DIY Face Moisturizer Guide

Last updated: September 2026

Homemade face moisturizer: how to make one with shea butter and natural oils

Whip a butter with one or two light oils. A homemade face moisturizer is one you make at home by whipping a natural butter such as shea butter with one or two lighter plant oils, with no water phase and no synthetic emulsifier. Baraka's unrefined shea butter, shea oil and baobab oil, made by women's producer groups at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region, are the bases for all seven recipes in this guide.

The recipes cover every skin type, from a basic all-skin-type daily moisturizer to targeted formulations for oily, dry, sensitive and mature skin, and each uses shea butter, shea oil or baobab oil as the primary conditioning ingredient. For the shea butter reference this guide builds on, including what raw shea butter does for skin and hair, see Raw Shea Butter Benefits: Complete Guide to Skin, Hair, Baby, Pregnancy, and DIY.

Because every recipe here starts from shea butter, it is the one ingredient worth getting right. Baraka's Raw Shea Butter is unrefined, strained and filtered only, and hand-made in Wa by the women of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre, so it arrives with the colour, scent and texture these recipes were written around.

This guide stays with the face. For making skincare at home more broadly, see DIY Natural Skincare: The Complete Guide to Making Your Own Products at Home. For shea butter on the face specifically, see Is Shea Butter Good for Face (Sunburn, Wrinkles, Aging & More); for reactive skin, Sensitive Skin Solutions: 6 Gentle DIY Recipes for Reactive & Delicate Skin; and for the liquid fraction, Shea Oil: The Ultimate DIY Guide and Recipes.

How facial skin differs from body skin

Facial skin differs from body skin in ways that matter for formulation. The stratum corneum on facial skin is thinner — approximately 10–15 cell layers compared to 15–20 on body skin — which means facial skin loses moisture more readily and is more responsive to topical ingredients. Facial skin also has a higher density of sebaceous glands than most body areas, but the distribution is uneven: the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) produces significantly more sebum than the cheek and eye areas.

The pH of facial skin typically measures 4.5–5.5, which is more acidic than body skin (5.5–6.5). This matters for formulation because the acid mantle — the protective film on skin's surface — functions best when maintained within this pH range. Shea butter has a naturally acidic pH of approximately 4.5–5.0, which makes it compatible with maintaining the facial acid mantle without disruption.

Facial skin has a cell turnover rate of 21–28 days, faster than body skin's 28–45 days. This means facial skin shows the effects of topical products more quickly — both positive and negative effects. It also means that consistent daily application matters more for facial formulations than for body care products applied less regularly.

Two rules for facial formulas

Comedogenicity matters more for facial formulations. Pore congestion is much more visible and common on facial skin than on body skin. Coconut oil (comedogenic rating 4) is widely used in body butters and is well tolerated on most people's bodies, but it is too comedogenic for daily use as a primary facial ingredient for oily or acne-prone skin types. The recipes in this guide use ingredients with appropriate comedogenic ratings for their intended skin types.

Water-containing formulations require preservatives. Recipes 3 and 6 in this guide contain water-based ingredients (aloe vera gel and witch hazel). Any product combining oil and water requires a broad-spectrum preservative or must be made fresh before each use. Each of these recipes carries a preservation warning.

Identifying your skin type

Accurate skin type identification determines which recipe is most suitable. The simplest assessment is the tissue test: cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser, wait 30 minutes without applying any products, then press a clean tissue to your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. Read the result like this:

• Oil on all zones indicates oily skin.
• Oil on the T-zone with dryness on cheeks indicates combination skin.
• No oil and a tight or uncomfortable feeling indicates dry or dehydrated skin.
• No oil and no discomfort indicates normal skin.
• Redness, stinging, or visible reactive symptoms indicate sensitive skin.

Mature skin is not a skin type but a skin condition — it can be dry, oily, combination, or sensitive, with the additional characteristic of reduced collagen and elastin production, slower cell turnover, and often decreased sebum production. Skin type can also change seasonally, with hormonal changes, and with age: a formulation that works well in winter may feel too heavy in summer, which is what the Customisable Base Formula (Recipe 7) is for.

Skin type	Start with	Main Baraka ingredient	Water phase
All skin types	Recipe 1, Basic Daily Moisturiser	Shea butter	No
Mature	Recipe 2, Nourishing Night Cream	Shea butter and baobab oil	No
Oily and combination	Recipe 3, Lightweight Day Cream	Shea oil	Yes (aloe vera gel)
Very dry or damaged	Recipe 4, Intensive Conditioning Treatment	Shea butter and baobab oil	No
Sensitive	Recipe 5, Sensitive Skin Gentle Formula	Shea butter	No
Men's daily use	Recipe 6, Men's Face Moisturiser	Shea oil	Yes (witch hazel)
Changing or seasonal needs	Recipe 7, Customisable Base Formula	Shea butter	No, unless you add one

---

Premium moisturizer recipe: the richest formula in this guide

Recipe 4, with Recipe 2 close behind. The premium moisturizer recipe in this Baraka guide is the Intensive Conditioning Treatment (Recipe 4): a high proportion of unrefined shea butter whipped with baobab oil, sea buckthorn oil, calendula oil and vitamin E, and the richest formulation here. What makes a moisturizer premium is less the length of its ingredient list than the quality of its base, which is why every rich recipe in this guide starts from unrefined, hand-made shea butter.

For a premium night cream aimed at mature skin, Recipe 2 combines shea butter with baobab, rosehip seed and argan oils. The full method for both is in the recipe section below, starting with Recipe 4. What follows here is the ingredient knowledge that separates a premium result from an ordinary one.

Shea butter: properties and facial use

Shea butter is extracted from the nuts of the Vitellaria paradoxa tree. Its fatty acid profile — approximately 45% oleic acid, 35% stearic acid, 15% linoleic acid — gives it a combination of occlusive and conditioning properties. It melts at skin temperature, which is why it absorbs without leaving a heavy residue despite its solid form at room temperature. Its comedogenic rating of 0–2 makes it suitable for most facial skin types, though very oily or acne-prone skin may prefer shea oil (see below).

Unrefined shea butter retains the full unsaponifiable fraction — approximately 6–17% of its composition — which contains the triterpenes, tocopherols, and phytosterols that give it its documented skin-conditioning properties. Refined shea butter has been bleached and deodorised, removing a significant portion of these compounds. For facial use, unrefined shea butter is the better choice.

Baraka's shea butter is traditionally processed by hand: the nuts are cracked, roasted, milled to a paste, kneaded with water and boiled so the fat separates, then cooled and filtered, with no solvent at any stage. Because the nuts are roasted and the fat is boiled, traditionally processed shea butter is never cold-pressed.

Unrefined against refined: what you can check

Look at it and smell it. "Raw" has no standard behind it, but "unrefined" does, and the difference is visible: unrefined butter ranges from cream to ivory to pale yellow and has an earthy, slightly smoky scent, while refined butter is white and odourless. Colour varies naturally with the nuts and the season, so treat it as one sign among others rather than proof on its own.

For what can actually be checked, Baraka's batches are tested periodically by the Ghana Standards Authority against Ghana's national standard for unrefined shea butter, using ISO methods.

Shea oil: properties and facial use

Shea oil is the liquid fraction of shea, separated from the butter so it stays pourable at room temperature. It comes from the same nut as shea butter but is lighter on the skin and absorbs more readily, with a comedogenic rating of 0–1, one of the lowest of any plant oil. Like Baraka's shea butter it comes from Ghana, and its colour and smell vary between batches.

This makes shea oil the better choice for oily, combination, and acne-prone facial skin types that cannot tolerate shea butter's slightly heavier texture. It absorbs fully without residue, making it suitable for daily facial use on skin types that would find shea butter too heavy. Recipes 3 and 6 in this guide use shea oil as the primary ingredient for this reason.

Baobab oil: properties and facial use

Baobab oil is pressed from the seeds of the Adansonia digitata tree. Its fatty acid profile is rich in omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid, 23–28%), omega-6 (linoleic acid, 28–32%), and omega-9 (oleic acid, 33–36%) — a balance that produces fast absorption without residue. Its comedogenic rating of 1–2 makes it suitable for all facial skin types including oily and combination skin.

Baobab oil contains vitamins A, D, E, and F, and its natural antioxidant content slows oxidation of formulations that include it, contributing to shelf life stability. Its fast absorption makes it a useful lightening agent in formulations where shea butter's texture would otherwise feel too heavy — Recipes 2 and 4 use baobab oil in combination with shea butter for this reason.

Baraka's baobab oil comes from wild, uncultivated trees in Ghana. The fruit ripens and falls naturally and is gathered from the ground by women in the communities where the trees stand; nothing is cut, picked or stripped from the tree.

---

Homemade moisturizer ideas: seven recipes by skin type

Seven ideas, one for each skin need. Good homemade moisturizer ideas, like the seven in this Baraka guide, are matched to skin need: a basic all-purpose whip, a richer night cream for mature skin, a lightweight day cream for oily skin, an intensive treatment for very dry skin, a minimal three-ingredient formula for sensitive skin, a men's formula, and a customisable base you can adapt yourself once you're comfortable with the technique.

A note on measurements: These recipes use volume measurements for accessibility, imperial first with metric in brackets. For consistent results, measure by weight using a digital kitchen scale.

1. Basic Daily Moisturiser (All Skin Types)

A foundational daily moisturiser using shea butter as the primary conditioning ingredient. Suitable for all skin types. Anhydrous — no preservative required.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) Unrefined Shea Butter
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Fractionated Coconut Oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Sweet Almond Oil
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Vitamin E Oil

Recipe 1 method and troubleshooting

Instructions:

1. Allow shea butter to reach room temperature until soft but not melted.
2. Using a hand mixer or whisk, whip shea butter for 3–4 minutes until light and creamy.
3. Slowly add fractionated coconut oil while continuing to whip.
4. Add sweet almond oil and whip for 2 minutes until fully incorporated.
5. Add vitamin E oil and whip for a final minute until smooth and fluffy.
6. Transfer to a clean glass jar. Allow to set for 1 hour before first use.

Troubleshooting: If the moisturiser is too heavy for oily skin, replace sweet almond oil with jojoba oil and reduce shea butter to 3 tablespoons (45 ml). If too light for very dry skin, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) melted cocoa butter. For sensitive skin, omit fractionated coconut oil and increase sweet almond oil to 3 tablespoons (45 ml). Shelf life 12–18 months stored in a cool, dry location.

2. Nourishing Night Cream (Mature Skin)

A rich night moisturiser using shea butter and baobab oil. Baobab oil's fast absorption lightens the texture of shea butter while maintaining its conditioning properties — making this formulation richer than Recipe 1 but still suitable for overnight use without feeling heavy. Anhydrous — no preservative required. Apply to skin before sleep. Store in a dark glass container — rosehip seed oil is light-sensitive.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Unrefined Shea Butter
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Baobab Oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Rosehip Seed Oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Argan Oil
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Vitamin E Oil
• 8 drops Frankincense Essential Oil (optional)

Recipe 2 method and troubleshooting

Instructions:

1. Gently warm shea butter to soft consistency using a double boiler — do not fully melt.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature while remaining soft.
3. Whip shea butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes.
4. Gradually add baobab oil while continuing to whip until fully incorporated.
5. Add rosehip seed oil and argan oil. Whip for 3 minutes until smooth.
6. Add vitamin E oil and frankincense (if using). Whip for a final 2 minutes.
7. Transfer to a dark glass container. Shelf life approximately 6 months — rosehip seed oil determines this blend's shelf life.

Troubleshooting: This cream is richer than the Basic Daily Moisturiser — apply a small amount (pea-sized) to avoid a heavy residue on the face overnight. For skin that finds rosehip seed oil too active, substitute jojoba oil. Frankincense essential oil is optional and can be omitted without affecting the conditioning properties of the formula.

3. Lightweight Day Cream (Oily and Combination Skin)

A lightweight day moisturiser using shea oil's low comedogenic rating (0–1) alongside jojoba oil and aloe vera gel. Shea oil is used here rather than shea butter because oily and combination skin benefits from the faster absorption and lower comedogenic profile. Contains aloe vera gel — water-based ingredient — requires preservative or fresh preparation.

⚠️ Preservation note: This recipe contains aloe vera gel — a water-based ingredient. Any product combining oil and water requires a broad-spectrum preservative to prevent microbial growth. Without a preservative, make fresh before each use and use within 24–48 hours. Shake vigorously before each use.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Shea Oil
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Jojoba Oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Aloe Vera Gel (pure)
• 5 drops Tea Tree Oil

Recipe 3 method and troubleshooting

Instructions:

1. Combine shea oil and jojoba oil in a clean mixing bowl.
2. Whisk oils together until fully blended.
3. Slowly add aloe vera gel while whisking continuously to prevent separation.
4. Add tea tree oil and mix gently but thoroughly.
5. Transfer to a pump bottle for easy application. Shake before each use.

Troubleshooting: This recipe will separate on standing — shake before every use. For sensitive skin, replace tea tree oil with 3 drops chamomile essential oil. For combination skin, apply a lighter amount to the T-zone and a normal amount to drier areas. Without a preservative, make in small batches and use within 48 hours.

4. Intensive Conditioning Treatment (Dry and Damaged Skin)

A rich conditioning treatment using shea butter at high concentration alongside baobab oil, sea buckthorn oil, and calendula oil. This is the richest formulation in the guide — suited to very dry or damaged skin that requires intensive conditioning. Anhydrous — no preservative required. Apply in small amounts — a little goes a long way with this formulation.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) Unrefined Shea Butter
• 4 teaspoons (20 ml) Baobab Oil
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Sea Buckthorn Oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Calendula Oil
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Vitamin E Oil
• 6 drops Helichrysum Essential Oil

Recipe 4 method and troubleshooting

Instructions:

1. Set up a double boiler. Gently soften shea butter until workable — do not fully melt.
2. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature while remaining workable.
3. Begin whipping with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes, then increase to medium for 5 minutes.
4. Slowly add baobab oil while whipping, then sea buckthorn oil.
5. Add calendula oil and vitamin E oil. Whip for 3 minutes.
6. Add helichrysum essential oil. Whip for a final minute until smooth.
7. Transfer to a dark glass container to protect light-sensitive ingredients. Shelf life 12 months.

Troubleshooting: Sea buckthorn oil is deeply orange — this formulation will have a strong orange tint. Apply at night or in very small amounts as it may temporarily colour skin. If sea buckthorn oil is too strong for sensitive skin, reduce to 1 teaspoon (5 ml) and increase calendula oil to 1 tablespoon (15 ml). Helichrysum essential oil can be omitted or replaced with lavender essential oil.

5. Sensitive Skin Gentle Formula

A minimal-ingredient moisturiser using only shea butter, sweet almond oil, and vitamin E oil. Three ingredients only — the fewest possible while still providing daily conditioning. Fewer ingredients means fewer potential irritants and easier identification of any sensitivity. Anhydrous — no preservative required.

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons (75 ml) Unrefined Shea Butter
• 4 teaspoons (20 ml) Sweet Almond Oil
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Vitamin E Oil

Recipe 5 method and troubleshooting

Instructions:

1. Ensure all utensils and containers are thoroughly clean and dry.
2. Allow shea butter to reach soft room temperature consistency.
3. Whip shea butter gently with a whisk for 3–4 minutes until smooth.
4. Very slowly add sweet almond oil while continuing to whisk gently.
5. Add vitamin E oil and whisk until just incorporated — avoid over-mixing.
6. Patch test on inner wrist before full facial application. Store in a clean container away from heat and light.

Troubleshooting: For very sensitive or reactive skin, patch test each individual ingredient before combining. For rosacea-prone skin, see the specific guidance at Shea Butter for Rosacea-Prone Skin. Shelf life 12–18 months.

6. Men's Face Moisturiser

A lightweight day moisturiser using shea oil as the primary ingredient alongside fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, and witch hazel. Shea oil is used here rather than shea butter for fast absorption without residue — appropriate for a morning routine product. Contains witch hazel — water-based ingredient — requires preservative or fresh preparation.

⚠️ Preservation note: This recipe contains witch hazel — a water-based ingredient. Any product combining oil and water requires a broad-spectrum preservative to prevent microbial growth. Without a preservative, make fresh before each use and use within 24–48 hours. Shake vigorously before each use.

Ingredients:

• 8 teaspoons (40 ml) Shea Oil
• 4 teaspoons (20 ml) Fractionated Coconut Oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Jojoba Oil
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Witch Hazel
• 4 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Recipe 6 method and troubleshooting

Instructions:

1. Combine shea oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil in a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk oils together until fully blended and uniform.
3. Slowly add witch hazel while whisking continuously.
4. Add peppermint essential oil and whisk until evenly distributed.
5. Transfer to a pump or squeeze bottle for convenient application. Shake gently before each use.

Troubleshooting: This recipe will separate on standing — shake before every use. For sensitive skin, replace peppermint essential oil with 3 drops lavender essential oil. For post-shave use, apply immediately after patting face dry — the witch hazel fraction provides a cooling, mildly astringent effect. Without a preservative, use within 48 hours.

7. Customisable Base Formula

A flexible base formula for experienced DIY formulators who want to adapt their moisturiser for changing skin needs, seasons, or specific concerns. Uses shea butter as the fixed base with two variable oil slots. Anhydrous — no preservative required unless you add a water-based ingredient to your customisation.

Ingredients:

• ~3.5 tablespoons (50 ml) Unrefined Shea Butter
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Liquid Carrier Oil of Choice
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Secondary Treatment Oil of Choice
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Vitamin E Oil

Carrier oil options by skin type: Jojoba oil for oily skin (comedogenic rating 2); sweet almond oil for normal skin; avocado oil for dry skin; baobab oil for all skin types with fast absorption.

Recipe 7 method and troubleshooting

Treatment oil options: Rosehip seed oil for mature or sun-damaged skin (store in dark container — light sensitive); sea buckthorn oil for dry or damaged skin (deeply orange — use sparingly); calendula oil for sensitive skin; argan oil for general conditioning.

Instructions:

1. Select your carrier and treatment oils based on your current skin type and needs.
2. Follow the standard whipping technique: soften shea butter to room temperature, whip for 3–4 minutes, add oils gradually while continuing to whip.
3. Add vitamin E oil last. Whip for a final minute until smooth.
4. Document your ingredient combination and skin response for future reference — this allows you to refine the formula over time.
5. Adjust ratios seasonally: increase shea butter by 2–3 teaspoons (10–15 ml) for winter; increase liquid oil by 2–3 teaspoons (10–15 ml) for summer.

Troubleshooting: If adding a water-based ingredient (aloe vera, hydrosol, honey) to this base, the product immediately requires a broad-spectrum preservative. Do not store a water-containing version of this recipe without a preservative. If the finished moisturiser feels too heavy, reduce shea butter by 2 teaspoons (10 ml) and increase liquid carrier oil by 2 teaspoons (10 ml).

---

Homemade face moisturizer for aging skin

Recipe 2, the Nourishing Night Cream. A good homemade face moisturizer for aging skin is a rich blend that still absorbs overnight, and in this guide that is Recipe 2: Baraka's unrefined shea butter whipped with baobab oil, rosehip seed oil and argan oil, chosen for their fatty acid profiles and lighter absorption relative to shea butter alone. Use a pea-sized amount before sleep.

Mature skin can be dry, oily, combination, or sensitive underneath, so check your underlying skin type as well before choosing a recipe (see the skin type table above). If your mature skin is also oily, the richer night cream may be too much for daytime; pair it with a shea oil formula in the morning.

Adjusting a recipe for mature skin

• Richer overnight: use Recipe 2 at night, applied to slightly damp skin after cleansing.
• Your own blend: in the Customisable Base Formula (Recipe 7), choose rosehip seed oil as the treatment oil and store the jar in dark glass.
• Very dry patches: Recipe 4 in very small amounts, at night, bearing in mind the orange tint from sea buckthorn oil.
• Lighter days: baobab oil as the carrier keeps a shea butter base from feeling heavy.

This page gives one mature-skin formula. For ten more formulations aimed at mature skin, see The Complete Guide to Anti-Aging Skincare: 10 DIY Recipes That Actually Work, and for what changes in skin with age, see Shea Butter for Mature Skin: What Changes with Age and Why Traditional Butters Help.

---

Start moisturizer at home: what you need for your first batch

Start anhydrous, start small. To start making moisturizer at home, choose a simple oil-and-butter recipe such as Recipe 1 or Recipe 5: they need no preservative and only basic equipment, a mixing bowl, a whisk or hand mixer, and a clean glass jar. Once you're comfortable with the whipping technique, the Customisable Base Formula (Recipe 7) lets you adapt ratios and ingredients as you learn what your skin responds to.

Equipment and hygiene

• A digital kitchen scale for consistent results batch to batch.
• A mixing bowl and a whisk or hand mixer; an electric mixer makes Recipes 2 and 4 easier.
• A double boiler for the recipes that soften the butter with gentle heat.
• Clean, dry glass jars, dark glass for anything with rosehip seed or sea buckthorn oil, and a pump bottle for Recipes 3 and 6.
• Labels, so every batch carries the date made and the ingredients used.

Ensure all utensils and containers are thoroughly clean and dry before you start. Water introduced by a wet spoon or jar is the easiest way to shorten the life of an oil-and-butter product.

Patch testing

Apply a small amount to the inner wrist and wait 24–48 hours before full facial application.

Application techniques

Apply facial moisturiser to slightly damp skin — absorption is significantly better when the skin surface is hydrated. After cleansing, pat the face to remove excess water but do not dry completely before applying. This applies to all seven recipes in this guide.

Use upward and outward massage motions when applying — starting from the centre of the face and moving toward the hairline. This supports lymphatic drainage rather than working against it. For the eye area, use the ring finger (which applies the least pressure) with a gentle patting motion from inner to outer corner.

Amount matters for facial formulations more than for body products. For Recipes 1, 2, and 4 — the richer formulations — a pea-sized amount is sufficient for the entire face. For Recipes 3, 5, 6, and 7 — the lighter formulations — 3–5 drops is the appropriate amount. Using more does not provide more benefit and may cause residue or breakouts on oily skin types.

Timing: for morning use, allow 2–3 minutes for the moisturiser to absorb before applying sunscreen or makeup. For evening use, apply after cleansing and allow the moisturiser to work overnight. Do not layer heavy formulations over each other — apply one moisturiser and allow it to absorb fully before adding any additional product.

Shelf life and storage

Oil-only blends keep; water-based blends do not. Recipes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 are anhydrous — they contain only oils and butters with no water phase — and have a shelf life of 12–18 months stored in a cool, dry location away from sunlight. Recipe 2 is the exception at approximately 6 months, because of its rosehip seed oil. Recipes 3 and 6 should be used within 24–48 hours without a preservative, or within 3 months with a broad-spectrum preservative. Always label batches with the date made and the ingredients used.

---

How to make natural moisturizer

Soften, whip, then add oils slowly. To make natural moisturizer the way this Baraka guide does, combine a base butter with one or two complementary oils, whipped together with no synthetic emulsifiers: soften unrefined shea butter to room temperature, whip it to a soft, light texture, then add a lighter carrier oil such as sweet almond or jojoba to adjust the richness for your skin type. Recipe 1 is the simplest version: four ingredients, no cooking required beyond softening the butter.

1. Soften shea butter to room temperature, or in a double boiler for the richer recipes, without fully melting it.
2. Whip for 3–4 minutes until light and creamy.
3. Add the liquid oils a little at a time while you keep whipping.
4. Add vitamin E oil last and whip for a final minute until smooth.
5. Jar it in clean, dry glass and let it set before first use.

If the result is grainy, heavy or too soft, the fix is almost always in the ratio or the temperature rather than the ingredients: each recipe's troubleshooting note above gives the adjustment for that formula, and the Customisable Base Formula shows how to shift the ratio by season.

Where Baraka shea butter comes from

Every batch of Baraka shea butter and shea oil is sourced through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. Baraka founder Wayne Dunn has maintained a direct relationship with the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre for over 15 years. The women at the cooperative receive a fair-trade premium directly, without intermediaries. Every batch is hand-processed using traditional methods — no solvents, no chemical extraction.

Felicia Solomon is one of the women involved in Baraka's cooperative sourcing. Celebrating Mothers: Felicia Solomon shares what the work means to her. For curated customer experiences using Baraka ingredients in DIY face moisturisers, see Baraka Customer Stories: How People Use Our Shea Butter and Why It Works.

Read more about the impact this work has on the cooperative in Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report, and see exactly how the butter itself is made in How is Handcrafted Shea Butter Made?

---

Natural moisturizer recipe: the simplest one to start with

Recipe 1, four ingredients. A good natural moisturizer recipe to start with is the Basic Daily Moisturiser (Recipe 1): 1/4 cup (60 ml) unrefined shea butter, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fractionated coconut oil, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sweet almond oil and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vitamin E oil, whipped together with no water phase and no preservative. Recipe 5 (Sensitive Skin Gentle Formula) is the three-ingredient alternative, and both use unrefined shea butter as the base.

Both have a forgiving whipping technique, which is why they suit a first attempt: if the texture is off, you can soften and re-whip rather than start again. The full method for Recipe 1 and Recipe 5 is in the recipe section above.

Sensitive or reactive skin

Recipe 5 (Sensitive Skin Gentle Formula) is the most appropriate starting point for reactive or sensitive skin — it contains only three ingredients with the lowest possible potential for irritation. For rosacea-prone skin, see Shea Butter for Rosacea-Prone Skin for specific guidance, and for six more recipes for reactive skin, see Sensitive Skin Solutions: 6 Gentle DIY Recipes for Reactive & Delicate Skin.

---

Lightweight moisturizer recipe: shea oil formulas for oily and combination skin

Recipes 3 and 6, both built on shea oil. The lightest moisturizer recipes in this guide are the Lightweight Day Cream (Recipe 3) and the Men's Face Moisturiser (Recipe 6): both use Baraka's shea oil rather than shea butter as the primary ingredient, because shea oil has a lower comedogenic rating and absorbs without residue. Both contain a water-based ingredient, so add a broad-spectrum preservative or make them fresh and use within 24–48 hours.

The method for Recipe 3 and Recipe 6 is in the recipe section above. Shake both before every use, because the oil and water phases separate on standing.

Oily and combination skin

For oily and combination skin, Recipe 3 or Recipe 6 are the most appropriate choices — both use shea oil (comedogenic rating 0–1) as the primary ingredient rather than shea butter, which means they absorb fully without residue. Jojoba oil (comedogenic rating 2) is also an appropriate carrier for oily skin. Avoid formulations using coconut oil as a primary ingredient on oily or acne-prone facial skin.

Breakouts and shea butter

Shea butter has a comedogenic rating of 0–2, which is low and suitable for most facial skin types. However, for very oily or acne-prone skin, the texture of shea butter may feel heavier than necessary — shea oil is the better choice for these skin types. Coconut oil in facial formulations is a more common cause of breakouts than shea butter. If breakouts occur after starting a new formulation, identify which ingredient changed and eliminate it before reformulating.

Shea butter and shea oil on the face

	Shea butter	Shea oil
Form at room temperature	Solid, melts on contact with skin	Liquid, pourable
Comedogenic rating	0–2	0–1
Feel	Richer conditioning	Lighter, absorbs more readily
Best for	Dry, normal and mature skin	Oily, combination and acne-prone skin
Recipes here	1, 2, 4, 5 and 7	3 and 6

For the full comparison, see Shea Oil: The Ultimate DIY Guide and Recipes.

More DIY guides and ingredients from Baraka

If you'd rather start from ready-made ingredients than build a kit from scratch, Baraka's Butters collection covers every base used in these seven recipes, and the Ingredient Bundles collection is a practical way to get shea butter, shea oil, and baobab oil together in one order.

If you want to go deeper on any of the techniques used in these seven recipes, these related guides cover specific ground this one doesn't: How To Make Homemade DIY Skincare Products (Detailed Guide) for general DIY skincare basics, DIY Shea Butter Face Cream Recipe (Beginner Friendly) for a simpler single-recipe starting point, Shea Butter and Aloe Vera Moisturizer for another water-containing formula, and The Complete Guide to Anti-Aging Skincare: 10 DIY Recipes That Actually Work for more formulations aimed at mature skin.

---

What We Know and How We Know It

The claims in this guide rest on four different kinds of evidence, and it's worth being clear about which is which. The fatty acid profiles, comedogenic ratings, and pH figures cited for shea butter, shea oil, and baobab oil come from published research on these ingredients. The specific recipes and ratios come from common practice in the home-formulation community, refined through use. The descriptions of Baraka's own shea butter, shea oil and baobab oil, and the batch testing by the Ghana Standards Authority, come from Baraka's product specifications and documentation. The sourcing details — the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre, the fifteen-year relationship, the hand-processing method — are things Baraka knows directly because they are Baraka's own supply chain, not third-party research.

How to check the evidence yourself

The traditional use of shea butter and African plant oils for skin conditioning is real and extensively documented. Shea butter has more published research supporting its skin-conditioning properties than almost any other African plant fat. Baobab oil's fatty acid profile and vitamin content are well-characterised. The evidence tells us what these ingredients contain; how your own skin responds is something only you can judge.

To find supporting research, search: "shea butter skin clinical study" / "Vitellaria paradoxa unsaponifiable fraction properties" / "baobab oil fatty acid skin penetration" / "jojoba oil non-comedogenic evidence"

To find opposing or qualifying evidence: "shea butter comedogenic skin type" / "baobab oil clinical evidence limitations" / "plant oil skin barrier disruption"

Our view is that ingredients with centuries of traditional use and a growing body of supportive research deserve serious consideration. Our equally strong view is that you should draw your own conclusions from the evidence — not ours.

---

Disclaimer

The information in this article is for general education. It reflects traditional use, reported experience and, where noted, published research. It has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. Baraka products are cosmetics and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Always patch test a new ingredient, keep products away from the eyes and out of reach of children, and speak to a qualified healthcare provider about any skin or health condition. Individual results vary.

A note on the traditions in this post: the practices described here come from conversations with, and time spent among, the community members and cooperative partners we work with in West Africa. We share them as anecdotal, first-hand impressions — not as verified fact or expert accounts. These traditions vary from family to family and region to region, so what follows is indicative rather than definitive. We offer it with respect and humility: to share a little of what we've encountered, not to speak for these communities or claim any authority over their traditions.

---

About the Author

Wayne Dunn is the founder of Baraka Impact and a former Professor of Practice in Sustainability at McGill University. He holds an M.Sc. in Management from Stanford and has spent over 15 years working directly with the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region to source traditionally made shea butter and natural oils. He shares DIY skincare recipes and ingredient guides designed to be made at home with real ingredients — and sourced with full transparency about where they come from.