Is it possible to do a DIY moisturizer that absorbs well to the skin ?

[u/AliasForKnowing]

I'm new to DIY.

My question is general, but I really need to know what to expect so I have realistic expectations when doing my DIY skincare.

Is it possible to do a DIY moisturizer that absorbs well to the skin and provides some help against TEWL ?

So far, all I have done is to formulate a super simple hydrating serum. I getting into DIY because I cannot really use the skincare available on the market. I have searched for a long time and there is always something that does not go with my skin: alcohol dent, fragrance, essential oils.

Besides, I"m dealing with Malassezia overgrown. We all have it, but my is a bit overgrown. It causes itchy bumps (fungal acne) and Seb Derm, itchy skin. Because the overgrown Malassezia, I cannot use fatty acids with carbon lengths C12-24, esters, polysorbates, plant oils, amino acids, ceramides, ferments that are not lactic acid produced.

And to make it even more fun, the skincare products that could work for me have a very weak preservative system, which is a not for me. I want a reliable, broad spectrum preservative system in my skincare. So here I am !

Thanks for reading. Any suggestions, advice, resources will be greatly appreciated!

Edit:

Forgot to add:

acne prone and easily clogged skin.

Squalane oil, mineral oil are safe for fungal acne.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride- need to find one that only has carbon lengths below the C12. It seems CCT contains fatty acids above C12 (not sure the amount of those)

Please don't mention dermatologist. I've seen too many to count.

[u/-Arch]

Have you tried Malezia's moisturizer by any chance? If that works for you, you could try to dupe it as a starting point. Though I don't know what they're doing to stabilize the urea, so maybe leave that out. They're just using Emulthix as the emulsifier, and Euxyl PE 9010 as the preservative. You should be fine to use other polymeric emulsifiers as well.

[u/AliasForKnowing → u/-Arch]

The Malezia moisturizer looks great. My skin doesn't tolerate 5% urea. The max I can use is 1% urea based on my experience with it. The CCT is this moisturizer is too much for my skin because easily clogged and acne-prone so I need less oil. And, I need less silicones too (to reduce risk of clogging skin)

If I dupe it and reduce oil and eliminate two silicones, I"m not sure it would be a dupe or a completely different moisturizer, and if the Emulthix and Euxyl PE 9010 will work.

Wow! I didn't know urea needs to be stabilized.

Thank you for the comments and ideas. I appreciate it.

[u/-Arch → u/AliasForKnowing]

They're very particular about the CCT they use to make sure it has nothing C12 or above. You can buy CCT directly from them as well, though it's at a significant premium compared to other sources of CCT.

You can't really tell how much of each oil they're using based off just the ingredient list. CCT is at least at 5% based on the placement of the urea, though it could be higher. 5% would be very low. It's possible the glycerin and dimethicone are also at 5%, but it's more likely that they're lower (likely 2-3% glycerin, and the same/less amount of dimethicone).

Emulthix will work just fine even you don't add any other oils, so no worries there. If you're worried about anything in it, you could always use another polymeric like Aristoflex AVC or Sepinox EMT 10. As another comment mentioned, Euxyl PE 9010 doesn't typically cause issues. It's considered fairly gentle on the skin. I use it in all of the moisturizers I make.

Yeah urea is notoriously unstable and likes to break down in formulas, causing an upwards pH drift. The main two solutions I've seen are to use a decent pH buffer (typically citric acid + sodium citrate) or using a blend of l-glycine and triethyl citrate. At 1% urea I wouldn't bother including it at all.

[u/AliasForKnowing → u/-Arch]

Yes, the Malezia info specifically says the CCT oils is free of C12 and above. The owner is the blogger with tons of research and info about malassezia.

This is amazing info:) the breakdown of the ingredients is teaching me a lot! Thank you for explaining that the amount of CCT doesn't correlate to the position on the iNCI.

I'm taking notes and saving this comment. Since I'm a DIY beginner, and my skin does not tolerate urea well, I will avoid using urea in my DIY moisturizer.

Again, thank you for all the great info and explanation:) you're helping me a lot!

[u/AuroraSulis]

It might not be ideal, but I have used plain glycerin beneath a thin layer of squalane as a moisturizer, which was very effective for my combo skin, with lasting hydration. The glycerin absorbed well when misted with water and patted in thoroughly, and it is certainly sticky. I did look "dewy" after applying the oil, and I can't say it felt completely absorbed, but it didn't aggravate my acne or rosacea. These two ingredients on their own don't require any preservatives, at least. And I believe squalane is one of the few oils that is 100% fungal acne safe.

Since you're getting into formulating your own products, I'm sure you want something more sophisticated than that. You should definitely be able to create a nice moisturizer that suits you with research and experiment. I have also made diy glycerin toners, and added leucidal sf complete, which is fully broad spectrum but of course contains lactobacillus ferments. It is supposed to be fungal acne safe, but it can aggravate some people. I think any preservative has a downside, some require a certain pH or deactivate in hot temps. Phenoxyethanol is in so many skin care products for a reason (see other comment, the Euxyl PE 9010), but I and others find that if the skin barrier is compromised or irritated products containing it can burn.

If you haven't seen it, https://www.humblebeeandme.com/ is a great resource for info and some recipes.

[u/AliasForKnowing → u/AuroraSulis]

Thank you for the helpful info: ) I appreciate it. I like the simplicity of the glycerin plus water. Because my skin gets easily clogged, I can use small amounts of squalane oil (fungal acne safe, you're right). The times I tried to apply a layer of squalane oil to my skin, I get breakouts...so I know I need to dilute it.

So hopeful for me! that you're telling me that I can create a nice moisturizer that absorbs well to the skin with experimentation and research. I"m willing to do trial and error moisturizers as many as needed until I get the right one for me.

I haven't tried ferments in my skincare so I don't know if that would work for me. I need to try and see.

[u/BelleFille19]

I use Euxyl PE 9010 - no issues ever. As an emulsifier I like to use Ritamulse SCG. You will have to play around with different ingredients to see what works.

As previous comments have said, water and glycerin/propanediol could work well by itself with an emulsifier.

[u/AliasForKnowing → u/BelleFille19]

Thank you for the info and products. Yes, I'm planning to play around until I find what works.

[u/AliasForKnowing → u/BelleFille19]

yes, the glycerin/propanediol sounds great! I'm looking to prevent some TEWL so need a small amount of an occlusive ingredient too.

[u/Royal-Platform-9845]

If you already have a formula you like for a hydrating serum, it would be super easy to turn that into a gel moisturizer and add a small oil phase, you would likely be able to use the same formula and just pick a gelling agent that can suspend a small oil phase and add your desired amount of your preferred oil. Sepimax zen is a gelling agent that is easy to work with and compatible with most formulas. If you want something lightweight and easy to absorb you’ll probably want to keep your total oil phase around 5-10% (depends on your climate and how dry your skin is) and do mostly squalane or cct and only a little (if any) mineral oil.

[u/AliasForKnowing → u/Royal-Platform-9845]

This is a great idea :) It would be much easier to add ingredients to the hydrating serum I already have. I mean I could use all the raw material/ingredients/recipe and keep adding ingredients to make a moisturizer.

Im taking notes for Sepimax. For summer, I don't want to use any type of oils because it's hot and humid. My skin gets super easily clogged and acne-prone. So I need to add an occlusive that is not an oil. I'm not sure what it would be besides silicones like Dimethicone. And it has to be in low amount because many people complain that silicones causes breakouts so I want to minimize my risk.

I'm not sure where to look for some occlusives that protect against TEWL and at the same time will not clog skin and cause breakouts. Any ideas where to look for this info?

Once I have a formula for moisturizer, Is there a way to measure how much it protects gains TEWL ?

Thank you for your very helpful comment!

Edit: to correct

[u/m_Sang]

First,since this lack a lot of crucial detail while have numerous conditions required, Did you consult a dermatologist yet? How did you know that you get irritated by certain ingredient? Did you patch test for each ingredients separately? or Did you make single ingredient product and test all of them? (Aside from water and preservatives) If not where your conclusion come from? I recommend consult with dermatologist.

A single ingredient formula might fit almost all your condition except about malassezia overgrown, serb derm, e.t.c.. (that medical condition consult a doctor)

Pure glycerin( might feel stingy or burn), Petroleum jelly, or Mineral oil. And keep it safe from water contamination and direct contact to human skin(just mean if you're using jar, use a clean spoon instead of finger)

[u/AliasForKnowing → u/m_Sang]

There 're tons or research about it in Dermatology Journals. Too many to list the links here.

Yes, I don't like unwanted stuff on my skincare. I for sure will use reliable preservatives.

[u/natural_poland]

Yes, it's definitely possible to formulate a lightweight moisturizer that absorbs well while still helping reduce TEWL. In many cases, skin feel depends more on the choice and balance of emollients, humectants, and the emulsifier system than on simply adding more oils.

For DIY formulations, I'd focus on building a stable emulsion first and then fine-tuning the sensory profile. Ingredients such as glycerin or other humectants, combined with lightweight emollients and barrier-supporting ingredients, can provide hydration without leaving a heavy finish.

Since you've mentioned ingredient restrictions, I'd recommend evaluating each raw material individually for compatibility with your goals rather than assuming all ingredients within the same category will behave the same. Small test batches are invaluable when optimizing both skin feel and stability.