… And I’m not sure what else to use.
Remember, I’m new to this 😉
I couldn’t even find Montanov and will have to use Olivem instead… So I’m quite disappointed that I won’t be able to follow your recipe to a tee.
I want my final product to be as close to yours as possible… So even though I’m requesting substitute suggestions, I want them to be comparable to the ones listed.
If there is no suitable substitutions, then I will try the recipe as is (aside from the emulsifier) and hope for the best 🙂
Thanks in advance for any advice!
I hope to hear from you, as I know this is an old post.
Kind regards,
Colleen
Hi Colleen,
Thanks so much for your kind comment!
Let me try to help you with substitutions!
Let’s start with the butters/oils.
She butter is the only butter that I know of with that consistency that has a non-comedogenic rating. That said, kokum butter is also said to be non-comedogenic. It’s a bit harder of a butter, but in this recipe, I don’t think it would affect the texture much.
If you’re worried about the rosehip oil, I’d just skip it and use more of one of the other oils.
Honestly, if your skin is very sensitive and you have a lot of issues with a lot of oils and butters, I’d probably start out making a cream with only one or two anyway! Maybe you could just use a mix of sunflower and argan oil?
This is one of the reasons that I like making my own products- you can find what works best for you! We’re all different- and some of us may even find that we react to oils and butters that are supposed to be “non-comedogenic”!
OK- let’s look at the emulsifier and preservative now.
The emulsifier is going to make the biggest difference in your recipe. It gives a different texture/feel than Montanov. Montanov is silkier and more luxurious feeling, in my opinion. Olivem can be a bit more temperamental and some people say it has a soapy feel. It may also feel a bit stickier.
That said, I’d still give it a try. I’ve made some nice lotions with Olivem and was quite happy with them.
As for the preservative- there are a lot of them that you can use. I rarely use Leucidal anymore.
I tried it for a long time to have a super “natural” preservative for those who are leery about using preservatives. It works fine for me, but I’ve found other alternatives that are very inexpensive and that can be used in smaller amounts. I’ve heard from some that Leucidal can be prone to mold growth too, but I’ve kept lotions made with Leucidal for over a year (as a test) and never saw any signs of mold.
Anyway- some of my favorites are Sharomix, preservative ECO, Cosgard (aka. Geogard), etc.
Use any preservative you like/can find. You should keep in mind that you should check the pH of your cream to make sure it falls in the range of effectiveness for the preservative you choose. (Get cheap pH strips- that’s good enough.) You also need to adjust to the percentage for your particular preservative. (Most use around 1% of the recipe, whereas Leaucidal needed more to be effective.)
I hope that helps!