A hydroalcoholic gel acts as a carrier system for bioactive substrates. This hydroalcoholic gel contains water and lower alcohol as the continuous phase. It also contains gelling agents, thickening agents, skin conditioning agents, emulsifiers, and penetration enhancers. This hydroalcoholic gel can be manufactured through a process that does not require external heating. This hydroalcoholic gel can self-emulsify into a lotion or cream texture when an oil is introduced to the system. Bioactive substrates that can be incorporated into this carrier hydroalcoholic gel can be hydrophilic or hydrophobic. Hydrophilic bioactive substrates can be dispersed into the gel directly, while hydrophobic substrates can be incorporated firstly into an oil and then into the carrier gel through a self-emulsification process. This hydroalcoholic gel can enhance the topical delivery efficacy of certain substrates.