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.
Sunflower oil Shea butter
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!
Rosehip oil Rose water
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.
Weigh out the ingredients. Combine the emulsifier with the oils. Heat both containers over water bath. Melt the emulsifier and butter.
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.
Pour warm oils into warm waters. Blend together with a blender or milk frother.
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.
Michelle
Hi Tracy,
I wanted to say thank you so much for this lovely face cream recipe. I have made many homemade face creams, but this is by far the best I have come across so far. I used OliveM 1000 as an emulsifier and Preservative ECO for a preservative (couldn’t get Leucidal). I found this to work fine, and left no residual greasy feel at all. I did’nt have sunflower oil so I used jojoba instead.
Thank you so much again for taking the time to post this, and for kindly sharing it with us.
Tracy Ariza
Hi Michelle,
Thank you so much! I’m happy you liked it.
I’ve actually moved a bit away from using Leucidal as much lately.
(You can read more why and what I use in my guide to natural preservatives!)
Little by little I’m going through all of my posts and updating them with newer information. I’ll try to update this one soon too. ?
Jojoba oil is great for this recipe! It’s usually more expensive, but wonderful for your skin.
As for the emulsifier. I do have and like Olivem too. If you get the opportunity to try Montanov, though, try it. I love the feel of lotions made with it- especially for face.
Ruchika Singh
I have always been lazy when it comes to making homemade skincare products. But the DIY lotion seems pretty interesting. Hope this works on my acne-prone skin.
Thanks for making the explanations and recipes extremely clear!One more thing that I want to tell you, your skincare recipes are really good & your explanations are very clear on comments.
Tracy Ariza
Thank you, Ruchika. I appreciate it!
I hope it works well for you!
Louise Clark
Is there a more manly alternative to Rose water? My son would love to try this but doesn’t want to smell of roses!
Tracy Ariza, DDS
Ha! Of course, Louise!
You could just use distilled water to keep it unscented or add any essential oil of your choice to add the scent.
If you prefer, you could also use a floral (or herbal) water like lavender or rosemary for part of the water content to add one of those scents. They aren’t quite so feminine. 😉
Tracey
Hi Tracy,
Do you use this moisturizer around your eye area? If not, do you have a recipe for an eye moisturizer?
Thanks!
Tracy Ariza
Hi Tracey,
Yes, I normally use the same lotion all over because of the practicality of it. That said, I’ve been meaning to make one specifically for the eye area that is a bit more concentrated and that uses essential oils targeting lines and wrinkles. ?
Once the holidays are over, I’ll have more time to work on developing new recipes.
Sylvia K
Hi Tracy,
I make my cream using the same technique, playing by ear when it comes to the oils. However, I am using rose water alone.
For that reason I have grown to keep a close eye on the rose water quality. So if you are interested in hearing some tips from a Bulgarian who is passionate about choosing genuine rose water, let me know.
Greetings,
Sylvia
Tracy Ariza
Hi Sylvia,
Why, of course!
I’m always open to learning more!
I have a still that I use to make floral waters and wanted to try making some rose water, but for now have mostly been buying it. I love using it for lotions and cleansers for babies, too!
If you want, we can chat further through email. You can contact me at tracy@thethingswellmake.
From there we can see if there is an easier way for us to communicate. 😉
Lena
Hi Tracy,
Sorry to add onto another thread, but are you using refined Shea butter? Or liquid Shea butter (Shea butter WS) ?
And are you using refined rose hip oil or unrefined? Thank you
Tracy Ariza
Hi Lena,
I’ve been using a refined shea butter. The rosehip oil didn’t specify, but I’d imagine it was also refined.
You should be able to use any of the options for making this. It’s all a matter of preference and using whatever you can find and prefer.
I’ve used unrefined shea in the past, but had a hard time dealing with the strong scent it added to my homemade products. I think it would especially bother me in facial products. That’s another thing to keep in mind when choosing. ?
Lena
PERFECT THANK YOU!
Any chance you have this recipe/formula in percentages? I would Like to make in a larger batch and it would Be helpful to have the %’s THANK YOU!
Tracy Ariza
Hi Lena,
I normally write my DIY recipes to be 100g so that they are really in percentages in a way that people can make a small batch.
In this case, it really is just off of 100g because I added the preservative after the fact. I added 4g of Leucidal, so the overall recipe was 104g in this case. I normally don’t use Leucidal anymore (More on that in my post about natural preservatives.) If you used a different preservative, most would be fine to use at around 1%. (1g here- giving 101g overall.) So, by reducing the water by 1 %, you’d have your percentages. I hope that makes sense.
Lena
Yes it does! Thank you for clearing that up and THANK YOU for responding so quickly! Do you by chance know the pH on this formula? I was Thinking of adding a little lactic acid 90 maybe in the 1-2% range if needed.
Also, on a separate note, do you know if putting 2 types of hylaruronic acid and lactic acid in a same formula would work..? Or may I run an anti-aging and brightening one by you for consideration?
Tracy Ariza
Oops- sorry. I missed this comment! (It was marked as read.)
I can’t recall what the exact pH was, but I imagine it was probably in the 4-5 range somewhere as that’s what is generally recommended for skin and haircare products.
If you do want to lower the pH, usually only a couple of drops are enough.
I don’t see why to use both hyaluronic acid and lactic acid together, but I also don’t know why you couldn’t.
Bles
Hi Tracy
Do you have a recipe for liquid face wash?
Thank you.
Tracy Ariza
Hi Bles,
Right now, I have up a recipe for a micellar water. I’m about to publish a recipe for a baby wash, which is more of a gel that would be gentle enough for facial washing. Those are both natural surfactant based.
I also have a soap up meant for face, an activated charcoal facial bar.
I will definitely be posting some more facial cleansers eventually. 😉
Werangi
Hi dear
Is it possible to make this product without preservations?it is very hard to find from here in srilanka,tnx
Tracy Ariza
Hi Werangi,
Not really, unless you want to make it every week and store it in the fridge for 7 days and then throw it out and remake again.
Preservatives are very important to keep microbes from growing. While you can normally see mold growth, you can’t see the growth of bacteria.
You should be able to find some sort of preservative online from somewhere that will send to you. (I need to buy online too!)
Chelsey
Tracy, do you sell this lotion by chance? It’s going to cost me about $100 to just make it. I’d be able to make several batches, but it’s still very high. I’d rather just buy it pre-made.
Tracy Ariza
Hi Chelsey,
There are many times that I wish that I could just make products for some people and sell it to them, but legally I can’t do so without spending a lot of money and jumping through a lot of hoops.
I live in Spain where the regulations for that sort of thing are very strict. (Our shipping is very expensive, so I’m not sure how much I’d save you anyway.)
If you want to lower costs while testing it out, I’d suggest cutting down on the number of oils used. (Just keep the total amount of oil the same.)
You could begin with the emulsifier, an inexpensive oil like sunflower oil, and preservative (and just distilled water). The emulsifier chosen will make the biggest difference in the feel of the moisturizer. Once you’ve seen that you like it, you can begin to add oils and rose water or hydrosols to see which combinations you prefer.
In the end, you can save a lot of money in comparison to store bought organic lotions, but, yes, at first it can seem expensive.
The preservatives and emulsifiers have very long shelf lives, so once you’ve bought them, you should be set for quite some time.
Sheilagh
Hi there
I have never tried to make my own products and an excited to try.
I would like to make this lotion for my teenage son who has sensitive, acne-prone skin. We have tried using just castor oil and had some success with reducing his acne, so I am hoping to incorporate castor oil into this recipe to make a lotion. Can you make a suggestion for how I should substitute castor oil? Also, you mentioned using tea tree oil – would I just add this or substitute with something else? How much?
Thanks so much for the great info you provide!
Tracy Ariza
Hello Sheilagh,
Yes, castor oil can be drying, which may help people with acne prone skin. It can make lotions and oils feel sticky when applied, though, so it would probably change the silky feel of this moisturizer. I’d keep the level low if you find that to be a problem. I’d just sub it for one (or a combo) of the other carrier oils in the recipe. So, you could potentially reduce the others.
With these sorts of products, making it yourself is great because it’s all about experimentation for each particular person. I may not have a reaction to jojoba oil, for example, but someone else might.
As for the tea tree– I’d just add it to be somewhere between 1-2% of the recipe. So, if you make 100g, you can use 1-2g tea tree oil.
Roksana
Hi I just made that homemade cream and it’s feels amazing I only swooped the sunflower oil for jojoba as it’s fast absorbing! And added anti aging essential oils just up to 5 drops. Wow I love it. I will never ever go back for anything else specially store bought face cream! I have been into DIY skin products for last 6 months and swooping all my skin care routine for natural homemade stuff! Do you have a recipe for night face cream perhaps matching to this one? Or its it really matters to have a similar cream for night and day? I know night creams are more heavier? Perhaps you could share the recipe for a night cream? Love your blog! THANK You!
Tracy Ariza
Hi Roksana,
Yay! I’m so happy you like it! 🙂
In general, you can use the same cream for day and night. I think the main reason the whole day/night thing started was that some ingredients used in night creams can be photosensitive, meaning you shouldn’t use the cream if you are going to be going out into the sun. Later, yes, they also started adding in heavier oils and things that you wouldn’t want to wear in the day so as not to have a greasy face.
It’s definitely something I can work on!
Caroline
Hi Tracy, I’ve just done a quick google search of Montanov 68MD and one supplier mentions that “The “MB” in the product name denotes “Mass Balance”, this product is covered by a Mass Balance Certificate from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil”. I’m just wondering if this means that it contains PALM OIL or if it’s just a generic statement. I would prefer to avoid palm oil, sustainable or not. Also, I’m in Australia and really have no idea where to start looking for the emulsifier or preservative, besides some online stores which appear to all be on the other side of the world! Thank you! I’ve been really enjoying your website – feel like I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole and suddenly it’s after midnight, oops!
Tracy Ariza
Hi Caroline,
I don’t know for sure, but I’m going to guess that it’s a generic statement.
The place (in Spain- so not helpful for you, I’m afraid) where I normally buy my emulsifiers, surfactants, etc., usually also states when a product uses palm oil or is palm derived. They seem to also only use certified sustainable palm when they use it.
In the case of Montanov 68, they say it is derived from coconuts and yuca. They make no mention of palm.
I think it’s because Montanov 68 is really a combination of Cetearyl Alcohol and Cetearyl Glucoside. Cetearyl Alcohol can be obtained from either coconut or palm oil so it may depend on your supplier or it may just be a generic statement as you’ve pointed out.
I can try to find some sources in Australia. We started a document in my Facebook group with some buying sources, but I can’t remember if Australia has been included yet. I can take a look in the morning and let you know what I find. For now, I’m off to bed. It’s almost midnight here too! 😉