Let's talk about DIY face cream.
And the fact that Georgia's bottom is on my face.
Let me rephrase that:
A baby's bottom is on my face.
Let me try again:
The skin of a baby's bottom is on my face.
And once again:
The skin of my face is like that of a baby's bottom.
Lastly:
My skin is as soft and supple as a baby's bottom.
Phew. That took me a few tries to get right, but have no fear! My writing skills never cease to amaze me! And you, I am sure.
Today is another of my make-at-home favorites. After dabbling with a few different recipes, I have landed on my favorite DIY face cream recipe. So, I decided to share it with you! So that Georgia's bottom can be on your face as well. Dangit, there I go again.
DIY Face Cream Recipe
– 1 tablespoon coconut oil
– 3 tablespoons shea butter
– 2-3 drops tea tree oil
And there ya have it. The perfect DIY face cream recipe.
1. Simply mix the coconut oil:
With the shea butter:
With the tea tree oil:
2. Squish with the back of a spoon to get a nice, frosting-like consistency.
And there you have it. I store my face cream in a recycled baby food jar and just keep it in the bathroom cupboard. Then, after my shower at night, I smear it on my face and neck like it's goin' out of style.
Miraculously, each morning, I wake up with uber-soft skin. The more I use it, the better it gets! I only use it once a day, usually at night, and then just splash my face with water in the morning. It seems to still last on there after that.
In the last year, I've gone from using crazy expensive and toxic facial cleaners (that I had to special order!) – to washing my face with natural, organic castile soap – to then also using this wonderful DIY face cream recipe! Can't beat the price (I didn't do the math, but it can't be more than .75 cents per batch) and the ingredients are easy, cheap, and all natural. That's a win, win, win (just in case you're keeping track).
I purchase my coconut oil in bulk HERE. And my shea butter from HERE, which is very inexpensive. I use my favorite brand of essential oils for this recipe as well. You can read about purchasing these super high-quality oils for this DIY face cream recipe HERE.
Please try it. I beg you. I plead with you. Let me know what you think.
And don't be surprised if I enthusiastically start rubbing your face when we run into each other. I can't help it – I do the same thing to Georgia's lil' toosh when she gets out of the tub at night.
I need help.
Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!
Lorie
April 29, 2011 at 1:39 pmCan’t wait to try it!
Lorie
April 29, 2011 at 1:39 pmCan’t wait to try it!
Melanie H.
April 29, 2011 at 3:54 pmI believe I have those ingredients. Here goes nothin’!
Kendra at New Life On A Homestead
April 29, 2011 at 7:11 pmDang it! Stop posting all of these cool do-it-yourself recipes. I’ve got so much catching up to do still!!! And no money to place orders for the ingredients! Stop it Shaye, stop it I tell you.
Kendra at New Life On A Homestead
April 29, 2011 at 7:11 pmDang it! Stop posting all of these cool do-it-yourself recipes. I’ve got so much catching up to do still!!! And no money to place orders for the ingredients! Stop it Shaye, stop it I tell you.
Madelyn
July 16, 2014 at 9:57 pmAGREED!
Lorie
April 30, 2011 at 5:37 pmIs the tea tree oil just for fragrance?
Danielle
September 2, 2011 at 7:39 pmHey Shaye… I have tea tree oil, but I also have some lavendar e. oil… wonder if it could also be a good ingredient??
jessilee
November 4, 2011 at 12:47 pmOk, I’m giving this a try. I’m currently spending a small fortune on Arbonne products so 0.75 cents per batch sounds amazing!
Anonymous
January 26, 2012 at 6:09 pmHi Jessilee,
I just was referred to this site, and I happen to use and love Arbonne myself. But yet, the price of this is much more appropriate for our budget at the moment! 🙂 Have you tried this yet, and how does it compare? Thanks!
jessilee
November 4, 2011 at 12:47 pmOk, I’m giving this a try. I’m currently spending a small fortune on Arbonne products so 0.75 cents per batch sounds amazing!
Shaye @ The Elliott Homestead
November 26, 2011 at 2:46 pmKatrina, I totally have acne prone/oily skin. But what I’ve found is that adding the right type of moisturizer really helps. That being said, I also noticed that foods I was eating had a huge affect on my acne prone skin and when I switched to a whole-foods diet, my acne greatly improved. I wash with Castile soap, twice daily and use this cream at night. Hope this helps!
Jobless Girl
November 21, 2012 at 12:48 amThanks for sharing.. This homemade cream suit to all type of skin?
Shaye Elliott
April 21, 2013 at 7:55 pmYep!
Shaye Elliott
February 4, 2013 at 6:04 pmI LOVE this face cream, too! For facial wash, I use Castile Soap OR straight coconut oil. Every two or three days, I’ll do a good scrub with some baking soda.
sharon
February 4, 2013 at 8:56 pmI thought tea tree oil could be dangerous around the eyes?
Amber Roark-Steen
March 11, 2013 at 1:29 pmIf you were to put pure tea tree oil near your eyes, it would sting! But I think since this recipe has only a few drops it should be fine.
Lynne
March 25, 2013 at 9:53 pmWould this work for extra dry hands? I wonder.
Daphne Rippey
April 14, 2013 at 5:15 pmThe link to the shea butter doesn’t work! Just wanted you to know.
Shaye Elliott
April 21, 2013 at 7:58 pmThank you! I fixed it 🙂
chelsea
August 10, 2013 at 8:18 pmis this like a moisturizer or a cleanser?
Rose
December 2, 2013 at 8:41 pmI love this recipe, however there are little gritty things in it. Is this the Shea Butter that didn’t blend? It almost feels like salt. I still use it though, because it makes my face soft. Thanks!
E Pyer
December 26, 2013 at 9:37 amSince there are no preservatives in this recipe how long would this size batch be good for?
Reyna
January 24, 2014 at 1:54 pmYes, I’ve started making my own whipped body cream with Shea butter, cocoa butter and sweet almond butter, it’s divine!
Lizette
August 30, 2014 at 12:53 pmHi Reyna! I’d love to get your exact recipe for your divine body cream. It sounds amazing. Can you share? 🙂
Alicja Martinez
February 5, 2014 at 1:38 amThis is a great receipe! I did it and I’m using it. The first time however I didn’t mix it well with my teaspoon 🙂 and I had some pieces of shea butter inside. but it was the same great! Thank you for the best blog ever!
Shaye Elliott
February 11, 2014 at 9:11 pmAww! Thanks Alicja!
Cindy
March 18, 2014 at 10:22 pmI have bookmarked your website and have been using your recipes for both my daughters. Their skin is so sensitive, and we love your lotions, chapsticks….
On this particular one the first time I mixed the ingredients I also got that gritty feel, so this last batch I made, I decided to use my mixer and the consistency is soooooo much softer…love it!!!
Valarie
March 25, 2014 at 12:48 pmThank you for this recipe! I use it on my dry curly hair and it has never been the same. I’ll be making batches to give away with your site address on the tag!
Carolynn Slaughter
June 5, 2014 at 8:45 pmMine also came out gritty. Is this normal? Once I put it on and rub it in, the grittiness goes away but initially its gritty. Is this the shea butter? I do like the way it makes my skin feel.
Shaye Elliott
June 8, 2014 at 11:43 pmIt may be the brand of shea butter you are using!
Carolynn
June 24, 2014 at 12:01 amThanks, I bought 100% pure unrefined shea butter on Amazon.com that claimed to not be gritty so they misrepresented it. The grit does go away once I rub it in. I’ll purchase the same brand you used and try that next time. By the way … I love this recipe. My skin is so soft!
paul
October 14, 2014 at 7:08 pmi cant get over the damn tea tree oil scent.
i made a small batch to test it, and added lavender oil until the tea tree scent was toned down.
hope it world ok with a good amount of lavender in it.
going to have to make another small batch with just TTO and bear the smell and compare the two a week at a time.
Rika
November 13, 2014 at 8:59 amThanks, I’m going to try this!
Renee
November 26, 2014 at 7:42 pmHey, was just wondering how long a small jar of this will last for before it turns? Getting ready to make a batch up!!
LL
April 22, 2015 at 4:39 pmThis is now my second time making this. The first jar lasted a few months before I used it all and I loved it. Now the second jar I’ve made was MOLDY when I opened it the other day!! I did nothing different this time than last time. I made it probably 1-2 months ago and it’s now moldy. My last jar never got moldy and lasted longer. I’m now VERY hesitant to make this again. & I now have no moisturizer! Dear author, could you possibly explain how this recipe would get moldy? Thank you.
Shaye Elliott
May 1, 2015 at 11:04 pmSounds like it was contaminated with something else.
JULIA
August 25, 2016 at 12:37 pmI have found coconut oil can go bad and get moldy. A few drops os gse or vitamin E will preserve it
Shaye Elliott
July 6, 2015 at 12:49 pmYes, you can!
Jenna
November 13, 2015 at 2:48 pmHi, can coca butter be used as an alternative for shea butter?
Debbie
January 13, 2016 at 10:49 pmWhat would you suggest for an alternative to the shea butter since my daughter can’t use that?
Softly Southern
January 31, 2016 at 2:17 amI love this recipe! Question. Since coconut oil can clog pores, would Fractionated Coconut oil be a better substitute for this? Or would it have the same issue?
E
March 30, 2016 at 4:39 pmI make small quantity that can last a week, then do another one once the mixture is used up. It’s easy enough to make, and Yes, I use this all over my body except for the face. And, my skin has gotten super soft.
Anushka
August 11, 2016 at 7:51 amI tried to make something similar here’s my recepie:
1 teaspoon cocnut oil
3 teaspoons shea butter
2 teaspoons aloa vera gel
1 drop of lavander oil
Then I mixed all ingridients with mixer 🙂
Cris Daining
August 11, 2016 at 1:26 pmLooks like a great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Eva
October 6, 2017 at 10:04 amCould you recommend a larger batch for a smallish mason jar?
Lynn
October 30, 2017 at 7:47 pmIs aloe Vera gel the same as the drink?
Shaye Elliott
October 30, 2017 at 10:44 pmNo, it is thicker. 🙂
acne face powder
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Cara
December 26, 2018 at 7:16 pmThe first time I made this was 2 yrs ago and I put it into an recycled, glass active yeast jar. It lasted me 1.5yrs and stayed fresh. A little goes a long way! I use tea tree oil, lavender, and rose hip oil. I just made it again, but used unrefined shea butter and saw I was going to have the gritty problem others complained about. I put 2 glass nesting bowls together with hot water between like a double boiler and melted the butter and coconut oil. I was able to whip it and it fixed the consistency issue.
Hope that helps anyone having similar issues!