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Easy Homemade Skin Moisturizer and Soothing Cream: Great for Eczema and Other Skin Conditions

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy here.

April 30 by Cassie 90 Comments

homemade-extreme-dry-skin-and-eczema-cream

Are you are looking for a nice recipe for a simple, yet luxurious homemade skin moisturizer containing oatmeal for a soothing, skin softening and moisturizing cream?  Possibly one that can be used as a a great option for eczema and other skin conditions without paying the hefty price? Then check out our personal homemade recipe for our easy homemade skin moisturizer. We have a son with eczema and the creams you buy can be very pricey! So I combined many of the common components used in many eczema and other skin moisturizer creams to create this soothing skin cream.  And at least for our son, it works well for his eczema!

In addition to treating our son’s eczema, this has been an amazing treatment for our dry skin.  If we are experiencing some really dry weather causing those dry, cracking hands, we’ll lather this cream on our hands and cover with a pair of socks or gloves to soak it in all night.  It works amazingly well in our dry climate!

Here are the ingredients needed:

  • 1/4 cup of oatmeal/oats
  • 3/4 cup of coconut oil (you can get coconut oil online for 50% off HERE on Amazon and shipped FREE with subscribe and save option)
  • Few drops of rosemary oil
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil

Now that you have your ingredients  together – let’s get started on making a super Easy Homemade Skin Moisturizer!

How to make Easy Homemade Skin Moisturizer:

  • You will first need to finely ground the oatmeal to a powder/flour consistency.  You can use a blender, food processor or a Magic Bullet type of appliance to finely ground the oats.
  • Over low heat, melt the coconut oil until it has a liquid consistency.
  • Add a few drops of Rosemary Essential Oil
  • Then mix in the oatmeal flour until well blended.
  • Mix in the olive oil until well blended.
  • Once the ingredients are mixed, pour into a small storage container or glass baby food jars, etc. Let harden for several hours.

After it hardens, simply apply to hands and skin as needed for skin softening, moisturizing, soothing and healing.  This stuff also lasts forever!

homeade skin moisturizer lotion eczema creamAs you can tell from our picture, the kids like to get the cream from the middle. 🙂
It has almost a Carmex lip balm consistency!

See our everyday frugal living section of our site for more tips and recipes and other do it yourself ideas!

Disclaimer: Please note this has not been tested nor advocated by a medical practitioner and is not intended to be medical advice. Yada yada…

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Homemade Products, Thrifty Adventures, Thrifty Tells

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christine

    Thank you! Going to try this with my toddler…he has a little bit of excema and I never feel quite right about slathering petroleum-laden lotion all over him, even the “good” stuff. This looks great!

    Reply
  2. Sara

    Coconut oil is amazing all on its own!! Everyone in my family is hooked on it, a little goes such a long ways!!! I even got all my friends hooked on it, and either buy it for them for bithdays or Christmas. I usually get it at Fred Meyer for about $7 in their natural section.

    Reply
  3. Sarah

    Does the Rosemary Oil help with preserving it, or what is its purpose? Sounds like a great recipe and my toddler gets eczema when he eats eggs so I will have to try that recipe so I have something on hand that is natural for when he eats the occasional cookie and gets a flare up. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Cassie

      Well, I actually developed this recipe myself by looking at some of the key ingredients from over the counter products for eczema and research on essential oils. Rosemary was recommended for Eczema (I can’t remember where I saw that as it was a while ago as I have been making this a while!). Plus, oatmeal is also good for eczema, so the combination seemed good and when actually made and used, does work well! Plus we love Coconut Oil, so that seemed like a good natural base. Who knows, maybe it preserves it longer too 🙂 Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Bella

        Rosemary oil kick starts circulation, so it’s definitely a good thing to have in your facial creams. I add lavender too because it’s an antiseptic. My girlfriends use them as night cream and are nuts for it.

        Reply
        • Bella

          Oh, and instead of olive oil I use vitamins e oil instead of olive because its a preservative. It will help make sure it doesn’t go rancid and if you have acne scars or anything like that, it will help fade it away.

        • Cassie

          Bella – thank you so much for sharing those tips and ideas! I love those and looking forward to making new types of different needs!

      • diana marie

        Dumb question. Do you use regular oatmeal, or can you use instant oatmeal. Does it matter?

        Reply
        • Ruth

          I was going to ask the same question!

  4. Desiree

    Where do you buy your coconut oil? How much does it run? I have never bought it. 🙂

    Reply
    • Desiree

      Oh – never mind. You already said you get it from Amazon…guess I was skimming too fast this morning. 😛

      Reply
      • Monique

        I buy mine from the grocery store, in the same aisle as the olive oil. Just make sure it’s 100%.

        Reply
    • Theresa Poirier

      You can buy organic Coconut Oil in big jars..2 kg..at Costco..
      I’m already on my 2nd jar…shared with friends..love it..
      use it all over..even my scalp..just a tiny bit for shiny healthy hair..

      Reply
  5. stephanie

    Can’t wait to make, my husband has eczema and so do my neices. Sounds like it’s worth giving a try.

    Reply
  6. Jeanna

    I just made a batch! I used tea tree oil because its what I had on hand. I have read that it is good for excema too. How do you get your oatmeal flour to incorporate properly? I may not have ground mine fine enough because it wants to settle on the bottom. Regardless, I used some just now in its liquid form and my hands are silky smooth. Can’t wait to try it out on my kids who have excema!

    Reply
    • Courtney

      I just made a batch too and mine did the same thing! All the oatmeal settled in the bottom. I would love to know the secret of getting it to look as good as yours in the photo. Lol!

      Reply
      • Cassie

        Hi Courtney and Jeanna! To help answer both of your questions, there is going to be some of it that does settle to the bottom as it is heavier than the oils. However, the finer the ground, the less it will settle. Also, when you are mixing it into the hot oils on the stovetop, you are melting and mixing much of it into the formula and the oat flour is disintegrating into the oils, even if the larger pieces settle to the bottom, the oatmeal is still all throughout the cream after drying – not all of it is settling to the bottom! There is no need to worry about it, but possibly grinding into finer powder as the finer the powder and the more mixing on the stove top will help draw out the oatmeal “milk” if you will and allow it to mix even better. I hope that helped answer your questions! Please let me know if you have more 🙂

        Reply
        • Penelope

          I use the remains on the bottom of the pan to make body scrub. Just add in more ground oats until it has a thick paste consistency:)

        • Jen R

          I make another homemade salve for cuticles, and one ingredient can crystallize if it cools too slowly after mixing. The tip there was to put the jars in the fridge to speed cooling. Works great for my stuff – maybe worth trying with this too? (BTW I’m making this soon – TBH, I’m trying to find effective, safe topical remedies for treatment-resistant genital herpes and there’s not a lot out there!)

  7. SELENA

    I can see that you are putting a lots of eoftrfs into your blog. Keep posting the great operate.Some really helpful data in there. Bookmarked. Good to see your site. Thanks!

    Reply
  8. Shautel

    I used organic coconut oil, added some cocoa butter (bc I was just shy of 3/4 c of coconut oil), Grapeseed oil, oats, essential oils of lavender, geranium & frankincense & vitamin e! I will come back & try & add a photo once it solidifies.

    Oh & I used a coffee grinder that I bought specifically for grinding spices to grind the oats!

    Reply
  9. Shautel

    Made it with grapeseed oil & it’s still liquid with the oatmeal settled at the bottom! I’m still going to try & use it as a body oil.

    Reply
    • Anna

      Because grapeseed oil is liquid at room temp, whereas coconut oil is solid at room temp (kinda like Crisco). If you leave that out you will not get the correct consistency

      Reply
      • Charzie

        Not here in Florida it isn’t. LOL. I’m wondering what I can use to make it more solid or creamy, short of refrigerating it?

        Reply
  10. Diane

    You said Coconut oil and then when you mixed things together you said Olive Oil
    which is it?

    Reply
  11. Diane

    sorry I see it now

    Reply
  12. Kelly

    Do you think adding a cup of distilled water will make it more of a lotion consistency?

    Reply
    • Cassie

      Hmmm… I am not sure if water alone will do it as water and oil don’t mix well 🙂 But you could try natural vegetable glycerin and a little water and see how that goes and let us know if it works!

      Reply
      • Kathy

        Hi Cassie,
        There are ways to do a water into oil lotion. Try googling it. I tried it once, but couldn’t get it to work – both the oil and water need to be at the same temp, and I could never get it right. Hope it works out for you!

        Reply
  13. Cara

    Hi..Do you think this would be good for diaper rash?

    Reply
  14. Heather

    Hello! I followed your instructions exactly and my lotion is still liquid after 8 hours. Was I supposed to put it in the fridge? Thanks!

    Reply
  15. Kathy

    I’ve developed eczema for the first time, and want to try this recipe. However, coconut oil seems to have a drying effect on my skin, and I’ve stopped using it in my lotions. Have you tried this recipe with shea butter and/or cocoa butter?

    Reply
    • Cassie

      Hi Kathy, I haven’t but I would imagine that both would be fabulous!! Let us know how it turns out if you try it! I use Coconut Oil just because I have a surplus (we use it for many, many things!). I don’t have shea or cocoa butter on hand, but it sounds really nice 🙂

      Reply
    • Joy

      Hi Kathy!
      Yes! Shea Butter is supposed to be Amazing for eczema!!! Many accounts on it working for eczema! I just tried it from a couple other recipes today, before I found this great recipe. My 1st homemade cream is in the fridge as I write this. I put 1 TBSP of each, SheaButter & Extra VirginCoconutOil, into a measuring cup, I placed the whole measuring cup into a pot with water and warmed on stove just til melted and added 1 TBSP of ExtraVirgin OliveOil. Mixed well, removed from stovetop and added 18 drops of any essential oil combo you like. Good for skin are lavender, myrrh, cedarwood, rosemary, chamomile…you pick your liking. It fills a 2oz jar. Hope this helped. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Melva Williams

    Thankyou for the recipie. I am super excited to try it. I do want to know your thoughts on adding Zinc Oxide to it for additional SPF protection.

    Reply
    • Cassie

      Hi Melva, I would love to hear your thoughts on it. We all love it! As far as the Zinc Oxide, that is a good question and worth trying. I don’t feel like I know enough to say for sure. Let us know how that part turns out too! Thanks! – Cassie

      Reply
  17. Melva Williams

    I am super exited to try this recipie. What do you think about adding Zin Oxide for additional SPF protection?

    Reply
  18. Melva

    In used a medicine grinder from Wal-Mart for $3.99 to grind up the oatmeal. I could not justify spending money on a coffee grinder when that would be all I am using it for. $3.99 vs $14.65– a no brainer for me.
    Cassie— I can not find Zinc Oxide powder, so I will be leaving it out of these batches. I will have to order some on ebay in a couple of weeks.

    Reply
  19. aj

    I saw organic coconut oil in the baking oil of my local wal mart. and I’m sure my local health food coop has it also

    Reply
  20. Loretta

    sounds wonderful! Do you think it would be okay to substitute almond oil for the olive oil?

    Reply
    • Cassie

      Hi Loretta, I don’t see why not! I just have olive oil on hand all of the time so it is my go to oil. Let us know how it turns out with that! Thanks!

      Reply
  21. marye

    I made this last night but after I mixed everything on the stove I let it cool a little then put it in the blended on high for a minute…then poured it into a pretty jar…then let it set for 5 minutes…repeated this a couple times….turned out beautifully a d was ready to use this a.m…gonna try making another batch of this today but adding 1/2 cup sugar AFTER it is cooled to make a body scrub!!

    Reply
    • Cassie

      That’s a great idea to break-up the final bits of oatmeal. I hadn’t thought of that! I love the idea of turning it into a scrub too! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    • Amie

      If I remember correctly, to make a body scrub mix 1Tablespoon of coconut oil into 1Cup of brown sugar.

      Reply
  22. shondra

    How long is it supposed to take to harden. I decided to try your recipe because my arms and legs are dry red and flakey and it itches like crazy.

    Reply
    • Cassie

      It can take some time, but if your home is warm, it will take a long while. I actually stick it in the fridge when I am not using it because coconut oil melts at 76 degrees, so a little less than that will make it “soft.” Once it initially hardens, I store it in a cooler spot (like in a bathroom cupboard) because near a window, stove or other warm spots will make it melt. It will take a while to bring it back down from the very hot state you had it in when you made it 🙂 Hope that helps!

      Reply
  23. Anna

    I was really excited to find your recipe as I have had ezcema for years and keeping it under control is a constant struggle.
    I live in Mexico and was told that cartamo (safflower) oil is good for ezcema. Do you think this recipe would work with cartamo oil instead of coconut oil? It’s readily available where I live and I am soooo tired of dermatologists recommending expensive creams from Paris!

    Reply
  24. Melissa

    I have eczema that always flairs up horribly each summer. Nothing that I buy in stores does anything. I googled homemade remedies & came across your blog. I figured I had nothing to lose by trying it. IT WORKS WONDERS! I didn’t add any Rosemary because I didn’t have any. But it’s still great. I plan on making another batch & adding zinc oxide to use as sunscreen when I go to Nashville next month. Though I feel like it’s gonna end up staying in liquid form while I’m down there. Lol.

    Reply
  25. Dionely

    Hello,
    My daughter has eczema, she is fourteen years old and has had it forever. She is very picky on what she lets me put on her skin. Thank you for the recipe. I just made it, and put it on her before she went to bed. I had everything except the rosemary. So I went outside and cut a little branch from my plant. It’s sizzled when I put it in the oil. I figured it wouldn’t be bad. I pray is not. I used my Ninja to grind up the oatmeal. It came out really fine. I didn’t know how long to cook it for so I let the rosemary with coconut oil for about two minutes and then added the oatmeal, and kept stirring it. Before it hardened I strained it into a glass jar. Then to cool it down, I put it in a Mary’s bath with iced water. It solidified in about 8-10 minutes. I pray it works. I’ll let you know. Thanks again.

    Dionely

    Reply
  26. Lamsh

    Once the ingredients are mixed, you really want to avoid pouring the last bit of cream out due to the inevitable grit from the oats.
    I really pulverized the oats and still had grit at the end of melting all together.
    Happily all you have to do if you want to use all the cream is strain the grit out that settles at the bottom via a tea-bag or cheese cloth type item.
    Then you can use this excellent crewam on your face and all over without the sandy grit!
    Also, instead of rosemary oil, which i did not have, i sprayed several pumps of my rose water and glycerin. I used almond oil w/vit. E (preservative) instead of olive oil. Since it became like a lotion in the summer heat….my next batch will have some cocoa butter added to harden it a bit!
    Thank for this lovely idea of using oatmeal …. the milk of oats! So creamy and lovely for the skin! (if you keep the grit out!)

    Reply
  27. Lamsh

    I have a bullet type blender so i let the oils cool for a few minutes in the freezer then re-mixed and did this a few times. Turns out to be VERY creamy!!

    Reply
  28. Banu

    hello i just made it for my sister i hope it works for her.what i want to say is oil is (any oil coconut or olive oil) cant be heat direct heat you have to double boil it like bain marie direct fire kill good think inside the oil.thank you for the recipe. banu

    Reply
  29. Donna

    When the mixture starts to get hard, but before it solidifies, try using your beater to whip it. It then becomes a smooth cream with all ingredients incorporated. Be sure to grind the oatmeal to a delicate flour. I used the Nutri Blast, but a Vita Mix or coffee grinder should also work. Be sure the grinder is spotlessly clean. Since this is going on your skin, cleanliness in utensils is paramount! Loved the results. Thanks for sharing. (I did not add anything but organic coconut oil, organic oatmeal and organic olive oil. Less is sometimes better)

    Reply
  30. Anna

    hi, thinking about trying this for my family. Was wondering if anyone had tried it on someone with the shingles outbreak? Any suggestions? Thanks!

    Reply
  31. Kerri

    I’ve also made salves for my sons skin condition. I’d like to try this with the addition of beeswax. Also boiling plantain leaves in the oil first for awhile is great!!!

    Reply
  32. Jeanne fries

    Coconut oil is anti microbial and anti bacterial so is wonderful strait for your baby. I was advised to use from my doctor for redness on ankles and feet. And always used on my daughters bottom and her eczema when she was an infant. She still uses daily. I use with ginger and touch of cinnamon for base makeup and evens it and so natural. Looks dry, no shine and no toxins on your skin. Don’t use any petroleum products! Got yo Pinterest for all DIY advise on all soaps and remedies that are safe and non toxic.

    Reply
  33. Jeanne fries

    Anna, use it instead of olive oil. In the south use cocoa butter instead of olive oil . Don’t use zinc oxide, coconut oil is a sunblock, naturally.

    Reply
  34. Hattie Schenck

    Do you have to liquify the coconut oil first or can you just whip all the ingredients together and yield the same results?

    Reply
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  36. Niki

    Just whipped up my own batch. Infused the oil with chamomile for extra effect (helps to sooth my baby boy’s eczema) and after the mixture set i whipped it all up with a standard kitchen mixer. Now I have a lovely fluffy, easily applied body butter!!

    Thank you so much for this wonderful post!

    Reply
  37. j rodgers

    is the oats suppose to be a little gritty when you apply it to your skin. I thought I got it pretty fine, but when I apply it it seems a little gritty, sort of like an abrasive.

    Reply
  38. j rodgers

    is the oats suppose to be alittle gritty when you apply it to your skin? Cause I thought I ground it pretty well, but it does feel slightly gritty sort of like an abrasive

    Reply
  39. Niti

    Very good and useful. Many thanks for the lotion

    Reply
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