DIY Lip Balm for Holiday Gifts

 This year I went all out and decided that I was going to hand make all of our Christmas presents. I did quite a bit of research on how to make lip balms and decided on a list of ingredients I knew I wanted to use. Check out my post on research for more information.

I have to say that this seemed like it could be complicated, but it wasn't at all (probably because I did some research and didn't try to wing it like I usually do...). I really truly enjoyed making this stuff!

There are many sites that I referenced for direction but what it boils down to is....

• 1 Part Oil
• 1 Part Wax
• 2 Parts Butter

So for my test batch I did:

• 1 Teaspoon Jojoba Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Beeswax
• 2 Teaspoons Shea Butter (generous teaspoons)

I also added a few drops of Vitamin E Oil to help the balm last longer (1-2 years) and about 1/3 a Teaspoon of Clover Honey.

 

I added the jojoba oil, beeswax, and shea butter into a pyrex container and placed it in a large pot filled with 2 inches of water. 

I turned the stove top to Low (half way between low and medium to be exact). After about 5 to 6 minutes the butter started to melt...10 minutes later, it was completely melted into the mixture. 

The beeswax took the longest to melt and I ended up turning the stove top to Medium heat 15 minutes in. The mixture was completely melted at 19 minutes. This is when I mixed in the Honey and Vitamin E. 

I very quickly removed the pyrex and began to fill my little containers that I had setup up next to the stove. I placed a paper towel under the tubes just in case I got a little crazy while pouring it.

 Next time, I will add the Honey in with the mixture at the very beginning and add the Vitamin E Oil in right before the wax is completely melted. I say this because...1 The Oil didn't seem to mix in as well as I had hoped and 2 The honey mostly ended up in the last pot that I filled.

This recipe size made 4 tubes and 1 tin.

Taste and Texture

The balm came out great! It was silky smooth and soft with a nice bit of honey after taste...not enough to make you want to eat the balm. 

My husband enjoyed the balm also but commented that he thought it might be a little too "shiny" for guys to use. So next time I will add a tad bit more wax and butter to make it less "shiny" for the guys.

Soon I will be adding flavors and mixing the ingredients with different butters and oils to come up with something unique. 

I totally recommend doing this. Making your own lip balm is a great way to keep all of those nasty chemicals out of your body.   It saves money, makes for great gifts, and is a lot of fun. If you don't feel like making it yourself, you can buy homemade lip balms on Etsy or at your local farmer's market...but I do hope you try it!

Here is a list of a few sites that I found helpful:

Bramble Berry :Where I got my wax, butter, tubes and tins, and vitamin e (not to mention their great tips and tricks)

Amazon : Where I got my jojoba oil

Rustic Escentuals: Where I got my flavor oils (also great tips and tricks)

Cheers!

Rachel


UPDATE: I've been messing around with the texture of the balm and I have found that to make up for adding the vitamin E oil and honey, you need to add more wax and butter. the first batch became grainy after a few days, but melts as soon as it meets your lips.

I've been doing 1 part wax, 1 part oil, 3 parts butter.