I started avoiding store-bought lip balms several years ago because of the smell factor. I didn’t like the medicinal, fake smell. It smelled bad, tasted bad. Then I started reading the labels of store-bought lip balms and discovered they were loaded with not-so-fantastic ingredients such as parabens, aluminum, and petrolatum (all of which can be linked to cancer). No, thank you! So I started buying “natural” lip balms which were full of good stuff but at $4 for a little tube, it wasn’t really a super frugal option. Being a do-it-yourself-er, I decided to make my own. I control what goes into it so I know it is full of good ingredients. It is silky, makes my lips nice and moisturized, and doesn’t taste bad. And it is way cheaper to make it versus buy it. This recipe makes about enough to fill up 3 lip balm tubes. I make it, fill up one tube, and then when I need a refill I just reheat what is left and fill up the tube again.
Ingredients:
1 tsp sweet almond oil
1/8 tsp vitamin E oil
2 1/2 tbsp beeswax
1/2 tbsp coconut oil
Step One:
Melt all ingredients in small glass container in the microwave for 1 minute.
*At this point, the oils are very hot and you do not want to spill any on yourself. I use a hot pad to make sure I don’t get burned.
Swirl gently to make sure the beeswax melts. If it needs to be melted more, put back in the microwave for 20 second intervals, swirling after each one to aid the melting.
Step Two:
Pour into a lip balm tube (I reused mine from my last natural lip balm purchase). Fill up to the very top. Put cap on and refrigerate for about 10 minutes to speed up the hardening or just let it set on the counter undisturbed until if firms up. If you find that your balm is a little soft for your liking you can take it out of the tube, throw it back in the glass container, add a bit more beeswax, re-melt and re-pour.
That is it! Simple, homemade lip balm.
This post is linked to Healthy2Day Wednesday.
2:12 pm on October 20th, 2011
Super cool post.
8:06 am on June 30th, 2012
Wow, I never knew this would be that easy, and its all stuff I’d feel safe putting near my mouth~ I have a question though, where would you buy beeswax?
8:23 am on June 30th, 2012
Brittany, you can find good quality beeswax at Mountain Rose Herbs.