Learn to make DIY face oil for your specific skin needs. In this post, you'll find instructions and recipes for your unique skin type.

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Making a face oil can be as simple as choosing one or two oils you might already have in your home and applying them to your skin. I like to use it after cleansing with my homemade facial soap. It feels great on the skin!
Will it Clog my Pores?
No, oils used for the face should be non-comedogenic (non-clogging). Most people are surprised by how well their skin reacts to oils, even skin prone to breakouts. That being said, every skin is different, and there can be a period of adjustment.
How to Use a Face Oil?
- it can be used mornings and nights on clean skin
- apply face oil after your moisturizer
- warm 2-3 drops in the palm of your hands
- Gently pat onto your face
Key Ingredients and Benefits
Carrier Oils
- Sunflower oil: very nourishing and similar to skin sebum, filled with vitamins A, D, E, and essential fatty acids. Alternative: Safflower oil
- Olive oil: deeply nourishing and full of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. A great candidate for infusing with calendula, which will give it exceptional skin healing properties
- Grapeseed oil: non-greasy, light and very easily absorbed by the skin
- Jojoba oil: very similar to the skin's composition and deeply penetrating, easily absorbed and leaves no oily residue, has a very long shelf life
- Sweet almond oil: very nourishing with high amounts of fatty acids, absorbs easily
- Sesame oil: highly nourishing, regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. Use cold-pressed raw oil, NOT roasted.
Essential Oils
Essential oils can enhance your face oil and give it a beautiful aroma. Nevertheless, they're potent ingredients that must be diluted before applying to the skin. As a rule of thumb, 10-12 drops of essential oil should be diluted in 1 oz. (2 Tbsp) of carrier oil.
- Chamomile: anti-inflammatory, regenerative, can help soothe skin irritation and dryness
- Lavender: calming and anti-septic, healing for a wide array of skin conditions
- Frankincense: Anti-bacterial and toning properties, beneficial and balancing for all skin types
- Myrrh: filled with antioxidant and moisturizing properties, it can help restore healthy skin by healing chapped, dry patches
- Sweet orange: high in Vitamin C, its astringent property contributes to anti-aging benefits
Equipment
- 1 oz glass bottle with dropper
- small funnel
- measuring spoon
6 Recipes for Every Skin Type
For Mature/ Aging Skin:
- 1 tablespoon rosehip seed oil
- ½ tablespoon jojoba oil
- ½ tablespoon vitamin E oil
- 5 drops of sweet orange essential oil
- 5 drops of frankincense essential oil
For Blemishes/ Scars:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or calendula-infused olive oil
- 1 tablespoon evening primrose oil
- 5 drops of myrrh essential oil
- 5 drops of frankincense essential oil
For Dry Skin:
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
- 1 tablespoon rosehip oil
- 5 drops of geranium essential oil
- 5 drops of myrrh essential oil
For Oily/ Acne Prone Skin:
- 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- 5 drops of clary sage or tea tree essential oil
For Combination Skin:
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
- 1 tablespoon apricot kernel oil
- 5 drops of geranium essential oil
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
For Normal Skin / Dry Skin:
- 1 tablespoon argan oil
- 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
- 5 drops of sweet orange essential oil
- 5 drops of frankincense essential oil
Instructions
- Choose a recipe from the above list
- Place a small funnel in a dropper bottle
- Add oils and essential oils
- Tighten the bottle cap
- Shake the bottle
Can Face Oil Replace Moisturizer?
The short answer is, no. Face oil doesn't contain any water and won't be able to hydrate your skin. But it can still have a place in your daily skincare routine when combined with a moisturizer.
FAQs
At least 6 months. If you detect a rancid smell, don't use it and discard it.
No, this oil-based product does not need a preservative.
I do not recommend adding any liquid/water-based ingredients to this formula. If you do so, you will need to add a synthetic preservative since you run the chance of mold developing.
How to Make Homemade Face Oil
Homemade face oils are easy to make and deliver wonderful skin benefits. They will leave your skin replenished and glowing while catering to the specific needs of your skin type.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Carrier oils see recipes below for specific ones
- 10-12 drops essential oils see recipes below
Instructions
-
Choose a recipe from the list below
-
Place small funnel in dropper bottle
-
Add 1 tablespoon of carrier oil
-
Add 1 tablespoon of a different carrier oil
-
Add 10-12 essential oil (one oil or a combination of two)
-
Screw lid on
-
Shake bottle a few times
6 Homemade Face Serum Recipes for Every Skin Type
For Mature/ Aging Skin:
-
1 tablespoon rose hip seed oil
-
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
-
5 drops sweet orange essential oil
-
5 drops frankincense essential oil
For Blemishes/ Scars:
-
1 tablespoon olive oil or calendula infused olive oil
-
1 tablespoon evening primrose oil
-
5 drops myrrh essential oil
-
5 drops frankincense essential oil
For Dry Skin:
-
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
-
1 tablespoon rose hip seed
-
5 drops geranium essential oil
-
5 drops myrrh essential oil
For Oily/ Acne Prone Skin:
-
1 tablespoon hazelnut oil
-
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
-
5 drops lavender essential oil
-
5 drops clary sage essential oil
For Combination Skin:
-
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
-
1 tablespoon apricot kernel oil
-
5 drops geranium essential oil
-
5 drops lavender essential oil
For Normal/ Dry Skin:
-
1 tablespoon argan oil
-
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
-
5 drops sweet orange essential oil
-
5 drops frankincense essential oil
Cari says
These are all great oils! I have oily skin, so I have to be careful with serums, but this shouldn't be overly oily.
Celine says
Hi Cari,
none of the oils are comedogenic nor overly greasy. I think you should be fine. Start with a small amount once a day.
Barre says
So we don’t need to shake these babies up on a shaker machine?
Lisa3002 says
I'm new to soap making (love your recipes) and I'm learning more and more about essential oils. I see that this serum (next on my list of your recipes) is in a clear bottle. I've read essential oils should be in an amber glass bottle. Your thoughts?
Celine says
Hi Lisa, amber or even blue bottles keep UV light from damaging your essential oils. I use a clear bottle here since I keep my face serum in a cabinet away from sunlight and especially in the winter I use it up pretty quickly so I’m not that concerned with a long shelf life. So it depends on your storage and use. Hope that helps. Glad you enjoy the recipes 😊