DIY Natural Face Moisturizer for Dry, Sensitive Skin
This DIY natural face moisturizer for sensitive skin is made with mango butter and a calendula, yarrow, and plantain-infused oil. The simple, water-free formula contains no coconut oil, synthetic fragrance, emulsifiers, or added preservatives.
It has a soft, rich texture that helps moisturize dry skin and seal in moisture without feeling like a conventional lotion. I especially like it during colder months when my face and hands tend to feel dry, tight, or sensitive. The essential oils are optional, so if your skin is very reactive, you can keep the formula even simpler.
Why Make a Natural Face Moisturizer?
Making your own moisturizer gives you complete control over what goes on your skin.
This recipe uses only a few natural, plant-based ingredients:
- mango butter
- cold-pressed carrier oil
- dried calendula, yarrow and plantain
- optional chamomile and rose essential oils
There is no water, synthetic fragrance, emulsifier, silicone, or added preservative. Because it is water-free, this moisturizer is more concentrated than a lotion. You only need a small amount, preferably applied over slightly damp skin.
It is also different from my other DIY skincare recipes. This one is specifically formulated as a homemade face moisturizer for dry, sensitive skin, while my whipped body butter is intended mainly for larger areas of dry body skin.
One reason I started making some of my own skincare was to simplify ingredient lists; I go deeper into what to look for in everyday beauty products here.
Ingredients for This DIY Face Moisturizer
Mango Butter
Mango butter forms the base of this homemade face cream. It has a smooth, creamy texture and works as an emollient, helping soften dry skin and form a light layer that reduces moisture loss.
I prefer mango butter in this recipe because it feels lighter on my face than some heavier plant butters and has very little natural scent.
Herb-Infused Oil
Instead of adding many concentrated ingredients directly to the moisturizer, I infuse a carrier oil with dried: calendula flowers, yarrow flowers, plantain leaves.
Calendula, plantain, and yarrow are traditionally used in skin care for their soothing and protective properties. Calendula helps calm dry or irritated skin, plantain is used to support skin comfort and repair, and yarrow is valued for soothing redness and helping keep skin balanced.
As a carrier oil I used organic cold-pressed grapeseed oil because it gives the finished moisturizer a lighter texture. You can also use olive oil or another facial oil that works well for your skin.
Note: Always use completely dried herbs for oil infusions. Introducing water into an oil-based product can shorten its shelf life.
Essential Oils
I add small amounts of:
The essential oils are optional, but they do more than add scent, they also add skin benefits. Chamomile is known for soothing sensitive or irritated skin, while rose oil has been used for centuries in traditional beauty care to soften the skin, support a healthy-looking complexion, and care for dry or mature skin.
The scent of these two (rose and chamomile) is so calming and relaxing, it smells like a blossomed garden!
For very sensitive, allergy-prone or fragrance-reactive skin, I recommend making the moisturizer without essential oils first.
How to Make the Herbal Infused Oil
Prepare the herb-infused oil before making the moisturizer:
Slow Infusion
- Place the dried calendula, yarrow and plantain into a clean, completely dry glass jar.
- Cover the herbs completely with grapeseed oil, close the jar and allow it to infuse for about 3–4 weeks.
- Shake the jar occasionally.
- Strain thoroughly through cheesecloth or a very fine strainer.
Faster Method
- For a quicker infusion, place the herbs and oil in a heat-safe container over a gentle water bath or double boiler.
- Warm slowly over very low heat. You don’t want to fry or overheat the herbs or oil.
- Once infused, cool and strain well.
- Measure 110–120 grams of finished infused oil for the moisturizer.
How to Make Homemade Face Moisturizer
1. Melt the Mango Butter
Gently melt 1 cup or about 200 grams of mango butter using a double boiler. Remove it from the heat.
2. Cool Until Partially Set
Allow the mango butter to cool for about 20 minutes, or until it begins to firm around the edges but is still soft.
3. Whip
Use an electric hand mixer to whip the mango butter until lighter and fluffy.
4. Add the Infused Oil
Slowly pour in 110–120 grams of herb-infused oil while mixing.
Add the optional essential oils and whip again until everything is evenly combined.
If you use essential oils in homemade skincare, see my guide on how to choose high-quality essential oils before buying them.
5. Store
Transfer the finished moisturizer to a clean, completely dry glass jar and close tightly.
Adjusting the Texture
One advantage of making your own natural face moisturizer is that you can easily adjust the texture.
- For a softer, silkier moisturizer, increase the amount of infused oil.
- For a firmer, more buttery texture, use slightly less oil.
The moisturizer will also naturally become firmer in a cool room and softer in warmer temperatures because it contains no emulsifiers or texture stabilizers. For visual aid see video below.
If it becomes firm, just warm a small amount between your fingertips before applying.
How to Use It
A little goes a long way.
Because this is a concentrated, butter-based moisturizer, start with a very small amount, about a grain-of-rice to pea-size amount for the entire face. Warm it between your fingertips, then massage it into clean, slightly damp skin until most of it is absorbed.
I find it works best at night, after cleansing, when the richer texture has time to absorb. It can also be used in the morning, especially during cold or dry weather.
Since it contains mango butter and oils, applying too much can leave an oily residue. If your skin still feels greasy after a few minutes, use less next time and massage it in a little longer.
Before makeup: apply the moisturizer about 20 minutes before doing your makeup. This gives the oils time to absorb. If any excess remains, gently blot the skin with a tissue or paper towel before applying makeup.
You can also use a small amount on the neck, hands, cuticles, or other dry areas like under your nose.
I especially like it as a nighttime moisturizer or during cold, dry weather. If your skin is oily or breakout-prone, start with a very small amount and see how your individual skin responds.
Tips for Very Sensitive Skin
When making a DIY face moisturizer for sensitive skin, simpler is usually better.
If your skin reacts easily:
- leave out the essential oils
- use ingredients you already know your skin tolerates
- patch test the finished moisturizer first
- introduce one new skincare product at a time
- avoid dipping wet fingers into the jar
- don’t apply new products to broken or actively irritated skin
Natural ingredients can still cause sensitivities, so “natural” does not automatically mean irritation-free for every person.
How to Store This Homemade Face Moisturizer
- Store the moisturizer in a clean, dry jar away from direct heat and sunlight.
- Because this recipe contains no water, it does not need the same type of preservative system used in water-based creams and lotions. However, the oils can still oxidize over time.
- I prefer making an amount I can use within a few months.
- Use clean, dry fingers or a cosmetic spatula and discard the moisturizer if you notice a significant change in its smell, color or texture.
- Essential oils should not be relied upon as preservatives.
Face Moisturizer vs. Body Butter vs. Tallow Cream
I use different homemade skincare formulas depending on what I need.
This natural face moisturizer is my plant-based option for dry or sensitive facial skin. It uses mango butter and a gentle herbal oil infusion.
For larger areas of dry skin, I use my whipped mango body butter recipe. It combines mango butter with hemp and neem oils and has a richer body-butter texture.
If you prefer an animal-fat-based facial moisturizer, try my whipped tallow face balm with rosehip oil. That recipe uses tallow, rosehip oil and beeswax to create a soft facial balm.
These three recipes serve slightly different purposes, so you can choose the base and texture that work best for you.
DIY Natural Face Moisturizer Recipe
Ingredients
Herb-Infused Oil (Make it in Advance)
- 110-120 g grape seed oil - or other carrier oil
- 2 tbsp calendula flowers - dry
- 2 tbsp yarrow flowers - dry
- 2 tbsp plantain leaves - dry
Moisturizer Base
- 1 cup mango butter - raw, organic (melted) – aprox. 200 grams solid butter
- 110–120 g prepared herb-infused oil
Optional
- 10-15 drops German chamomile essential oil
- 10-15 drops Rose essential oil
Instructions
Make the Herb-Infused Oil (Make it In Advance)
- Place the completely dried herbs in a clean, dry glass jar and cover them with the carrier oil.For a slow infusion, allow the oil to infuse for 3–4 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain thoroughly.For a faster infusion, gently warm the herbs and oil over a low-temperature water bath or double boiler. Just make sure there is water between the jar bottom and the pot. Let the oil infusion simmer slowly for 30 minutes to an hour each day for 3 days, stirring it occasionally. Cool and strain thoroughly.
- Measure 110–120 grams of finished infused oil. If you increase it to 200 grams you will get a much softer and liquid-ish cream.
Prepare the Mango Butter
- In a separate glass container, gently melt the mango butter in a double boiler. You should get 1 cup of liquid butter. Remove from the heat and cool until it begins to partially solidify around the edges.
Whip
- When it starts to solidify and it looks like half way hardened take out your electric hand mixer and blend until it gets fluffy like whipped cream.
- Slowly add the infused oil while mixing.Add the optional essential oils and whip again until evenly combined.
Store
- Transfer to a clean, completely dry glass jar. Keep tightly covered in a cool, dark place.
Video
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if the ingredients work well for your skin. Start with a small amount once a day and adjust based on how your skin feels.
The recipe was designed with sensitive skin in mind and uses a short ingredient list. However, skin sensitivities vary. Leave out the essential oils if your skin is very reactive and always patch test first.
Yes. They are completely optional.
The mango butter and herb-infused carrier oil are enough to make the moisturizer.
It can if you use too much. Since this is a concentrated, butter-based moisturizer, start with a very small amount and massage it into slightly damp skin until most of it is absorbed.
If you use it in the morning before makeup, I recommend applying it at least 20 minutes beforehand. Right before makeup, gently blot any remaining excess with a tissue or paper towel rather than rubbing it off.
You can use another skin-friendly carrier oil such as jojoba, almond, rosehip, hemp or olive oil.
Each oil has a different weight and texture, so the consistency of the finished moisturizer may change slightly.
Mango butter naturally becomes firmer at cooler temperatures.
Warm a small amount between your fingers before using it. If you prefer a permanently softer consistency, add a little more infused oil the next time you make it.
It is commonly used like a homemade face cream or moisturizer, although technically it is a water-free facial butter because it contains no water or emulsifier.
Water-free products have a much lower risk of microbial growth than conventional water-based creams, but they still need to be kept clean and dry.
This recipe contains no added preservative. Keep water out of the jar and pay attention to changes in smell, appearance or texture.
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I’m going to try this. My skin is so sensitive and sooo dry now that the season is changing. Thanks for the recipe! I am curious, what do you use as a face wash? What I’m currently using just isn’t working as great anymore and I’m looking for other options. Thanks 🙂
Oh yes mine is dryer during the winter months as well. I’m using just plain water for washing and then I place a few drops of extra virgin olive oil (which is mixed with a bit of lavender essential oil) on a piece of cotton round and dry my face with that, it absorbs the water and cleans the impurities. Then I apply the moisturizer.
@HealthyTasteOfLife, Have you had any issues with the mango butter clogging your pores at all or anything like that?
No I never had a clogging problem with mango butter, but I did experience it with shea butter.
Hi,
How much is it of oil 110 grams?
Can you provide this in milliliter or cups?
Thank you so much!!
According to any google converter 110 grams of oil equals 116.53 ml or 1/2 cup.
Does this need to be refrigerated?
I usually refrigerate it if it’s turning too soft during warm months, If you have a cooler house you can store it at room temperature.
Hi so can it be used in the morning and night ?
Yes, I use before sleep and in the morning as well.
It really feels good. Followed recipe to the letter. Great for my dry skin. Thanks
I use this recipe year round and I’m amazed how well my sensitive skin responds. Thank you for your feedback!