How to Make DIY Skincare Products

Making your own skincare products can be a fun, rewarding, and cost-effective way to customise your routine — but it is not as simple as mixing random ingredients in your kitchen. You need to understand a few basic principles of skincare formulation to create products that are safe, effective, and stable. This guide walks through everything a beginner needs to know: ingredient selection, equipment, a starter recipe, and how to adjust formulations for different skin types. For the complete DIY natural skincare reference, see DIY Natural Skincare: The Complete Guide to Making Your Own Products at Home.

The single most important distinction in DIY skincare is ingredient quality. A shea butter recipe made with traditionally hand-processed shea butter from a named women's cooperative produces a different result from the same recipe made with commodity factory shea butter — not because the recipe changed, but because the ingredient did. Baraka sources shea butter directly through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region, where cooperative relationships have been maintained for over 15 years. Unlike commodity suppliers who use chemical solvent extraction (yield ~45%), Baraka's shea butter is hand-processed using traditional water-based methods (yield ~30%) — no chemicals at any stage. For the complete ingredient reference, see Shea Butter Benefits: The Complete Guide to What Raw Shea Butter Does for Skin, Hair, and DIY.

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Understanding the Basics of Skincare Formulation

Before making your first product, it helps to understand two fundamental categories of skincare formulation.

Anhydrous formulations contain no water — only oils, butters, waxes, and similar ingredients. They require no emulsifier and no preservative. Shelf life is typically 12–24 months when stored correctly. These are the easiest and safest starting point for beginners. A basic shea butter body balm is a classic anhydrous project.

Water-based formulations contain water as a primary ingredient. They require an emulsifier to bind the oil and water phases, and a broad-spectrum preservative to prevent microbial growth. Without a preservative, a water-containing product can develop mould or bacteria within days. This adds complexity — but it opens up lotions, creams, and toners once you are ready for the next level.

For beginners, start with anhydrous recipes. Master the basics of melting, blending, and storing before introducing water phases.

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Step-By-Step Guide to Making Your First Skincare Product

Selecting the Right Ingredients

The first step is choosing ingredients that suit your skin type and goals. There are many natural ingredients you can use — oils, butters, waxes, clays, herbs, essential oils, and more. Not all ingredients are compatible with each other or with every skin type.

Consider these factors when selecting your ingredients:

• Skin type: Different skin types have different needs. For dry skin, richer butters and oils that help maintain moisture work well — such as shea butter or baobab oil. For oily skin, lighter non-comedogenic oils are preferable, such as jojoba or shea oil.
• Skin goal: Depending on what you want to achieve, you may want ingredients with specific cosmetic properties. For brightening, ingredients with vitamin C or antioxidants such as rosehip oil. For a soothing finish, ingredients with traditionally used conditioning properties such as aloe vera gel or chamomile tea.
• Ingredient type: Water-based ingredients (hydrosols, floral waters, herbal infusions) and oil-based ingredients (oils, butters, waxes, essential oils) behave differently. You need to know which type you are working with because it affects how you combine and preserve them.

For a complete breakdown of which ingredients work best for which purposes, see Best Ingredients for DIY Skincare.

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Which Ingredients Work Best for DIY Skincare?

The most common beginner question is which butter or oil to start with. Shea butter is the most versatile starting point — it is solid at room temperature, melts on contact with skin, and has a comedogenic rating of 0–2, making it appropriate for most skin types including oily and acne-prone. Cocoa butter is harder and slower-melting, making it better suited to balms and body bars that need to hold their shape in warm conditions. For a general body moisturiser, shea butter is the more versatile choice. For a firm lip balm or solid body bar, cocoa butter gives better structure.

For liquid oils, baobab oil absorbs quickly without residue and is well-suited for facial formulations. Traditional coconut oil absorbs in 5–8 minutes and works well in body recipes. For the lightest possible finish in a formulation, shea oil or palm kernel oil absorbs fastest. Choose your liquid oil based on how quickly you want your product to absorb and how much residue is acceptable for the intended use.

For the complete shea butter reference, see Shea Butter Benefits: The Complete Guide to What Raw Shea Butter Does for Skin, Hair, and DIY. For a focused guide to making DIY products specifically with shea butter, see Definitive Guide to DIY with Shea Butter.

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Recommended Equipment

You do not need expensive equipment to make skincare products at home — but you do need tools that are clean, sterilised, and appropriate for what you are making.

• Measuring tools: A digital kitchen scale accurate to 0.1g is essential. Always measure by weight — never by volume. Butters and oils have different densities, so volume measurements lead to inconsistent results.
• Mixing tools: Spoons, whisks, spatulas, or a hand blender depending on the texture of your product.
• Heating tools: A double boiler is the safest method for melting butters. A microwave works for small batches but requires careful temperature control.
• Containers: Clean, airtight, dark glass jars or bottles to protect your product from contamination, oxidation, and light degradation.

For a curated set of ingredients and equipment for beginners, see DIY Skincare Kits: Everything You Need to Start Making Natural Skincare at Home.

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Simple Starter Recipe: Basic Moisturising Lotion

Here is a simple starter recipe for a moisturising lotion using four ingredients:

• Water phase: 70% distilled water or hydrosol of your choice
• Oil phase: 25% oil or butter of your choice
• Emulsifier: 5% emulsifying wax or lecithin
• Preservative: 0.5–1% broad-spectrum preservative of your choice

To make the lotion, follow these steps:

1. Measure the water phase ingredients and pour them into a heatproof container.
2. Measure the oil phase ingredients and pour them into a separate heatproof container.
3. Place both containers in a double boiler and heat until the oil phase is melted and both phases reach approximately 70°C.
4. Remove both containers from the heat and slowly pour the water phase into the oil phase while stirring or blending continuously.
5. Keep stirring or blending until the mixture is thick and creamy.
6. Add the preservative and stir or blend well.
7. Transfer the lotion to a clean, sterilised container and let it cool completely.
8. Label the container with the name, date, and ingredients of your product.

This is a water-based recipe — the preservative is not optional. If you omit it, the product will spoil within days. For a simpler first project with no preservative needed, see How to Make DIY Body Butter — a straightforward anhydrous shea butter project that requires no emulsifier and no preservative.

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Customising Skincare for Different Skin Types

Skincare is not one-size-fits-all. Different skin types have different needs when it comes to choosing the right ingredients and formulations. For skin-type specific face moisturiser formulations, see DIY Face Moisturizer Guide.

Tailoring for Dry Skin

Dry skin lacks sebum and moisture, making it prone to flaking, tightness, and irritation. It needs gentle, conditioning ingredients that help maintain the skin's natural moisture balance. Some of the best ingredients for dry skin include:

• Hyaluronic acid: A humectant that draws water into the skin, helping to plump and condition the surface.
• Ceramides: Fatty molecules naturally found in the skin barrier that help support the skin's natural moisture balance.
• Glycerin: A humectant that helps maintain surface moisture and supports the absorption of other ingredients.
• Shea butter: A natural fat extracted from the nuts of the Vitellaria paradoxa tree, native to West Africa. Rich in oleic and stearic fatty acids, shea butter helps maintain moisture and supports the skin's natural conditioning. It forms a gentle occlusive layer that helps prevent moisture loss.

When formulating for dry skin, avoid ingredients that can strip or irritate — alcohol, sulfates, fragrances, and artificial colours. Opt for gentle, anhydrous or lightly emulsified formulations.

Adjusting for Oily Skin

Oily skin produces excess sebum, making it prone to congestion, blackheads, and shine. It needs balancing ingredients that help manage oiliness without stripping the skin. Some of the best ingredients for oily skin include:

• Salicylic acid: A beta-hydroxy acid that exfoliates the skin and helps support clearer-looking skin by working within the pore.
• Niacinamide: A form of vitamin B3 that supports the skin's barrier function and helps manage the appearance of pore size and oiliness.
• Clay: A natural absorbent that draws excess oil and impurities from the skin. Kaolin, bentonite, and green clay are common options, each with slightly different properties.
• Tea tree oil: An essential oil derived from the leaves of the tea tree, traditionally used for its cleansing properties. Commonly used to support clear-looking skin prone to congestion.

When formulating for oily skin, avoid ingredients with high comedogenic ratings (coconut oil at 4, cocoa butter at 4) as leave-on facial products. Choose lightweight, non-comedogenic options — shea butter (0–2) and shea oil (0–1) are both well-suited to oily and combination facial skin.

Fine-Tuning for Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin has a low tolerance to external stimuli — chemicals, fragrances, or temperature changes can cause redness, itching, or stinging. It needs gentle, conditioning formulations with minimal synthetic additives. Some of the best ingredients for sensitive skin include:

• Aloe vera: A plant with traditionally used soothing properties. Aloe vera can help condition and hydrate the skin, and is commonly used for skin prone to irritation.
• Chamomile: A plant with traditionally used calming and soothing properties. Chamomile can help condition and soften the skin, and is commonly used for skin prone to redness.
• Oatmeal: A cereal grain with traditionally used moisturising and soothing properties. Oatmeal can help condition and hydrate the skin, and is commonly used for skin prone to dryness-related discomfort.
• Green tea: Rich in naturally occurring antioxidant compounds. Green tea is commonly used for skin prone to sensitivity.

When formulating for sensitive skin, avoid alcohol, sulfates, fragrances, and artificial colours. Keep ingredient lists short and test every new formula with a 24-hour patch test before full use.

Balancing for Combination Skin

Combination skin has both dry and oily areas — typically a dry or normal cheek area and an oily T-zone. It needs formulations that address both without overloading either area. Some of the best ingredients for combination skin include:

• Jojoba oil: A liquid wax similar in composition to the skin's natural sebum. It helps condition dry areas without contributing to congestion in oily areas.
• Rose water: Has astringent and conditioning properties that can help tone and balance the skin.
• Grape seed extract: Rich in naturally occurring antioxidant compounds that support skin conditioning.
• Lavender oil: An essential oil with traditionally used soothing and conditioning properties, commonly used in formulations for balanced and combination skin.

When formulating for combination skin, the key is targeted application — richer butters on dry areas, lighter oils or gels on the T-zone — rather than one all-over formula.

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Troubleshooting Common Formulation Challenges

Separation

Separation occurs when the oil and water phases of your product do not mix and divide into layers. The cause is almost always insufficient or incompatible emulsifier, or incorrect mixing temperature. To fix: ensure both phases are at the same temperature (~70°C) before combining, use a sufficient quantity of a compatible emulsifier (typically 4–6% of total batch weight), and blend continuously and thoroughly during combination.

Inconsistent Texture

Inconsistent texture — grainy, lumpy, or uneven feel — is usually caused by cooling too quickly, insufficient blending, or using a butter that was not fully melted before incorporation. For shea butter specifically, cooling too rapidly causes a grainy texture. To avoid this, allow the mixture to cool slowly at room temperature rather than placing it in the fridge.

Adverse Skin Reactions

If your product causes redness, itching, or irritation, the most likely causes are a reaction to a specific ingredient, an incompatible combination, or a product that has spoiled. Patch test every new formulation before full use — apply a small amount to the inner arm and wait 24 hours. If you are using a water-containing formula without a preservative and the product is more than a few days old, discard it and start fresh with a proper preservative included.

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Where These Ingredients Come From

Baraka sources shea butter directly through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. Wayne Dunn has maintained direct cooperative relationships for over 15 years. Every batch is hand-processed using traditional water-based methods — no solvents, no chemical extraction at any stage. The women at the cooperative receive a fair-trade premium directly, without intermediaries. You can hear from one of the women who makes Baraka shea butter — Celebrating Mothers: Felicia Solomon — in her own words about what this work means for her family. For the full cooperative sourcing story, see Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.

For Baraka customer stories about using these ingredients in DIY skincare, see Baraka Customer Stories: How People Use Our Shea Butter and Why It Works.

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What the Evidence Actually Shows — and How to Check It Yourself

The traditional use of shea butter and other African plant-based ingredients for skin conditioning is real and well-documented across generations of use in West Africa. That is a meaningful form of evidence — not the same as a clinical trial, but not nothing either.

What it is not is the same as a clinical trial. We are not able to claim that any ingredient treats, heals, or cures a specific condition. That is a regulatory boundary, but it is also an honest one — traditional use tells us a great deal, and controlled clinical research tells us something different. Both matter.

If you want to evaluate the evidence for yourself — including evidence that might call traditional claims into question — here is how to search effectively.

To find supporting research, search: "shea butter skin clinical study" / "shea butter traditional use evidence" / "natural oils DIY skincare safety research"

To find opposing or qualifying evidence — which is just as important: "shea butter contraindicated" / "natural skincare DIY safety limitations" / "plant butter skin study limitations"

Reading both sides gives you a much clearer picture than reading one. A lot of what you find will be inconclusive, which is itself useful information.

You can also read what other customers have said about using Baraka Shea Butter in their own DIY skincare routines — real people describing real results, in their own words. That is not clinical evidence either, but it is a different kind of signal worth considering alongside everything else.

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to make your own skincare products?

Making your own skincare can be cheaper than buying, especially with simple natural ingredients like oils, butters, herbs, and honey. However, exotic or rare ingredients can increase the cost above comparable ready-made products. The key variable is batch size — larger anhydrous batches have a lower cost per use. Water-based products that expire quickly can increase cost if not used before they spoil. Consider your budget, how frequently you use the product, and whether your chosen ingredients have a shelf life compatible with your usage rate.

How do you make a homemade moisturiser?

A simple anhydrous moisturiser uses shea butter as the base, a liquid oil such as baobab or jojoba, and optionally an essential oil. Melt the shea butter gently over a double boiler, add the liquid oil, remove from heat, add essential oil if using, and transfer to a clean jar. Allow to solidify before use. This type of moisturiser requires no preservative and lasts 12–24 months when stored correctly. For a step-by-step formulation guide, see How to Make DIY Body Butter.

What is the best DIY skincare routine?

A basic DIY skincare routine covers four steps: cleansing, toning, moisturising, and protecting. Cleansing removes dirt and oil — honey, oatmeal, or clay work well as natural cleanser bases. Toning balances pH and refreshes the skin — rose water or green tea are common options. Moisturising conditions and protects — a shea butter or oil blend is the simplest option and needs no preservative. Protecting means sun protection if going outside — a zinc oxide based formula is the standard DIY approach. Adjust each step for your skin type.

What ingredients should beginners start with for DIY skincare?

Shea butter, traditional coconut oil, and baobab oil are the three best starting ingredients for beginners. All three are anhydrous — containing no water — so no preservative is needed, which removes one of the most common formulation errors. Shea butter is the most versatile: it can be used directly on skin as a body moisturiser, whipped into a body butter, or melted into a balm. Baobab oil is lightweight and absorbs quickly, making it the best starting oil for facial use. A digital kitchen scale accurate to 0.1g and a glass measuring cup are the only equipment you strictly need to start.

Do you need a preservative in homemade skincare?

Only if your recipe contains water. Anhydrous products — those made entirely from oils, butters, and waxes with no water added — do not require a preservative and will last 12–24 months if stored correctly. Any recipe that includes water, aloe vera gel, hydrosols, or floral waters requires a broad-spectrum preservative to prevent microbial growth. This is the most important safety rule in DIY formulation. If you are starting out, anhydrous recipes are simpler and safer — a basic shea butter body balm requires no preservative and is a reliable first project.

Is shea butter or coconut oil better for DIY skincare recipes?

Shea butter and coconut oil are both widely used in DIY skincare but they behave differently. Shea butter is softer, melts at a lower temperature (~35–38°C), and has a comedogenic rating of 0–2 — making it appropriate for most skin types including oily and acne-prone. Coconut oil has a higher lauric acid content and works well in soap-making recipes where hardness and lather matter, but has a higher comedogenic rating (4) making it less suitable as a leave-on facial ingredient for oily or acne-prone skin. For general body moisturising, shea butter is the more versatile choice. For soap-making, traditional coconut oil is the stronger performer. Many DIY makers use both.

What is the difference between raw and refined shea butter for DIY skincare?

Raw and unrefined shea butter retains the full profile of naturally occurring compounds from traditional processing — including the unsaponifiable fraction (6–17%) containing triterpenes, tocopherols, and phytosterols that give shea butter its documented conditioning properties. Refined shea butter has been processed to remove scent and colour, reducing the unsaponifiable fraction. For DIY skincare, unrefined Grade A shea butter is the preferable choice. Be aware that "raw" and "unrefined" labels are legally permitted on factory-produced chemically extracted butter — always ask your supplier to confirm traditional processing with zero chemical extraction.

Where does Baraka source its shea butter and other ingredients?

Baraka sources shea butter directly through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. Wayne Dunn has maintained direct cooperative relationships for over 15 years. Every batch is hand-processed using traditional water-based methods — no solvents, no chemical extraction at any stage. The women at the cooperative receive a fair-trade premium directly, without intermediaries. Complete chain-of-custody documentation is available for any batch on request.

What is the difference between anhydrous and water-based skincare?

Anhydrous means water-free — the product contains only oils, butters, and waxes. No emulsifier is needed, no preservative is needed, and shelf life is 12–24 months. Water-based products contain water as a primary ingredient, which means an emulsifier is required to bind the oil and water phases, and a preservative is required to prevent microbial growth. Without a preservative, a water-containing product can develop mould or bacteria within days. For beginners, anhydrous formulations are significantly easier and safer — start with a shea butter body balm before moving to lotions and creams.

How do you measure ingredients accurately for DIY skincare?

Always measure by weight using a digital kitchen scale — never by volume. Butters and oils have different densities, which means a tablespoon of shea butter and a tablespoon of baobab oil weigh different amounts. Volume measurements lead to inconsistent results. A scale accurate to 0.1g is sufficient for home formulation. Weigh each ingredient directly into your mixing container where possible, zeroing the scale between additions. For small amounts of essential oils or preservatives, a scale accurate to 0.01g gives more reliable results.

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Conclusion: Making Skincare at Home

Making your own skincare products at home is one of the most direct ways to control exactly what goes on your skin — and to ensure that the ingredients you use are genuinely what they claim to be. Start with anhydrous recipes. Master the basics of melting, blending, and storing. Then move to more complex water-based formulations once you understand how preservatives and emulsifiers work.

To get everything you need to start, explore Baraka's DIY Ingredients Collection — traditionally sourced butters and oils from women's cooperatives in Ghana — or browse the Recipe Kits for curated ingredient bundles ready to use.

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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.