DIY Whipped Face Cream

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This DIY Whipped Face Cream is ideal for dry and sensitive skin. It’s very moisturizing and contains natural ingredients that can help improve the appearance of fine lines and other signs of aging skin.

Do you deal with dry or sensitive skin? This all natural DIY Frankincense Whipped Face Cream is so nourishing and it has great anti-aging skin qualities.

Our face cream recipe is easy to make and smells absolutely amazing thanks to two essential oils – frankincense and ylang ylang. It leaves your skin feeling moisturized without being greasy.

Be sure to read our tips & detailed information for customizing this recipe for your skin before making it.

Supplies and Tools

  • ⅔ cup of coconut oil
  • ¼ cup of jojoba oil
  • ¾ ounce of beeswax pastilles
  • 1 cup of aloe vera gel
  • 10 drops of frankincense essential oil
  • 10 drops of ylang ylang essential oil
  • Double Boiler
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Fork
  • Blender
  • Glass jar

By the Numbers: How to Make Whipped Face Cream

Follow these simple step by step directions to make your very own moisturizing face cream.

Step 1: Add Ingredients to Double Boiler

Start by adding ⅔ cup of coconut oil, ¼ cup of jojoba oil and ¾ ounce of beeswax to the top half of your double boiler. Heat the ingredients over low, stirring frequently, just until they’re melted until well combined.

Oils being added to beeswax in a double boiler

Step 2: Cool Mixture in Blender

After everything is melted, you can quickly pour the mixture into the blender then allow it to cool and harden completely. I recommend using a silicone spatula to make sure you get all of the ingredients out of the double boiler and into the blender.

Hardened face cream ingredients in a blender

The best blender for making this face cream recipe has a small pitcher. I typically use the small pitcher that came with my Blendtec blender.

Step 3: Blend in Aloe Vera Gel

After the mixture is completely cool and firm, grab a fork and use it to break up the hardened mixture in your blender. Stir in about 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel, then blend on high for about 30 seconds.

Next, you’ll keep adding a small amount of aloe vera gel to the blender at a time, then blending until it’s combined. Don’t add the entire cup at once or it won’t combine and you’ll end up with a goopy mess.

It’s important to be very patient and know it will take you several minutes to get the aloe to blend smoothly into the other ingredients. You’ll know it’s starting to emulsify when it begins looking like a very thick cream.

Step 4: Add Essential Oils

When it takes a cream form, add 10 drops of frankincense essential oil and 10 drops of ylang ylang essential oil. Blend the face cream until the oils are incorporated and you have achieved the whipped texture you are after. Transfer to a glass jar for storage.

Jar of whipped face cream on wood table.

Tips for Making Homemade Face Cream

I recommend making this face cream recipe as written the first time. After that, there are so many things you can experiment with to make this the perfect moisturizer for your skin.

Tip: Use a smaller blender pitcher

This Frankincense Whipped Face Cream is definitely one of the more complex recipes I make. That’s because when you make a whipped cream in a blender, it works best if you have a higher volume of ingredients.

Since this is a smaller batch, it can be a bit finicky if the pitcher of your blender is large. You can double the batch if that’s the case, but you’ll end up with a boatload of face cream!

I like to use the small pitcher that came with my Blendtec blender for making this face cream. Their new travel bottle would work well too.

Alternative to coconut oil

Absolutely. You can use pretty much any skin safe oil in this recipe. If you have oily skin rather than dry skin, you may want to choose a different oil so it won’t be such a rich face cream.

Sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil and olive oil are great choices, but be sure to read my post on Choosing Carrier Oils to decide which one will work best for your skin type.

What to do if you add too much aloe at once…

One thing to keep in mind when making this recipe is that you do have to add the aloe vera very slowly or it won’t combine properly.

You also can’t add more than about a 50% ratio of aloe to the wax/oil mixture or it will separate, so it needs to be a pretty thick cream to be stable.

If you feel like maybe you added too much aloe at once, you can try draining the extra aloe out and then blending more if it hasn’t already been over-blended. If it’s already been overblended, you’ll likely need to start over and go slower next time.

How to make it the consistency of body lotion

The reason you can only add so much aloe to this cream and still have it hold together is because beeswax only has mild emulsifying properties. It’s not a true emulsifier.

The maximum ratio of aloe to oil and wax you can add to this recipe and have it still come together is 1:1. If you want to make a thinner lotion, you can try using an emulsifying wax instead of beeswax next time like I use in my Basil Face Cream recipe.

Emulsifying wax is a vegan ingredient, and can usually be substituted in a 1:1 ratio for beeswax. So you’d use ¾ ounce to get the same consistency.

Which essential oils to use

I used Sacred Frankincense and Ylang Ylang essential oils from Rocky Mountain Oils in this batch. They’re two oils commonly used in skincare products for mature skin and they smell amazing together.

If you want to try switching out the essential oils for a combo you like better, get a free copy of my guide to using essential oils in DIY beauty products. It talks about which oils work best for which skin types, including normal skin, acne-prone skin and aging skin.

After deciding which scents you’d like to use, simply add 20 drops of essential oil of your choice (total drops) in place of the Frankincense and Ylang Ylang.

Best type of beeswax to use

You can use beeswax pastilles or wax grated from a bar in this recipe. Just make sure you’re choosing pure beeswax as adulterated wax does not perform the same way in beauty products (or in beeswax candles).

I like to buy my beeswax from Mountain Rose Herbs because I know it’s high quality (they also have super affordable aloe vera).

How to make this cream vegan

If you’d like to substitute a vegan wax for beeswax, try carnauba wax. It is firmer than beeswax, so you’ll need to use about 20% less carnauba wax.

Since this recipe calls for 0.75 ounces of beeswax pastilles, you’d use 0.6 ounces of carnauba wax.

You can also use an emulsifying wax if you want to make a cream that holds together longer. You can usually substitute emulsifying wax for beeswax without changing the ratio.

How to apply face cream

Start by washing your face with a good natural face wash and follow that up with a toner. Then gently apply your whipped face cream – I like to use it as a night cream. A little goes a long way, so start small for best results.

Best way to store this cream

It should always be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place that’s out of direct sunlight and it should not be exposed to water. I prefer to store it at room temperature, but it can also be stored in a fridge if you live in a hot climate.

Shelf life of this recipe

This face cream has a very short shelf life because it’s water based (aloe is considered water in beauty products) and there are no preservatives in it.

If it starts to smell funny or separate and not recombine with stirring, it’s time to toss it. You can store it in the fridge to extend the shelf life, but it still won’t last longer than a few weeks.

Best preservative for face cream

Ingredients like Vitamin E oil, rosemary oil and grapefruit seed extract are often toted as natural preservatives. However, they are not strong enough to inhibit microbial growth in most water-based beauty products.

You can try using leucidal liquid to extend the shelf life of this cream since it doesn’t last a long time. I like this natural preservative because it blends in well. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for measurements.

If you want to learn about all of the options you have for preserving your face cream, read my post about the best natural preservatives for cosmetics and beauty products.

Other ways to use this moisturizer

If you have more moisturizer than you can use on your face, try it as a hand cream, foot cream, body cream or body butter. It also makes a great handmade gift for a friend.

Best storage jars for DIY beauty products

I have an entire drawer of different bottles and jars I use for my homemade beauty products. I like buying them from Mountain Rose Herbs when I’m buying ingredients because they have a great selection and fair prices.

But there are tons of options out there. You’ll want to read my post on the Best Containers for Homemade Beauty Products if you plan to make your own skincare and personal care products.

Other natural beauty products to make

If you want a full homemade skin care routine, try making my Brown Sugar Face Scrub, Honey Tea Face Wash and Apple Cider Vinegar Toner.

Whipped face cream in glass jar on wood table.

DIY Whipped Face Cream

This all natural homemade Whipped Frankincense Face Cream is moisturizing and has great properties for the appearance of aging skin skin.
4.49 from 147 votes
Print (no photos)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Active Time: 40 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 55 minutes

Supplies

  • cup coconut oil
  • ¼ cup jojoba oil
  • ¾ ounce beeswax pastilles
  • 1 cup aloe vera gel
  • 10 drops frankincense essential oil
  • 10 drops ylang ylang essential oil

Tools

  • Double Boiler
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Fork
  • Blender
  • Glass jar

Instructions

  • Add the coconut oil, jojoba oil and beeswax to your double boiler and heat over low just until it’s melted, stirring frequently until well combined.
    Oils being added to beeswax in a double boiler
  • Transfer the mixture to the blender and allow it to cool completely. It will harden – it's supposed to. After it's cool and hardened, use a fork to break up the mixture inside the blender and stir in about 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel.
    Hardened face cream ingredients in a blender
  • Next, blend the mixture on high for about 30 seconds. Stir and blend in a little bit of aloe vera gel at a time. Don't add it all at once or it won't combine. It will take several minutes to get the aloe to blend smoothly. You'll know it's working when it starts to look like a thick lotion.
    When it takes a lotion form, add the essential oils and continue to mix until they're incorporated. Blend until you have the texture you want, then transfer to a glass jar for storage.
    Jar of whipped face cream on wood table.

Free DIY Beauty Products Guide

How to choose the right essential oils for your homemade beauty products.

Open mason jar of pink peppermint body butter on pink and white background.

26 thoughts on “DIY Whipped Face Cream”

  1. Jane McCannell

    Hello, I want to try this facial moisturizer. I love the scent of rose essential oil and wondered if I could use it instead of the ylang ylang to mix with the francinsence.

    Thanks,

    Jane

  2. Hey there! Just curious what the shelf life is for this lotion, if it gets moldy or anything?

    Thanks so much!
    Ceara

    1. Since this is a water-based beauty product (aloe is water), it has a short shelf life, which will vary depending on many conditions. It won’t last longer than a couple weeks unless you add a preservative like leucidal liquid.

  3. Rosa Maria Victoria

    Hi, Love your recepie and thanks for sharing, I would like to make it with an emulsifier instead of bee wax, could you please give me the amount of wax and water please. I live in hot and humid weather all year round and the bee wax don’t feel right.

  4. Hey, I enjoyed making this recipe and got it to whip up ok, I wouldn’t say it was very fluffy but it did come together fine. But as it cools, even in containers just from being in a cabinet during winter, it becomes grainy like coconut oil or looks that way though it does just soften in my hands. Do you know of any way to make it stay the lovely whipped consistency? Thanks!

    1. What type of coconut oil did you use – refined or unrefined? Was the coconut oil grainy before you used it? I always use refined coconut oil as I find it has fewer consistency issues than unrefined. How long are you storing it and what is the temperature you’re storing it at? The colder the temperature, the more temperamental that coconut oil can become, especially if it’s unrefined.

      1. I will look!! I believe I used an unrefined, organic one but I’ll double-check that! good to know about the refined/un difference. I am storing it at room temp in a dark cabinet in a cool house. I will definitely check into the unrefined and try it again. Thank you!!

  5. Love this face cream, I was wondering if I could use aloe vera liquid instead of gel to extend the shelf life?

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