DIY Natural Moisturizer Recipe with Essential Oils
Your Skin Loves Moisture!
Our skin acts as a barrier, protecting us from stressors like pollution, dry air, and harsh temperatures. It functions at its best when it's well-hydrated. Without enough moisture, skin can become dry, irritated, and more prone to signs of aging. By nurturing it with the right products, we’re helping it stay resilient—able to protect itself and repair itself after damage.
So moisturizing is a form of self-care. And when skin is cared for, it looks smooth, glowing, and radiant.
In this post, I’ll share my go-to approach for moisturizing my skin—from customizing a high-quality, fragrance-free lotion to crafting a lightweight, hydrating serum.
As an aromatherapist, I sometimes encounter the myth that oils and butters "hydrate" the skin. I’d like to take a moment to clear this up. Essential oils, carrier oils, and butters don’t actually hydrate—at least, not in the way we often think. Hydration comes from water. Oils and butters, on the other hand, help the skin hold onto that moisture by soothing irritation, calming inflammation, and supporting its natural barrier.
If you’re looking for a way to simplify your skincare routine while still giving your skin the nourishment it craves, you’re in the right place!
What to Know About DIY Lotion & Cream
If you've ever dabbled in homemade skincare, you might have discovered that making lotions and creams is a bit of a science experiment. Because they contain both water and oil, they require the careful use of preservatives to prevent mold and bacteria from setting up camp in your blend.
Some preservatives are more natural than others, but there’s no such thing as a 100% natural preservative.
You might sometimes see ingredients like vitamin C, citric acid, or grapefruit seed extract listed as preservatives. These are antioxidants. They can help slow the process of a product going rancid, but they won’t prevent microbial growth.
If you do choose to work with a mostly-natural preservative, it can be a complicated bit of chemistry! The type of preservative you use, and how much, is dependent on the ingredients of your moisturizer.
Personally, I often choose a different approach.
Instead of making lotion from scratch, I start with a high-quality, fragrance-free natural lotion crafted by an ethical company, and I customize it with essential oils. It’s simple, effective, and saves me from worrying about preservatives.
For facial skincare, I stick to a safe dilution: just 1-2 drops of essential oil per 1 oz (28 gm) of lotion. Here are a few essential oils I like:
Carrot Seed Oil (Daucus carota) – wonderful for fine lines and mature skin
Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens var roseum) – balances the complexion
Rose Otto Oil (Rosa × damascena) – soothes reddened, dry, and mature skin
Sandalwood Oil (Santalum album) – calms inflammation and repairs damage
When adding essential oil to lotion or cream, be sure to stir thoroughly until the oil is completely incorporated. Once it’s fully blended, it won’t separate back out.
Lotion bars, by the way, don’t typically contain actual lotion (which is a water-based product). They do, however, feel incredibly luxurious and help your skin retain hydration. Here’s a lotion bar recipe from our blog.
DIY Aloe Moisturizing Serum Recipe
For those who love to craft their own skincare, a serum or gel is a fantastic alternative to lotion. These blends incorporate hydrating ingredients—like vegetable glycerin (a humectant that draws moisture to the skin), aloe vera gel, and botanical hydrosols. (Hydrosols are aromatic waters. Learn about them here!)
Aloe Moisturizing Serum
½ oz (14 gm) Aloe Vera Gel (Aloe barbadensis)
¼ oz (7 ml) Vegetable Glycerin
¼ oz (7 ml) Lavender Hydrosol (Lavandula angustifolia)
4 drops Solubol dispersant – to distribute the essential oil through the hydrous ingredients
2 drops Lavender Oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
Instead of lavender, you can swap in any skin-loving hydrosol or essential oil you like! Try opopanax hydrosol (Commiphora guidotti), rose geranium hydrosol (Pelargonium graveolens), carrot seed oil (Daucus carota), and Roman chamomile oil (Chamaemelum nobile).
Directions
Combine all of your ingredients in a 1 oz (30 ml) glass bottle.
Shake gently to mix.
Apply a few drops to damp skin in gentle, upward sweeping motions.
This lightweight serum absorbs quickly, leaving your skin refreshed and deeply nourished.
I like to follow this up with a nourishing facial oil, to help lock the moisture into my skin and deliver even more nutrients. Try one of these silky, skin-healing carrier oils.
This is a water-based recipe without preservatives. The Aromahead Approach® is to make small batches frequently to keep our products fresh. Make sure to store your serum in a cool place, and make a fresh bottle every 1–2 weeks.
Want More? Get Your Free Guide!
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Inside, you’ll find:
A 7-day plan featuring hydration boosts, facial steam detox, exfoliation, and deep healing treatments
A holistic approach to skincare that blends botanical extracts, essential oils, and nutrient-rich carrier oils
Insights on skin types, safety considerations, and a simple, effective daily routine
Embrace a routine that nurtures both your skin and your spirit.
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My Takeaway
Skincare doesn’t have to be complicated. The beauty industry often bombards us with endless products, each claiming to be the ultimate solution. But the best remedies are the simplest ones—found in nature, free of unnecessary additives, and aligned with your skin’s natural rhythms.
With a few carefully chosen ingredients, we can support our skin’s natural brilliance without synthetic fillers or unnecessary steps. The key is simplicity—allowing nature to do what it does best.
I hope this post has given you some inspiration and practical tools to create a moisturizer that’s simple, effective, and deeply nourishing.
