This Dr. Axe content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure factually accurate information.
With strict editorial sourcing guidelines, we only link to academic research institutions, reputable media sites and, when research is available, medically peer-reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
The information in our articles is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by our trained editorial staff. Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to medically peer-reviewed studies.
Our team includes licensed nutritionists and dietitians, certified health education specialists, as well as certified strength and conditioning specialists, personal trainers and corrective exercise specialists. Our team aims to be not only thorough with its research, but also objective and unbiased.
The information in our articles is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
DIY Moisturizer for Dry Skin with Lavender Oil
March 9, 2022
It’s that time of year when our skin often feels itchy due to the changes in the weather. The cold temperatures outside combined with the low humidity and dry air can create this nagging feeling of dry, itchy skin. There are some amazing natural skin care remedies for solving this problem, including this natural moisturizer for dry skin with lavender oil, coconut oil and shea butter.
Shifting from store-bought products to making our own is one of the best things that my wife, Chelsea, and I have done. I think that it’s easy to forget how what we put onto our bodies — like a moisturizer for dry skin — is just as important as what we put into our bodies.
Steer Clear of Most Beauty Products
The Breast Cancer Fund Organization shared how beauty products affect us beyond skin level. “When it comes to beauty products, the effects of the ingredients they contain can be more than just skin deep. The cosmetics industry uses thousands of synthetic chemicals in its products, in everything from lipstick and lotion to shampoo and shaving cream.”
A lot of the ingredients used for cleaning industrial equipment are the same ingredients used in most skin care products. This should be enough information to help you choose a natural approach to cosmetics! In the U.S., the cosmetics industry is allowed to put thousands of synthetic chemicals into personal care products, regardless of their link to cancer, infertility or birth defects.
Related: Combination Skin: What It Is, How to Tell If You Have It & Best Skin Care Routine
Winter Skin Care Tips
There are some simple things you can do to relieve dry winter skin:
- Avoid frequent showers and baths that are too hot. The hot water can strip your skin of its natural oils, causing it to feel dry and itchy.
- Avoid chemical-laden soaps, such as those containing perfumes, alcohol and synthetics. These can cause lots of irritation by drying out the skin.
- Try moisturizing your skin as soon as you step out of the shower or bath. Simply pat yourself dry with a towel, and while the skin is still damp, apply a great natural moisturizer like the one below. Then, let it air dry.
DIY Moisturizer Ingredients
Here is a great DIY moisturizer for dry skin that you can make right at home with just a few ingredients, including coconut oil and the benefit-rich lavender oil. Coconut oil contains saturated fats that help the skin stay moisturized, with the fat preventing moisture loss through the skin’s pores. These fats give the skin a healthy, smooth and even tone.
Lavender oil, meanwhile, possesses natural antimicrobial and antioxidant characteristics that help nourish and protect the skin.
The other ingredients include shea butter, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil and aloe. Ultra moisturizing shea butter can encourage tissue cell regeneration and softening of the skin, which can help to decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Did you know that jojoba oil helps keep your oil levels balanced? That makes it well suited for dry skin conditions. Vitamin E oil is sometimes called the “skin vitamin,” as it boasts excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and skin healing properties.
Print
DIY Moisturizer for Dry Skin Recipe
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: 60 applications 1x
Description
Low humidity and dry air can create dry, itchy skin. There are some amazing natural skin care remedies for solving this problem, including this natural moisturizer for dry skin with lavender oil, coconut oil and shea butter.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces cold-pressed, unrefined coconut oil
- 15–20 drops lavender essential oil
- 1 ounce shea butter
- 1 ounce jojoba oil
- ½ teaspoon vitamin E oil
Instructions
- Place ingredients into a mixing bowl. Blend all ingredients using a hand mixer until it is whipped to a light and fluffy consistency.
- Place in glass jar with lid and apply once or twice a day to the skin. If possible, apply to the skin while it is damp to help seal in moisture.
Notes
This homemade moisturizer can be stored at room temperature and safely kept for months.
Comments
Please keep comments under 200 characters.
Leave a Reply
52 Comments
I can’t get this thick to whip. My coconut oil melts and thins out. Is there a certain brand of coconut oil that is solid and hard that can be recommended?
Use coconut oil that has been refrigerated or left in a cool place. Coconut oil left out of the refrigerator melts in the summer and stays hardened in the winter where I live.
Is there a substitute for the shea butter?
Coco butter
Can I use this under my foundation as a day time moisturizer? I am afraid of getting sunburned if I’m out in the sun for too long even if I apply a sunscreen.
Thanks! Sounds wonderful Dr. .So , can this be applied to my face ? Or just body parts?
Since the coconut oil and jojoba oil are not a liquid should they be measured on a kitchen scale to get the right amount? I’ve never made my own skin care products so I’m just not sure what to do.
Yes, use a scale, always.
Same if making soap.
Loved it. Thanks for the information. I did not know a lot of this information. Very helpful
Doesn’t the shea butter need to be melted to use in this recipe?
Just Awesome!! This information is invaluable.
I have pigmentation issues and was told that Pumpkin Seed Oil, Carrot seed oil, and Passion seed oil could help with discolouratin and even skin tond? What would be the best essential oils to add to Pumpkin Seed oil?
Thank you.
Jennifer
Try his Vitamin C face serum which takes care of Hyperpigmentation (dark spots).
1-2 drops of Frankincense for the single recipe. Excellent for skin pigmentation. For the first time in many years, the dermatologist didn’t burn any pre-cancer brown spots from my face.
We have tried the organic unrefined coconut oil but I’m my son who suffers from severe Ezcema is allergic to it making him itch worse. Amy recommendations on a different oil to try? That has antibacterial properties to it that I could rub over his whole body? He is 7.
We would recommend calendula oil as a good substitute.
Also calendula hydrosol before or in between. Best wishes
I love coconut oil also. I cook with it alot ,use it in my hair and on my skin. It is good for so many things. I even put a spoonful in my coffee sometimes. Recently went to Dr. For rash under breast which was told it was a yeast infection and told me to get Monistat. I try to use natural things as much as possible. Found out that coconut oil was good for that also. I tried it and it cleared up in about 4 days.
might want to try this….one kleenex rolled up…place under breast…dries all moisture and infection in that area….costs are zero….do it as soon as moisture starts to gathers…before it becomes red and tender…good luck….I was told I needed medication and it could be start of cancer…that was 5 years ago….
I have fractionated coconut oil that I use for my body lotion. Could I just add lavender drops to it to get the same effect as your recipe?
No, you want cold-pressed, unrefined coconut oil for this recipe so the mixture whips up properly.
My shea butter and cocoa butter is very solid. Do these solid fats get warmed first? Also, how many punces did this make since it’s whipped?
I have an allergic reaction to lavender so what would be a good replacement for it?
For anti-aging, best substitute would be frankincense oil.
Can you give a recommendation to an oil? Is Ancient Apothecary oil for diffusing ok?
Coconut oil is said to be comedogenic dr.axe. what’s your take on that? Please guide. Thanks
Yes, it can be problematic for oily skin but this recipe is for dry skin, which means the pores are less likely to get clogged.
Hello,
I have been experiencing very dry skin under my lower eyelids, from the corner of the eye and a little below that. There is also a patch under my left eyebrow.
I have tried using hypo-allergenic facial cleaners and using moisturizers . I have had this problem for about a month. Sometimes it seems to get a little better but never going away.
I wear contact lenses and eye make-up. I tried to use baby shampoo to remove the make-up, but that seems too drying as well. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions you may have.
Thank you :)
my skin really hates shea butter. Is there another butter with similar properties and consistency that will work instead? Mods required to the recipe?
Same here. I added arrowroot powder and blended with a hand mixer; I added a tablespoon at a time… I’m guessing I used about 1/4 cup all together. The cream was still a little watery and the oils were separating, but after about 3-4 days, the cream appeared thicker and I no longer have to keep stirring it.
His can I use this recipe for my face as I have very dry skin on my face?
What to know this aswell . Please advise Dr. Axe ? Thanks
I absolutely LOVE avacado oil in place of coconut oil! Just a suggestion (its organic and not too pricey)
I just want to show my appreciation for this recipe. My skin is very dry and I’ve been trying to get rid of as many chemicals in face products as I can as well as create a routine that is simple but healthily effective. My skin went through an adjustment period with this lotion where the lotion would just lay on the skin as an oil without absorbing well but about after two weeks my skin just started soaking it in, I absolutely love this stuff. Also, I have noticed that goat milk and lotion made from goat milk tends not to moisturize my skin well enough so my facial skin starts flaking a bit by the end of the day. For those of you with the same issue who still want to use goat milk because of its beneficial properties, I want to suggest (as a fellow dry skin person) using the recipe on this page first and then using the goat milk product. That face will be feeling healthy and moisturized enough to use the goat milk again (and tea tree oil) if your skin is as dry and sensitive as mine :)
I find tea tree oil hyper drying. Tried adding it to my shampoo, but hair professional found large dry patches. Using 4 drops… Too much?
I don’t have Shea butter nor vitamin e but I do have hemp oil, castor oil, and tamasu oil… Can I replace any with these ? Can I still make it ?
If don’t have Shea butter npr viramin e but i do have castor oil, hemp oil, and tamari oil .. can I use any of these? … can I still make this ?
Hello. I have been using this recipe for a few weeks now and love it! Especially nice is not having all the chemicals. One question, it does not seem to last long enough on my skin and I tend to get itchy toward the middle of the day (winter here, which does not help). Is there any adjustment I can make to the ingredients that will help me?
Drink distilled water and eat scrambled eggs with ginger/ garlic/tomatoes/in pure non-salted butter.
Eat that each morning. Then drink a lemon+distilled water mix and 30 minutes after that drink only distilled water the rest of the day. Repeat.
Add pure vitamin C and coconut oil to a bowl, mix it well and heat it in hot water in your sink, never use the microwave. When it turns into oil, rub it into your hands and then rub it into your scalp.
My friend is T1 Diabetic and he has it in his coffee and tea everyday and also eats/drinks a table spoon x2 before and after each meal.
He use to take 5 needles a day since birth, he hasn’t had a needle in over a year now every since starting coconut oil. Cold pressed non-gmo.
So I would say, yes, it’s fine to put coconut oil in your tea.
Can I add other oils that are good for the ski
Carrot Seed Oil is another great essential Oil. I use it in another face serum and mixes well with Shea Butter, and/or Cocoa Butter, and/or Kokum butter. All found in Amazon. Ancient Health Remedies brand is the best brand of butters I have used in my DIY lotions, creams, and balms
for the dry skin cream mixture,does it have expiring date?
I made the moisturizer but the aloe is separating from the moisturizer. Did I do something wrong or should I melt it gain and whip it? Is this normal?
Remix and then keep it in the fridge.
Can you suggest any oils that may fade or remove tattooed eyebrows? I know that’s a lot to ask of oils but I thought I’d give it a shot. Someone did suggest lavender but I haven’t tried it yet. Since they were put on over a year ago, they have faded a bit on their own but are still a light taupe color. If you have any other suggestions, I’d appreciate it. Thanks.
Might want to look into Vitamin C facial serum, and a green tea based facial product. They’re both mentioned to have skin lightening effects. Just my two cents here, good luck. – Rick
Helichrysum Oil may do the trick. I use a great product made by a friend of mine r who is a tattoo artist. She, together with a chemist friend came up with s blend of essential oils that makes tattoos heal more rapidly. A side effect is that when the oil is used in area of hyperpigmentation on the skin, it really lightens dark areas. The company is called
Mutations & the product is called After Care Balm. She has a website.
Good luck. I am an esthetician an have seen great results in my clients that have used it to lighten skin hyperpigmentation.🍀🍀
The company is called…..
Nutatoo….Sorry spellcheck keeps hanging it to Mutations
Alonzo:
Lavender Oil is great! I just survived advanced Metastatic Breast Cancer; and during the lengthy diagnosis and referral process- before Chemotherapy- I kept the burning outbreak of sores at bay with Lavender oil and all natural Dr. BRONNER’S Lavender, Peppermint, Tea Tree & Eucalyptus castile based soaps (mixed together at home) as cleansers and compresses.
-For your grandmother:
Lavender and Aloe (fresh) also healed my severe radiation burns. Dr. BRONNER’S Rose liquid soap has been great on my skin since radiation, so you may have her try it. Drinking lots of Coconut water also helped my recovery.
Lavender oil helps Soothe, regenerate skin and helps reduce scarring. It is very gentile in application, but powerful in healing. Additionally, I also used a balanced blend of all natural pure oils I created myself which helped me greatly. I will tell you that I included Lavender as well as Frankincense and Myrrh in my personal blend of oil, which was inspired by the holy word. If you try the above formulation, I would suggest ORGANIC Coconut oil on her delicate skin.
I am not a Doctor; but I have self studied herbal and natural medicines for many years after conventional medicines failed and caused severe side effects for other conditions for which there is no known ‘cure’. Most important- I was the patient and had great results!
I prayed and turned to the Bible over 22 years ago. I was led to the passage “LET THE HERBS OF THE FIELD BE THY CURE”. I read everything I could get my hands on, including many different traditions from many cultures, as well as scientific studies across the world. In the end, I was led back to where I started from, the main Biblical oils added to the other oils I learned on my quest for healing.
Hope this helps.
May the Lord Bless your grandmother with his healing Love!
THANK YOU DR AXE for all you do and the wonderful site! GOD BLESS YOU & YOUR MOTHER & KEEP HER CANCER FREE!
Nancy J. Capps, North Carolina
I tried it out and its very effective. I love Lavender essential oil and Coconut oil they have lots of positive benefits. I want to recommend this to my grandma but im not sure if she can take lavender since she ha breast cancer 2 years ago. Dr Axe I want to ask you if she can take lavender.
I like your reasurch .It’s true we used lot of unhealthy things , and then suffer from different painful conditions .thanks Dr Axe.Wish you a very happy Christmas
I planning to make the Lavender & coconut oil mosturizer for Dry Skin and the Homemade Frankincense and Shea butter eye Cream but I was wondering how long does the batch last. I plan to give it out to people as a gift. I know that it does not have preservatives so how long will it last before it goes bad or becomes ineffective?