This has been the moisturizer to end all moisturizers for us. It’s lush, deeply hydrating, made with all natural ingredients, and so easy to whip up at home. It has also gained a mini-cult following among our friends. It’s been reported to help with cold sores, eczema, and chronically dry skin. It’s impossible for anyone to stay indifferent to the luxurious texture (very much like whipped butter) and dreamy scent (not unlike the most heavenly dessert) of this moisturizer. It evokes all kinds of emotion :) I’m pretty sure that every person who tried it urged us to package and sell it. Instead of doing that, we thought we would share the recipe here, which just seems more fun in every way. Also, we find gift guides to be overwhelming and don’t have one for you this year, but this magic moisturizer would make for an amazing, thoughtful, homemade gift.
Magic Moisturizer is now available for sale here.
Our Experience
Anya: A few years ago, I got really into making my own natural skincare and tried lots of different moisturizer recipes. A lot of them were nice and smelled really good, but none turned out completely perfect. That was until I decided to experiment with mixing raw cacao butter into a moisturizer formula I kind of liked, and the result completely blew me away. Cacao butter gives the cream a special, light, whipped texture, and the scent is out of this world. I especially like combining it with citrusy essential oils like blood orange, sweet orange, lemon, and lime, since orange and chocolate is one of my favorite scent pairings ever.
I’ve been using this moisturizer exclusively for the past two years, and I honestly can’t imagine life without it. I usually apply it while doing this facial massage, which makes it absorb really well.
Masha: I have very dry skin that likes to be moisturized both morning and night. I’ve tried a bunch of natural moisturizers, and this homemade one came out on top every single time. I love the way it smells and how deeply hydrating it is for my skin. I also like the fact that I can curate the ingredients, depending on what I feel my skin needs, especially when it comes to the essential oils. As a bonus, this cream really helps soothe my eczema, which pops up above my eyelids occasionally, when I’m stressed. I make sure to include some lavender oil in the recipe in those cases, since it’s really healing for inflamed skin. It’s also wonderful to use for our favorite gua sha routine.
Since this moisturizer is homemade and full of natural oils, it’s not exactly non-greasy. What I personally like to do is put it on right as I wake up. That way, it has a chance to absorb while I eat breakfast and get ready, and I dab away any extra shininess with a washcloth once I’m ready to head out the door. And at night, the little bit of shine on my face is not a problem, since I put it on right before bed.
A Little Bit on Essential Oils
The beauty of making your own skincare at home is that you can completely curate your own ingredients, especially when it comes to essential oils. There are essential oils that are good for all kinds of skin conditions, like acne, scarring, eczema, rosacea, dryness, etc. It’s best to do your own research, experiment, and see what essential oils work for you. Our favorite two books on the subject are Renegade Beauty and Just the Essentials.
It’s also important to note that essential oils are powerful stuff, and might evoke skin sensitivities, so it’s a good idea to test them out and see if your skin likes them, before committing to making a whole batch of the moisturizer (or anything else).
2 of our favorite essential oil combinations for this moisturizer:
– Italian lemon, lavender, spearmint
– blood orange, sweet orange, lemon, lime
skincare superstars that we include in every batch:
– turmeric
– carrot seed
other great ones we often add:
– geranium
– palma rosa
– bay leaf
– peppermint
– clary sage
– frankincense
- 2 oz raw cacao butter - shredded
- 2 oz virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil
- 1 oz good quality beeswax - shredded
- 4 oz any good quality, virgin, cold pressed oil like olive, avocado, almond (or a mix of a few)
- 1 oz cold-pressed jojoba oil
- 1 tablespoon cold-pressed calendula oil (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pure vitamin E oil
- 9 oz distilled water
- about 80-100 drops of any mix of essential oils of choice (see above for more on essential oils)
- Melt the cacao butter, coconut oil, and beeswax on a double boiler. Remove from heat. Mix in the rest of the oils and vitamin E. Once you remove this mixture from the heat, it might start solidifying quickly, especially if you're in a cool temperature room, so act fast and prepare for the next step in advance.
- In an upright blender, start blending the distilled water on low. Slowly pour in the oil mixture, turn up the speed to medium-low, and blend until it emulsifies, about 1 minute. Add the essential oils and pulse to combine. Take care not to over-blend.
- Transfer to (preferably glass) containers with air-tight lids. Keep in a cool, dark place up to 2 months or refrigerated up to 4-5 months. I like to keep a small batch of the moisturizer out in my bathroom for quick access, and the rest in the refrigerator, which will keep the moisturizer fresher for longer. The moisturizer softens at room temperature and hardens when refrigerated.
Rivka says
If coconut oil doesn’t agree with my skin, should I substitute something else?
Anya says
Hi Rivka,
Yes, you can use olive, avocado, or almond oil in place of the coconut.
Linda says
I don’t have the ingredients, and it’s too many to buy
Wish it was pre made!
My skin cracks .
Anya says
Hi Linda,
We got a lot of requests to offer it for purchase, so we are looking into that now :)
MAUDIA LANZOTTI says
HI! YOU MIGHT LIKE THE BOOK, Absolute beauty : radiant skin and inner harmony through the ancient secrets of ayurveda (1997)
by Raichur, Pratima
THE AUTHOR HAS A SKINCARE SALON IN NEW YORK CITY AND THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FOR THE AYURVEDA APPROACH. I’VE MADE SOME SKINCARE RECIPES OUT OF IT. THANKS FOR THE RECIPE.
Anya says
Hi Maudia,
That book has been on my to-read list for so long! Thank you so much for reminding me about it :)
Audrey says
Share more recipes like this please!
Anya says
We will for sure :)
Bani says
If you were to make this to sell would you consider making it vegan? Would candelilla wax or another plant wax be a good stand in for the beeswax? I whip my own shea butter to make a very simple handcream but am interested in trying your moisturiser recipe (veganised) with cocoa butter as it sounds lovely.
(ps- have you ever wondered about not using moisturiser at all? I have dry skin and find it hard to imagine not using any- and perhaps we need to in drier, colder climates with indoor heating etc) but have become interested recently in the idea of whether your skin would self regulate and be healthier if we were to leave it alone. Would be interested in your (more informed) thoughts on this.)
Masha says
Hi Bani,
We would definitely consider making it vegan, but not right away. Since we’re not familiar with plant waxes, it would take some experimentation. If we do end up making a batch for sale, we would want to go with our original recipe to gauge the interest first and go from there. Just want to mention that we do get the wax from a local, sustainable beekeeper, and we’ve found it to be amazing for skin. We love shea butter as well!
Yes, I have wondered about not using moisturizer to see if my skin self-regulates, but have not been able to really stick with it, since my skin gets very dry immediately and it’s very uncomfortable. The only time I’m able to go without is in the summer during very humid days. The book Renegade Beauty (mentioned in this post) explains how natural plant oils work with our skin instead of against it, it’s a pretty fascinating read all around.
Bri says
Hi!
I purchased the ingredients and can’t wait to mms this. When you say upright blender do you mean something like a Vitamix? I’m worried about the beeswax being hard to remove.
Masha says
Hi Bri,
That’s so exciting! Yes, a high-speed upright blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec would be amazing, but we also have friends who make this moisturizer in less fancy blenders. Just as long as it’s an upright one, it should be ok.
The beeswax will be melted and emulsified with other oils, so it shouldn’t be too hard to remove. It will definitely take a little time to scoop everything out of the blender, and you will need to wash it out with soap afterwards, but it shouldn’t be a problem. Hope it turns out well! Please let us know how you like it.
Bri says
I made this today and LOVED it. I chose to leave it fragrance-free but will add essential oils in the next batch. Great recipe!
Anya says
Amazing! So happy it worked out well :)
Gabriela says
Have you considered adding a preservative to prevent spoilage? I have been making my own creams for years now but I am staying away from combining pure water and oil elements. (I add store bought aloe vera gel that has some preservatives already in it). Bacteria growth is a serious issue…. they grow even if refrigerated.
Anya says
Hi Gabriela,
Really appreciate your comment. Since this is a homemade product that’s not meant to last for years on store shelves, we don’t usually add any preservatives. That being said, the essential oils we use, as well as the beeswax and vitamin E oil all have properties that help keep the moisturizer from going bad for up to 3 months from our experience, as long as it’s kept refrigerated or in a cold dark place in small batches. There are also a few store-bought products that we love that follow a similar formula of water, oils, essential oils, and no other preservatives, like Living Libations all-over lotion and another brand natural toothpaste, both of which keep well.
If we were to make this to sell, we would definitely include all the most antibacterial essential oils and have a refrigeration and shelf life disclaimer. We are also looking into adding rosemary extract and honey for the same reasons. Meanwhile, we would love to hear what natural preservatives you like and recommend, if you know of any. Thanks again for your note!
Lana says
How much moisturizer does this recipe make?
Anya says
Hi Lana,
Sorry, I wrote the wrong amount earlier! It makes about 20 oz.
Lana says
Thanks so much for clarifying that! Also another question, are all ingredients by weight, volume or both (if both, please clarify which are measured how)? My first batch was successful but I struggled with the recipe the second time around as I was going between weighing the solids and measuring out the liquids.
Anya says
Hi Lana,
All the ingredients are by weight.
Florence says
Thank you so much for this recipe. Since you wrote this post I had a strong wish for testing it. And today it’s done ! The texture is so incredibly smouth and nourrishing and my vata skin adores it.
It’s been like 9 years that I’m following you. I love your way of cooking (I’m a veg ayurvedic cook, holistic cares praticionner and ayurvedic nutrionist too) and you often inspire me. I have your 2 books.
Thanks again for what you’re sharing with us here.
Anya says
Hi Florence,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are very humbled and flattered :) So happy to hear that you’re liking the moisturizer, it means the world!
Jacob Willbourne says
For people suffering from psoraisis I would recommend switching calendula with neem, which is what i do in my recipe, and it works very well :) Thank you for uploading this
Kendall says
Is there a source for these ingredients that you recommended? Thanks! I loved the batch I bought from you and now want to try and make it for gifts.
Anya says
Hi Kendall,
So glad you loved the moisturizer! I source most of the ingredients from a local shop in my town that carries really good quality stuff. There are a lot of great companies selling these ingredients online, I just recommend making sure that their products are organic when possible, cold pressed for oils, and raw for the cacao butter. For essential oils, Living Libations is great.