DIY Face Moisturizer for Acne

Finding the perfect skincare solution can be tricky, but this DIY face moisturizer for acne is a game-changer! Made with natural ingredients, it’s designed to balance oily skin types while providing hydration without clogging pores.

Due to the antibacterial properties of the ingredients, this homemade moisturizer helps combat acne-causing bacteria and soothes irritated skin. Say goodbye to harsh chemicals and hello to a gentle, effective way to care for your skin.

Contents

• How it works
• Benefits
• Ingredients
• Essential Oil Treatment for Acne
• Instructions
• Storage
• Warnings & Safety
• 📖 Recipe

In this post, I’ll guide you through creating your own lightweight, nourishing DIY moisturizer to keep your skin healthy, clear, and glowing—the natural way!

How it works

Note: I’m a certified aromatherapist trained in natural skin care. The opinions I share, are my opinions—looking at things from a holistic point of view. I’m not a dermatologist, doctor or scientist. It is up to you whether you take my advice, or leave it. Do your research and make up your mind. Always.

As you will see, checking the ingredients list, this natural face moisturizer is made of natural oils. And most likely, you’re wondering: how’s that going to work? Isn’t this completely counter-intuitive? Doesn’t oil clog my pores?

Healing oily, acne-prone skin with oil? Yes, I hear you.

Here’s the fact: We’ve been programmed to believe that oil is the reason for blemished skin and acne. But that’s not one hundred per cent right. Using the wrong oil is causing breakouts.

Oil actually helps regulate the over-production of sebum, the skin’s natural oil. It does so by keeping the pH level balanced or bringing it into balance over time.

We divide oils into comedogenic and non-comedogenic, meaning: clogging or not clogging the pores. As easy as that. Obviously, when treating acne, we want to use lightweight, non-comedogenic oils that don’t clog the pores.

This recipe is for a facial oil and not a homemade face cream. The reason why I don’t recommend making day creams for acne-prone skin is that you don’t need moisture, you need to focus on balancing the sebum production!

Your skin already produces enough moisture. In fact, it produces so much, that pores clog and breakouts appear.

Once the oil production is functioning properly, you can always start making a hydrating DIY moisturiser (like this homemade aloe vera moisturiser).

Benefits

• balances the oil production
• antibacterial & astringent properties
• fights blemishes, breakouts & acne
• promotes healthy skin
• ideal for oily & acne-prone skin
• soothes inflammation
• no harsh chemicals (like benzyl peroxide)

Store-bought products for acne-prone skin often contain either harsh chemicals or drying alcohol, or both! While they are effective, they are not only harmful for our planet but also for you, for your skin!

I could write a whole blog post about the detrimental effects of chemicals on our bodies, but as you are here, I’m sure you are already aware of that and are looking for a natural remedy to combat your acne problems.

On that note, as I have a holistic health background, I will tell you this: acne is usually a result of an imbalance in your whole system and isn’t something a homemade moisturiser can remedy on its own.

Acne can be caused by a hormonal imbalance and by unhealthy habits (nutrition, smoking, alcohol, lifestyle, etc.). If you don’t tackle the root cause, you will never get rid of it—just so you know. In holistic medicine, we don’t heal the symptoms but the root cause.

This homemade face moisturizer is made with natural ingredients and mainly oils!

The essential fatty acids that the oils contain help regulate the skin’s oil production, soothe inflammation and reduce breakouts.

Linoleic acid is known to benefit our skin, especially when it comes to acne. Whether you have oily or dry skin, linoleic acid protects the skin barrier and strengthens the cell membrane. And in doing so, it automatically keeps your skin moisturised.

Acne is often linked to low levels of linoleic acid. Adding it to your facial moisturizer is therefore very beneficial. Its anti-inflammatory properties also help calm angry red breakouts.

Some of the oils we’re gonna use also have antibacterial properties that help disinfect the skin and prevent new breakouts from forming.

The other great quality of the oils is that they can act as an astringent. Astringents tighten the tissue, dry out and cleanse the skin.

Last, but not least, this DIY face moisturizer for acne is also ideal for sensitive skin as we are only using natural ingredients that are not irritating the skin (a patch test is always a must before trying out any of my recipes).

Ingredients

Affiliate Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. That means I may earn a small commission, if you purchase the linked product, at no extra cost for you.

• carrier oil (such as jojoba oil)
• tea tree essential oil
• other essential oils (such as geranium oil)

(see quantities in recipes card)

Carrier Oils

For this DIY face moisturizer for acne, I recommend 1-2 oils of the ones listed below. My absolute favourite is jojoba oil (affiliate link) because it comes very close to the skin’s natural oil and will help balance the skin.

The other one is rosehip oil (affiliate link) because it has many healing, tissue-repairing properties. If you’re struggling with acne scars or would like to prevent those, it’s a great oil for it.

If you have a more dry skin, add argan oil. While it’s non-comedogenic, it is also on the heavier side, hence more moisturising!

As mentioned earlier, using the right oil for your skin is key. Yes, this may involve a little bit of experimenting but here are some tips to help you with it.

Tip 1: start with a light and non-comedogenic oil as it won’t clog your pores and will help bring the sebum production back into balance (I list some options below).

Tip 2: I prefer mixing different oils. But if you really have no idea what oil to buy, start with one! Don’t overwhelm yourself. As I said: keep it simple. Especially when you’re just starting out making your own beauty products!

Plus, for this DIY moisturizer for acne, I suggest you stick with one oil to start with, in general, anyway. Jojoba oil would be my pick! If this works for you, you can always add another oil later.

Tip 3: organic and high-quality oils are essential! You don’t need to buy the most expensive brand, but make sure the quality is right! Steer away from cheap oils!

Light & non-comedogenic oils: jojoba oil, rosehip oil, grapeseed oil, argan oil, squalane and hemp seed oil.

A maybe less common oil, but also non-comedogenic, is hazelnut oil and can be considered, too. It is slightly astringent and great for oily skin.

Oils to avoid: coconut oil, olive oil, soybean oil, wheat germ oil.

Sweet almond oil & avocado oil are both borderline: they can be used but might clog pores for some people.

Essential Oils

There are many essential oils that we can use that have antibacterial and astringent properties. They can also soothe inflammation and calm the skin.

I will go into more detail below (see ‘Essential Oil Treatment for Acne’).

Here’s a list of all of them, for your reference:

Antiseptic & Astringent Properties: Bergamot oil, lemon oil, lime oil, niaouli oil, petitgrain oil, rose otto oil, cajeput oil, juniper berry oil, rosemary oil.

Balance Sebum Production: Geranium oil, palmarosa oil.

Minimise Scarring: Neroli oil, sandalwood oil, lavender oil, carrot seed oil, calendula oil

Anti-inflammatory Properties: Chamomile oil, lavender oil, hypericum-infused oil (St. John’s Wort), calendula oil.

Caution: citrus oils such as lemon and lime essential oils are phototoxic which means, they react with the sunlight and may cause skin irritations. If using these oils, make sure you use this DIY moisturizer at night time only!

Ingredients Not Needed

The key to success is: keep it simple. We don’t want to overfeed an oily or acne-prone skin! There are some recipes out there that use way more ingredients than I do. But I don’t think they’re necessary!

This is the reason I don’t recommend adding shea butter, cocoa butter or mango butter. Keep it light!

Aloe vera gel is also a great ingredient because of its soothing and antibacterial properties. However, I recommend using aloe vera gel in a mask rather than in your moisturiser!

Another common ingredient used in many moisturisers for acne is vitamin E oil. It can be beneficial, but it may not (read this article). I don’t think we need to add extra because most oils already contain vitamin E in different amounts anyway.

Essential Oil Treatment for Acne

In this section, I want to focus on explaining to you how you can use the natural power of essential oils to treat your acne. For this moisturizer, I recommend you focus more on reducing sebum production, reducing inflammation, and clearing the infection.

If you like to minimise the extent of scarring and promote healing, I suggest you make a separate oil blend that you can apply locally and not over your whole face. Unless, of course, your acne is spreading that far.

Tea tree essential oil (affiliate link) is a well-known, natural treatment for acne due to its antiseptic properties. According to studies, tea tree oil has a similar, beneficial effect as benzyl peroxide (both were used in a 5 % solution). However, tea tree essential oil demonstrated fewer side effects! ^[1]

When it comes to essential oils, we usually don’t use more than a 0.5 % dilution for the facial skin. However, in the case of acne, we can go over this limit—for a limited time! Once your acne clears, you can lower the dilution again.

In my recipe, we are adding a 5 % dilution to this DIY moisturizer for acne. If you have severe acne, a stronger solution might be necessary (some experts recommend up to 15 %) and may provide better results.

Super-duper important here: ONLY use a HIGH-QUALITY tea tree oil!!! Especially, if you opt for the stronger dilution! It’s an ABSOLUTE MUST!

I trust doTERRA oils, as well as Young Living. In Europe, you may have better access to Primavera oils which is also a very good brand. There are definitely more brands you can use, these are just the ones I know and work with, personally (personal recommendation, no advertisement!).

Other essential oils can help with different problems caused by acne, too. I’ve listed them above (see ‘Essential Oils’). When adding other essential oils, definitely stick to a 0.5 % dilution!

Scar Treatment

As a carrier oil, I recommend rosehip oil because it’s known for its tissue-repairing properties. It’s also non-comedogenic.

Carrot Seed oil is highly beneficial because of its high beta-carotene content which helps heal scar tissue. This essential oil can be used at a higher dilution (as high as 20 %).

Hypericum- and calendula-infused oils, as well as lavender essential oil, are great for wound healing and reducing inflammation.

Instructions

How to Make

Step 1: Add the recommended amounts of essential oil to your amber glass bottle. Fill up the bottle with your chosen carrier oil(s).

Step 2: Screw on the lid and give the bottle a good shake so the oils can blend well together.

How to Use

Apply 3 drops of this DIY face moisturizer for acne to your face. I do this by dropping one drop on my forehead, and one on each cheek. Make sure the dropper doesn’t touch your skin to avoid contamination.

If you use a pumper bottle, add a small amount (somewhere between a pea and a chickpea size) to your index finger. Dab your finger on your forehead and cheeks.

Massage your face for about 1-2 minutes (if it’s not too painful). Be gentle and careful. If it hurts, try tapping your fingers over that area instead of massaging.

If you have localised acne, let’s say, only on your cheeks, start your massage where the skin is not affected first, then massage the affected areas. This way you avoid cross-contamination. Even though this homemade moisturiser is antibacterial, we don’t have to spread the bacteria around!

Use it in the morning and in the evening after you wash your face.

You can apply the oil as a serum as well and apply a day or night cream afterwards. This depends on how bad your acne is! Don’t overfeed your skin!

Storage

Store your DIY face moisturizer for acne at room temperature and out of direct sunlight, ideally in your bathroom cupboard.

This facial oil lasts for 3-6 months, for best results. After that the potency of the essential oils may fade. Always keep an eye on the expiry date of your oils! They should at least last for 9 months!

The right bottle

I recommend buying an amber glass bottle with a dropper (affilaite link). Or reuse one! Most carrier oils already come in one of those!

A dropper is just the easiest for application. Make sure, the dropper never touches your skin. You drop the oil onto your skin.

A pump bottle (affiliate link), like the one you see in the pictures, is great, too. Just make sure, it’s not clear or frosted like mine (I only use these in the pictures, never for my actual products).

It is essential to use a dark, tinted bottle that protects the oils from direct sunlight. Tea tree oil turns toxic when exposed to daylight for some time!!

Warnings & Safety

This DIY moisturiser may cause allergic reactions in some individuals. Make a patch test before using this DIY face moisturizer for acne.

Choose a small part of your skin and apply the oil blend. Leave it on for about 20-30 minutes and check for reactions (redness, itchiness, irritations).

Essential oil safety: Don't use more than suggested, only use a high-quality essential oil brand, always dilute them, and do your research concerning contraindications (especially when pregnant)!

📖 Recipe

Resources

• Battaglia, Salvatore. The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, 2nd Edition.
• [1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10295805/#sec8-antioxidants-12-01264
• https://www.wellandgood.com/linoleic-acid-skin-benefits/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/vitamin-e-acne
• https://www.byrdie.com/best-oils-for-acne-prone-skin-8623355