Homemade face moisturizer…I used to drop $60 (sometimes more, sometimes don’t tell my husband) on fancy little jars of “miracle” moisturizers. You know the ones—sleek packaging, promises of eternal youth, smell like a lavender farm exploded.
Did they work? Kinda.
Did they bankrupt me emotionally and financially? Also kinda.
Then one night—probably a Thursday, definitely had wine involved—I went full gremlin-mode on Google and typed: “how to make a homemade face moisturizer that will transform your skin”.
I was over the BS. My skin was dry, flaky, and mad at me. Plus, I wanted to feel like a DIY witch making potions in her kitchen. (IYKYK.)
Spoiler: I made it. I used it. And my skin? Actually glowed. I got compliments. People asked if I was pregnant (I was not, but thank you for the hormonal glow compliment, Brenda).
So yeah. This is my messy, slightly chaotic, definitely unprofessional—but weirdly effective—guide to making your own moisturizer.
✨ The “Why” Before the “How”
You ever buy a moisturizer and then get a breakout that feels like karma for a past life? Same.
Most store-bought stuff is full of things I can’t pronounce. Methylparawhatever and “fragrance” (aka mystery chemical soup). And honestly, my skin just doesn’t like that anymore.
Making your own face moisturizer means:
- You know exactly what’s going in it
- It can be tailored to your skin (mine = combo and dramatic)
- You feel like a crunchy queen mixing potions
Oh, and it saves you cash.
Like, a lot.
🥣 Stuff You Actually Need (Don’t Panic)
This is the part where you think, “Oh no, I need 38 rare herbs and a degree in skincare chemistry.”
Nope. Here’s what I used—and you can totally tweak this:
🌿 Base Ingredients:
- Shea Butter (2 tbsp) – For deep hydration and minor flexing
- Coconut Oil (1 tbsp) – Great for dry skin, but skip if you break out easily
- Jojoba Oil (1 tbsp) – Closest to skin’s natural oils
- Vitamin E Oil (5–10 drops) – Preservative + skin booster
- Essential Oils (optional) – I used lavender because I’m basic
I got most of this from the “DIY witchy beauty” aisle at my local health store. Amazon works too. Just make sure it’s organic-ish.
🛠️ The Weirdly Fun Process
Honestly, this is the most satisfying part. Like cooking, but for your face.
Step 1: Melt the hard stuff
Throw the shea butter and coconut oil in a bowl and melt it over low heat (double boiler style). Don’t microwave it unless you like your skincare with a side of uneven melting and regret.
Step 2: Stir in the oils
Once it’s all melty, add in your jojoba oil and vitamin E drops. Stir like you’re making soup for a skincare goddess.
Step 3: Let it cool
Let it chill out on your counter for 30 mins. It’ll look like it’s setting, but still kinda soft.
Step 4: Whip it
Use a hand mixer (or a whisk and strong arms) to whip it into a fluffy cream. Add essential oils now if you’re feeling extra.
Step 5: Jar it
Scoop your glorious DIY cloud into a clean little jar. Old skincare jars work if you wash ‘em good.
🤔 But Does It Actually Work?

Okay listen—I’m no dermatologist. I’m just a girl who tried something, and it didn’t wreck my face, which honestly felt like a miracle.
I used this every night for two weeks and woke up not looking like a dehydrated raisin. My skin felt smooth. The dry patches on my cheeks vanished. Even my flaky forehead—my personal Mount Everest of skincare issues—started behaving.
One day my sister said, “Are you using a new foundation? Your skin looks… glowy.”
Reader, I was not wearing any foundation.
Things I Learned the Messy Way
Let me save you from my oops moments:
- Don’t go ham with essential oils. One drop too many and you’ll smell like a spa exploded on your face (plus, skin irritation—yikes).
- Test it on your wrist first. Especially if your skin is picky like mine. No one wants surprise pimples.
- Store it somewhere cool. Not next to the window where the sun turns it into face oil soup. Learned that one real quick.
- Label your jar. Because you will forget what’s in it, and accidentally try to use it on your toast. (Almost happened. Still unsure.)
Real Talk: Who Should Try This?
✅ You, if you’re into natural skincare but not the $95 price tag.
✅ You, if your skin gets mad at mystery chemicals.
✅ You, if you like pretending you’re a medieval apothecary in your kitchen.
❌ Maybe not you, if your skin breaks out from oils (especially coconut). Test test test.
Bonus: Add-Ins If You Wanna Be Fancy
Feeling wild? Throw one of these in your next batch:
- Aloe vera gel (for soothing post-sun skin)
- Rosehip oil (if your skin’s feeling mature-ish)
- Frankincense oil (bougie, but people swear by it)
Again, use tiny amounts. Don’t just dump stuff in like you’re making smoothie soup.
Let’s Be Honest for homemade face moisturizer
Making this homemade face moisturizer didn’t just help my skin—it made me feel weirdly empowered. Like, “Oh, I actually can take care of myself in this small, crunchy way.”
It became this little ritual I looked forward to. I’d smear it on, take a deep breath of the lavender oil, and pretend I had my life together.
(Do I? No. But my skin says otherwise.)https://kohopoho.com/diy-exfoliating-scrubs/.
Where Do You Go From Here homemade face moisturizer?
Try it once. If you love it, great. If you hate it, at least you had a fun lil’ skincare experiment. Maybe even post it to your close friends story and pretend you’re a TikTok skinfluencer for a day.
And if DIY just isn’t your jam? No shame. But if you’ve got 20 minutes, some butter, and a spoon—why not?
Insert GIF Here: Someone stirring a pot dramatically, like they’re on a cooking show but it’s skincare
Oh, and before you go:
Here’s a super charming blog by someone who makes everything from scratch (like, even shampoo?!): https://www.helloglow.co/diy-skincare-recipes
Also, this Buzzfeed list of DIY fails cracked me up when I melted my first batch: https://www.buzzfeed.com/diyfails