If you’ve ever wondered why one DIY lotion feels amazing while another feels greasy, sticky, separates, or just doesn’t work the way you expected, you’re not alone. The difference often comes down to formulation.
Skincare formulation is about understanding what your ingredients do and how they work together—not just following a recipe.
In this beginner’s guide, I’ll break down the basics of skincare formulation in simple terms. We’ll look at the different roles ingredients play, the difference between water- and oil-based products, emulsions, preservatives, and how to start creating products that work the way you want them to.
You don’t need a chemistry degree to get started. Once you understand a few basic concepts, formulation becomes much less intimidating.
What Is Skincare Formulation?
Skincare formulation is the process of choosing ingredients and combining them in the right amounts to create a finished product with the texture, feel, and function you want.
Instead of simply following a recipe, learning formulation helps you understand why the ingredients are there and what each one contributes to the finished product.
When you understand formulation, you can:
- Customize products for different skin types and preferences
- Adjust the texture and feel of a product
- Make formulas in different batch sizes
- Make informed ingredient substitutions
- Troubleshoot problems such as separation, stickiness, or a product that feels too heavy
One of the first things to learn is how much of each ingredient you should use. That’s where percentages come in.
Learn more: Percentages vs. Grams in Skincare Formulation
Body & Skin Care recipes
Understanding Ingredient Roles in Skincare
One of the easiest ways to understand formulation is to stop thinking of ingredients as simply a list of things in a recipe and start thinking about what each ingredient actually does.
Different ingredients can provide hydration, soften the skin, create a protective layer, thicken a product, emulsify oil and water, preserve the product, adjust the pH, add fragrance, or provide other functions.
Three terms you’ll hear often when learning about moisturizers are humectants, emollients, and occlusives.
Humectants
Humectants help attract and hold water, which can help the skin feel more hydrated. They are especially important in formulations for dry or dehydrated skin.
Common humectants include glycerin, aloe vera, honey, and panthenol. On their own, humectants can feel sticky, which is why they’re typically paired with emollients and occlusives.
Learn more on Humectants, Emollients, and Occlusives Explained
Emollients
Emollients soften and condition the skin by filling in gaps between skin cells. They improve skin texture and help products feel smooth and luxurious.
Many common emollients are oils and butters, although there are many different types of emollient ingredients used in skincare. Many emollients feel great on their own and are commonly used in body oils and butters.
DIY Lotions, Creams & Body Butters
Occlusives
Occlusives create a protective barrier on the skin’s surface to help reduce water loss from the skin by forming a protective layer on its surface and prevent water loss. They are especially helpful for very dry skin, lips, and feet.
Common occlusives include beeswax, cocoa butter, lanolin, and petroleum.
Water vs. Oil in Skincare Formulation
One of the first things to understand when formulating skincare is whether your product contains water.
This makes a big difference in how the product is formulated, preserved, packaged, and used.
Understanding the difference between water-based and oil-based products is essential in skincare formulation.
Water-Based Products
Water-based products include lotions, creams, facial mists, cleansers, and many other types of skincare products.
Water-containing products generally require a suitable preservative system because water can create an environment where bacteria, yeast, and mold can grow.
The type of preservative you use depends on the formula, the preservative itself, and factors such as the product’s pH.
Read more: Why Preservatives Matter in DIY Skincare
Oil-Based Products
Oil-based products include body butters, balms, lip products, and body oils. Because they don’t contain water, they generally don’t require a traditional water-soluble preservative system.
However, oils and butters can still oxidize and eventually become rancid. Antioxidants such as vitamin E can help slow oxidation, but an antioxidant is not a substitute for a preservative in a water-containing product.
What Is an Emulsion?
An emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that normally don’t stay mixed, such as oil and water. An emulsifier helps bring these two phases together to create a more stable product.
Lotions and creams are common examples of emulsions.
Creating a stable emulsion involves more than simply adding an emulsifier. The ingredients, percentages, processing method, and other parts of the formula all matter.
If you’re interested in making lotions and creams, understanding emulsions is an important part of learning formulation.
Learn more: Emulsions – What Are They and How Do They Work?
DIY Lotions, Creams & Body Butters
Preservation Basics for DIY Skincare
If you’re making a product that contains water, preservation is one of the most important things to understand.
Water-containing products can support the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold, so they generally need an appropriate preservative system.
A preservative isn’t something you simply add at the end of a recipe. The preservative needs to be appropriate for the formula and used according to the manufacturer’s recommended usage rate and instructions.
Want to learn more? Read Why Preservatives Matter in DIY Skincare
Why pH Matters in Skincare Formulation
pH is another important part of formulating products that contain water.
The pH of a product can affect how it feels on the skin, how certain ingredients work, and how some preservatives perform.
You don’t need to become a pH expert to get started. The important thing is to understand that different products and ingredients have different pH requirements.
When you’re making a formula, always check the recommended pH range for the ingredients and preservative you’re using.
Learn more: How to Make Products With a Balanced pH Level
Safety, Stability, and Shelf Life
Creating a good skincare formula isn’t just about how it feels when you first make it. You also want the product to remain in good condition while you’re using it.
Problems can include separation, changes in texture or color, unpleasant odors, or microbial growth.
A few good habits can make a big difference:
- Use clean equipment and containers
- Follow ingredient and preservative instructions
- Store products appropriately
- Label your products with the date they were made
- Pay attention to changes in the product over time
When you’re learning to estimate how long a homemade product may last, the shelf life of your individual ingredients can be a useful starting point—but it doesn’t automatically tell you the shelf life of the finished product.
Learn more: How to Determine the Shelf Life of Homemade Cosmetics
How to Choose the Right Product Type
Once you understand the basic roles ingredients can play, you can start thinking about what type of product you actually want to make.
Different product types have different advantages, textures, and formulation considerations.
- Lotions & creams: Daily hydration, face and body
- Body butters: Intense moisture for dry skin
- Balms & lip care: Protection and moisture sealing
- Wash-off products: Cleansing and exfoliation
Putting It All Together
Skincare formulation can sound complicated when you first start learning, but you don’t have to understand everything at once.
Start by learning what your ingredients do. Then learn how to work with percentages, understand water and oil phases, learn the basics of emulsification and preservation, and gradually build from there.
The more you formulate, the easier it becomes to look at a recipe and understand why each ingredient is there and what it contributes to the finished product.
And that’s really the goal of formulation—not memorizing a bunch of rules, but learning how to make informed decisions when creating your own products.
Where to Go Next
Start with these guides:
- Percentages vs. Grams in Skincare Formulation — Learn how to read and scale formulas.
- Humectants, Occlusives and Emollients Explained — Understand three important ingredient roles.
- What Each Ingredient Does in Skincare Formulation — Learn what common ingredients contribute to a formula.
- Why Preservatives Matter in DIY Skincare — Understand why preservation is so important.
- How to Determine the Shelf Life of Homemade Cosmetics — Learn how to estimate shelf life and what factors affect it.
- Emulsions – What Are They and How Do They Work? — Learn how oil and water can be combined into stable products.
- How to Make Products With a Balanced pH Level — Learn the basics of pH when formulating skincare.
You don’t have to learn everything at once. Pick a topic that interests you and work your way through the guides as you gain experience.