A workable home moisturizing cream is an O/W emulsion with a 15–30 % oil phase and 4–8 % emulsifier as supplied. In a published Montanov 68 cream with a 21 % oil phase, both 5 % and 7 % emulsifier gave stable emulsions with both phases processed at 75 °C. Hydration needs all three mechanisms: humectant, emollient, occlusive.
- 5 % and 7 % (as supplied) — the two emulsifier levels of Montanov 68 (INCI Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside) that both produced physically stable O/W creams in a 2025 study with a 21 % oil phase; the 7 % version was firmer, more consistent and more cohesive.
- 75 °C — the phase temperature in that study, with the water phase held 2–5 °C above the oil phase before mixing.
- 60–70 wt% — the glycerin concentration at which a glycerin solution stopped losing weight during evaporation in a 2022 measurement; moisture sorption only began above 70 wt%, not at 10 %.
- Approximately equimolar — the reported ratio of ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids in stratum corneum lipid lamellae, with one component up to about twice the others depending on the study.
- pH 4.0–8.0 — the final-formulation window dsm-firmenich recommends for its Niacinamide PC grade, which is 99–100 % niacinamide and 641 g/L soluble in water at 20 °C.
Anyone who has ever held a jar of expensive cream and thought, "What if I could make it better?" is already standing on the threshold of cosmetic chemistry. Creating a moisturizing cream yourself is not just about mixing oil and water. Behind the right texture, a lasting feeling of comfort on the skin, and a real moisturizing effect lies the precise selection of ingredients, an understanding of their functions, and knowledge of how they interact with each other. In this article, the Oksana Walker online school breaks down hydration from a chemical perspective — from molecular mechanisms to practical formulation — so that you can formulate consciously, rather than by trial and error. Every percentage below is stated as supplied (w/w) unless we say otherwise, and every range is attached to the system it belongs to, because a percentage without a system is not information.
Three mechanisms of hydration: humectants, emollients, and occlusives
Before moving on to the formula, it is important to understand that "hydration" is not a single action, but three different mechanisms working at different levels of the skin. A professional formulator builds a formula to utilize all three layers of the moisturizing system.
Humectants: attracting water from the air
Humectants are hygroscopic substances that bind water molecules from the environment and hold them in the upper layers of the epidermis. They work like molecular sponges. The concentrations below are the working ranges used in the example formula at the end of this article — an O/W cream with a 13 % oil phase and 6 % emulsifier — and not universal doses:
- Glycerin — the most accessible and best-studied humectant; 3–8 % as supplied in this system. The widely repeated warning that above 10 % it "draws moisture out of the deeper layers" does not match the measurement we could find: in a 2022 comparative study using gravimetric, TEWL and DSC methods, the moisture-retention capacity of glycerin rose steadily from 0 to 60 wt%, solutions of 60–70 wt% showed no weight change during evaporation, and moisture sorption began only above 70 wt%. Those are concentrations in a glycerin solution measured in a chamber, not in a finished cream on skin — but they do show that the turning point in the underlying physics sits far above 10 %. We keep 3–8 % for sensory reasons (stickiness), which is an honest reason, rather than for a physiological one we cannot document.
- Sodium hyaluronate — supplied in different molecular-weight grades; a common approach is to pair a high- and a low-molecular-weight grade at 0.05–0.2 % each as supplied. Take the actual molecular weight range from your supplier's specification rather than from the words "high" and "low" on the label — the grades are not standardised between suppliers.
- Betaine — a mild osmoprotectant, well tolerated by sensitive skin; 1–3 % as supplied in this system.
- Panthenol (provitamin B5) — combines humectant and conditioning action; 1–5 % as supplied. Note that liquid panthenol grades are typically diluted, so the active matter is below the weighed figure.
- Erythritol and trehalose — sugar humectants used at similar low percentages; they also contribute a sweet-dry after-feel that changes the sensory result noticeably.
Emollients: restoring the barrier and creating texture
Emollients fill the intercellular spaces of the stratum corneum, making the skin soft and smooth to the touch. They are what primarily determine the texture of the cream — light or rich, matte or radiant. Choosing an emollient is both a technological and an aesthetic decision. Read more about how to select oils for a specific skin type in the article How to choose oils and butters for your skin type: a guide for beginner formulators.
Occlusives: sealing moisture inside
Occlusives create a thin film on the skin's surface that slows down transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Classic occlusives include petrolatum, waxes, dimethicone, and squalane. Important: an occlusive without a humectant will simply seal in what is already there — if the skin is dehydrated, the effect will be minimal. Therefore, a well-designed cream formula always combines both mechanisms.
How to create a moisturizing cream yourself: basic formula architecture
Any oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion — which is the type most commonly used in daily moisturizing creams — is built according to a universal scheme. Understanding this architecture allows you not just to copy other people's recipes, but to create your own.
Water phase (60–80%)
The base of the water phase is distilled or deionized water. This is where humectants (glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, panthenol), water-soluble actives (niacinamide, allantoin, extracts), and hydrophilic thickeners (xanthan gum, carbomer) are dissolved. You can read more about how thickeners work and their synergy in our article Xanthan and guar gums: comparison, synergy, and the unexpected winner.
Oil phase (15–30%)
This is where emollients and occlusives are concentrated: oils, butters, waxes, and oil-soluble actives (vitamin E, retinol, CoQ10). The ratio of light to heavy oils determines the final skin feel. Light oils (squalane or linoleic types) provide quick absorption; heavy ones (shea butter, castor oil) provide rich nourishment and occlusion. For a worked reference point, the published cream discussed below carried a 21 % oil phase built from caprylic/capric triglyceride 10 %, cetyl palmitate 6 % and almond oil 5 %.
Emulsifier: the heart of a stable emulsion
Without an emulsifier, oil and water will not form a stable system. For formulating at home, the most commonly used are:
- Olivem 1000 (cetearyl olivate / sorbitan olivate) — a natural-origin emulsifier giving a creamy texture.
- Montanov 68 — an alkyl polyglucoside O/W emulsifier from Seppic. Its INCI is Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, not cetearyl glucoside alone: the fatty alcohol is part of the trade product, which matters when you count your fatty alcohols. Seppic's product page describes Montanov 68 MB as a 100 % natural-origin O/W emulsifier for creams; that is a supplier product description, so treat it as a starting point rather than as test data.
- Polawax / Emulsifying Wax NF — a reliable synthetic emulsifier that is forgiving of beginner mistakes.
- BTMS-50 — a cationic emulsifier that provides a silky glide, popular in body lotions.
The working concentration usually quoted for these emulsifiers is 4–8 % of the total mass of the cream. That figure only means something attached to a system, so here is one that has been published. In a 2025 study, O/W creams built on Montanov 68 at 5.00 % and at 7.00 % — with an oil phase of caprylic/capric triglyceride 10 %, cetyl palmitate 6 % and almond oil 5 %, plus xanthan gum 0.5 % and propylene glycol 4 % — were both physically stable, with no phase separation during observation or after accelerated ageing. The higher emulsifier level gave greater firmness, consistency, cohesiveness and viscosity index, and the sensory panel separated the two only on elasticity and stickiness. Both phases were heated to 75 °C, with the water phase held 2–5 °C above the oil phase. That is what a defensible "4–8 %" looks like: two points inside the range, in one named system, with a stated outcome. It is not evidence that 5 % works with a different emulsifier or a 30 % oil phase. It is also critically important to maintain the pH in cosmetics: most skincare emulsions are formulated at pH 5.0–6.5, which sits close to the natural pH of skin.
Choosing active ingredients for a moisturizing effect
Actives are what distinguish a "simple cream" from a "functional cream." In the context of hydration, several groups of compounds are considered the most studied.
Ceramides and intercellular lipid analogs
Ceramides are one of the three main lipid classes of the stratum corneum, and the relationship between them is worth stating precisely, because the popular shorthand has drifted. A 2026 paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry puts it this way: ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids are the major constituents of the lipid lamellae and, although reported molar ratios vary among studies, they are generally present in approximately equimolar amounts, or one component may be up to about twice as abundant as the others. So "ceramides are about 50 % of the lipid matrix" is not a number to build on — the ratio is roughly 1:1:1 by moles, with study-to-study variation.
The frequently quoted 3:1:1 ratio for topical lipid mixtures comes from a specific experiment, and the experiment says something slightly different from the shorthand. In Man, Feingold, Thornfeldt and Elias, Journal of Investigative Dermatology 1996 (106(5):1096–101, PMID 8618046), an equimolar mixture of ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acid allowed normal barrier recovery, and further acceleration occurred as the ratio of any of the three was increased up to three-fold. In other words, it is not that ceramides must be the dominant component — it is that one of them should be, and the work was done in murine skin with preliminary validation in damaged human skin. Synthetic ceramides (NP, AP, EOP) are typically added at 0.5–2 % as supplied, usually as a ready-made complex; the active matter in those complexes is often a small fraction of the trade product, so read the specification before you claim a ceramide percentage.
Niacinamide: a multifunctional active
Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is added to the water phase. Three practical numbers, all from the dsm-firmenich formulation guidelines for Niacinamide PC (September 2023), a supplier document describing its own grade: solubility 641 g/L in water at 20 °C, recommended final-formulation pH 4.0–8.0, and a recommended skincare use level of 1–10 % of a material that is 99–100 % niacinamide (so as supplied ≈ active matter here). The same document permits processing cold or hot up to 70 °C; the common DIY instruction to add it only below 40 °C is stricter than the supplier's own ceiling, and we flag that rather than pretending the two agree.
On the effect side, the best-supported concentration for appearance of pigmentation is 5 % in a twice-daily moisturizer over 8–12 weeks (Hakozaki et al., Br J Dermatol 2002, PMID 12100180; Bissett et al., Int J Cosmet Sci 2004, PMID 18492135); a 2 % arm in the same body of work did not reach statistical significance for spots. For barrier support, the mechanism comes from cell culture and topical application in Tanno et al., Br J Dermatol 2000 (PMID 10971324), where nicotinamide at 1–30 µmol/L raised ceramide biosynthesis and topical use lowered TEWL in dry skin — a mechanism, not a dose for your jar. The often-repeated incompatibility with vitamin C is not settled by any experiment we could open at cosmetic pH; what the supplier does state is incompatibility with strong acids, strong bases and oxidising agents, which may cause hydrolysis to nicotinic acid.
Peptides and matrikines
Peptides are studied for signalling effects in the dermis. A detailed analysis of their mechanism of action and the rules for incorporating them into a cream formula can be found in the article on peptides for facial skin in cream. The handling rule usually given as "add below 40 °C or they will denature" needs one correction: most cosmetic peptides are short synthetic sequences with no tertiary structure to denature. The real reasons for a cool-down addition are hydrolysis of the peptide bond and degradation of the carrier system over time at temperature. Take the processing window and the pH window from the specification of the exact peptide grade you bought — "peptide" is a class, and the windows differ between suppliers.
Texture and rheology: why a cream should not only hydrate but also be pleasant to use
Even a cream formula that is perfectly balanced in terms of actives will fail if the texture is uncomfortable. Rheology—the science of the flow and deformation of materials—is directly applicable to cosmetics. Tactile sensations during application (spread, finish, absorption time) largely determine whether a person will use the product regularly. And only regular use provides a real cosmetic result.
Controlling viscosity and spreading
The viscosity of an emulsion is regulated by several tools:
- Type and concentration of the emulsifier. The study cited above is a clean demonstration: the same formula at 5 % and at 7 % Montanov 68 differed measurably in firmness, consistency, cohesiveness and viscosity index, while both remained stable non-Newtonian pseudoplastic systems with thixotropic flow.
- Co-emulsifiers and oil-phase thickeners: cetyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, waxes. Remember that some emulsifier trade products already contain a fatty alcohol — Montanov 68 is Cetearyl Alcohol plus Cetearyl Glucoside — so you may be adding it twice without noticing.
- Hydrophilic water-phase thickeners: carbomer (neutralized to pH 6–7), hydroxyethylcellulose, xanthan gum (0.5 % in the reference cream above).
- Ratio of oil and water phases: the higher the proportion of oils, the richer the cream.
How thickeners affect slip and tactile characteristics is described in detail in the section on tribology, gums, and gelling agents—we recommend studying it before adjusting the texture of a finished emulsion.
Silicones and their natural alternatives
Dimethicone and cyclopentasiloxane are traditionally used to create a silky finish and reduce TEWL. If you are working in the natural segment, they are replaced with isostearyl isostearate, plant-derived caprylyl methicone, or a combination of light oils (jojoba oil + squalane type). Natural alternatives provide a similar spread but require more careful balancing of the oil phase. Whether a specific replacement is accepted as natural is set by your certifying body's current standard, not by the ingredient's origin story.
Preservation and stability: the cream must be safe
A water-containing emulsion is an ideal environment for the growth of microorganisms. Preservation is not an option, but a mandatory element of any moisturizing cream. The choice of preservative depends on the pH of the formula, compatibility with actives, and "naturalness" requirements — and on the legal ceilings, which for a product placed on the UK market are set by the UK Cosmetics Regulation, Annex V, the list of preservatives allowed in cosmetic products with their maximum concentrations in the ready-for-use preparation.
Popular preservation systems
- Phenonip (phenoxyethanol + parabens) — broad spectrum, 0.5–1 % as supplied. Ceilings to respect: phenoxyethanol 1.0 %; methyl- and ethylparaben 0.4 % as acid for a single ester and 0.8 % as acid for mixtures; butyl- and propylparaben 0.14 % as acid for the sum of both.
- Euxyl PE 9010 (phenoxyethanol + ethylhexylglycerin) — paraben-free, 0.5–1 % as supplied. Only the phenoxyethanol is an Annex V preservative; ethylhexylglycerin is not listed there.
- Leucidal Liquid SF — a fermentation-derived option marketed for natural formulas; effective range is narrow and it is normally combined with a co-preservative.
- Geogard Ultra (gluconolactone + sodium benzoate) — certified natural, and pH-dependent for the same reason as any benzoate system: sodium benzoate is limited to 0.5 % as acid in leave-on products, and its active undissociated fraction falls to roughly 0.16 % of the total at pH 7.0 against about 14 % at pH 5.0.
Preservative efficacy is established by a Challenge Test to ISO 11930 or USP <51>. It is worth being blunt about what home testing can and cannot do: visual and organoleptic assessment after 4–8 weeks at different temperatures is a useful development observation and nothing more. It does not establish microbiological safety, it does not establish a shelf life, and a cream that looks and smells fine can be contaminated. Read more about home stability tests in our article on formula stability.
Example of a basic moisturizing cream formula
Below is a starting point for your experiments. The formula is calculated for 100 g of finished product, O/W emulsion type, suitable for normal and combination skin. All figures are the trade product as supplied (w/w); the oil phase here is 13 %, which is lighter than the 21 % system quoted earlier, so expect a thinner cream at the same emulsifier level.
Water phase (heat to 75°C):
- Distilled water — 68%
- Glycerin — 5%
- Panthenol — 2%
- Allantoin — 0.2%
Oil phase (heat to 75°C):
- Olivem 1000 — 6%
- Cetyl alcohol — 2%
- Jojoba oil — 7%
- Shea butter — 4%
- Tocopherol (vitamin E) — 0.5%
Cool-down phase (add at T below 40°C):
- Sodium hyaluronate (1% solution) — 4%
- Niacinamide — 3%
- Euxyl PE 9010 — 0.8%
- Fragrance / essential oil — up to 0.5%
The pH of the finished emulsion is adjusted with lactic acid (10 % working solution — that is the concentration of the solution you dose from, not the amount in the product) to 5.0–5.5. Note that 4 % of a 1 % sodium hyaluronate solution delivers 0.04 % sodium hyaluronate active matter, and that any fragrance you add must respect the relevant IFRA Standard for that material in a leave-on facial product. If you want to learn how climate affects the behaviour of oils in this formula — for example, why shea butter behaves differently in summer and winter — we recommend our article on how climate affects the composition of fatty acids and essential oils in plants.
When creating a moisturizing cream yourself, it is important to understand that every change in the formulation — replacing an oil, using a different emulsifier, or adding a new active ingredient — triggers a chain of consequences for texture, stability, and efficacy. This is precisely why a professional approach involves changing one variable at a time, followed by mandatory testing of the result. The published Montanov 68 study is a small model of exactly that discipline: one variable (5 % versus 7 % emulsifier), everything else held constant, and measured outcomes rather than impressions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replace distilled water with a hydrosol in a cream formula?
Yes, a hydrosol can substitute for water: it introduces additional components (terpenes, organic acids) and changes the scent. However, hydrosols have their own pH and can carry a microbial load, so you must measure the pH of the finished emulsion and satisfy yourself that your preservative system covers the extra burden — which, given the Annex V ceilings, may mean reducing the hydrosol rather than raising the preservative. Use certified cosmetic hydrosols rather than food-grade ones.
Why does the cream separate a few days after preparation?
Separation is a sign of an unstable emulsion. Causes include: insufficient emulsifier concentration, mismatched phase temperatures (both phases at about the same temperature — 75 °C in the reference study, with the water phase 2–5 °C higher), cooling too quickly, ingredient incompatibility, or an incorrect pH. Also check that the emulsifier suits your oil phase: the stability demonstrated for Montanov 68 at 5–7 % applies to a 21 % oil phase of that composition, not to any oil phase.
How long does a homemade moisturizing cream last?
There is no honest number to give you, and the 3–6 months often quoted is not one. Shelf life is a property of a specific formula in a specific pack, established by challenge testing and stability testing — not of homemade creams as a category. What you can control is the direction of travel: a pump or airless pack instead of an open jar, clean equipment and containers, and a preservative system dosed within the Annex V limits. Refrigeration slows chemical change but can alter the texture of wax- and butter-based creams — read more about butter crystallization in our article on butter polymorphism.
Does more glycerin mean more hydration?
Not linearly, and not past a point. In the 2022 measurement cited above, moisture-retention capacity rose with glycerin concentration up to 60 wt%, plateaued at 60–70 wt%, and only above 70 wt% did the solution begin to take up moisture instead of releasing it. Those are solution concentrations in a chamber, not a cream on a face. In a finished emulsion the practical ceiling is sensory — above roughly 8 % the tack becomes noticeable — which is why this article holds glycerin at 3–8 %.
Cosmetic chemistry is a discipline where intuition only works when paired with theory — and where a number is only useful when it carries its system, its units and its document type with it. The deeper you understand the function of each ingredient, the more predictable the result and the fewer ruined batches you will have. If you want to move from experimentation to systematic knowledge, the Walker Formulation Academy Club is a community of practising formulators with access to formula breakdowns, a library of formulas, and expert support. Learn more in our courses and start formulating with an understanding of every gram in your recipe.
Sources
- “Novel Alkyl-Polyglucoside-Based Topical Creams Containing Basil Essential Oil (Ocimum basilicum L.)”, Pharmaceutics, 2025 — experimental study; source of the 5 %/7 % Montanov 68 comparison, the 21 % oil phase and the 75 °C process
- “Moisture retention of glycerin solutions with various concentrations: a comparative study”, Scientific Reports, 2022 — gravimetric, TEWL and DSC measurement
- “Acid ceramidase ASAH1 is a key regulator of epidermal ceramide levels and composition”, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2026 — source of the approximately equimolar ceramide : cholesterol : free fatty acid statement
- dsm-firmenich, “Niacinamide PC — Formulation Guidelines”, September 2023 — supplier formulation guideline (solubility, pH window, use level, processing temperature)
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, Annex V — preservatives allowed in cosmetic products (UK retained legislation)
- Seppic, MONTANOV™ 68 MB product page — supplier product description (not a test report)
- Man M.Q. et al., “Optimization of physiological lipid mixtures for barrier repair”, Journal of Investigative Dermatology 106(5):1096–101, 1996 (PMID 8618046) — murine study with preliminary human validation; source of the equimolar / up-to-three-fold finding
- Hakozaki T. et al., British Journal of Dermatology 147(1):20–31, 2002 (PMID 12100180); Bissett D.L. et al., International Journal of Cosmetic Science 26(5):231–8, 2004 (PMID 18492135); Tanno O. et al., British Journal of Dermatology 143(3):524–31, 2000 (PMID 10971324) — clinical and mechanistic niacinamide studies
- ISO 11930 and USP <51> — preservative efficacy testing standards, cited by designation; IFRA Standards — fragrance use limits, cited by designation
