How to Make a Moisturizing Lip Balm

I wear lip balm or chap stick almost very day, especially in the winter and summer months when my lips tend to dry out the most. Making your own homemade moisturizing lip balm is so fun and easy. You can add your favorite scented oils as well and when you apply it to your lips, it is in the perfect spot for aromatherapy to get you though your day. You can make several different scented lip balms for different times of the day and different moods. There are so many different scents to choose from and it really depends on what your preference is, get creative and see what you can come up with. One of the greatest things about making your own Lip Balm is that it is so cheap to make you can save tons of money and tell every one that you made your own personal Lip Balm.

The difference between a lip Balm, or chap stick and a Lip Gloss, is that the Lip Balm and Chap Stick are meant to be worn to moisturize and protect your lips, while a Lip Gloss is a fun and simple way to get shiny, sexy lips.

You will need:

A Used Lip Balm Tin or Jar or
An Empty Baby Food Jar
Beeswax

Any of the following oils:
Cocoa Butter
Shea Butter
Your Favorite Carrier Oil
Petroleum Jelly
Your Favorite Food Grade Scented Oil
Your Favorite Essential Oils

Glass Measuring Cup for Liquids
Spoon
Dropper
Medicine Dispenser (like an empty syringe)
Cheese Grater (possibly)

I have a tendency to hold on to things, like the little tins that Lip Balm comes in, to find new ways to reuse them. When I started making my own Lip Balm, I had several used lip balm jars and tins in my craft room waiting to be recycled and used in a new way. I also save baby food jars and have quite a collection of those as well. If you use lip balm often, a baby food jar might be the way to go for you. Baby food jars full of Lip Balm are also a perfect addition to your bedside table. When properly stored, Lip Balm will last for close to a year, especially if you make sure your fingers are clean when you use it. Additionally, make sure that your used tin or jar is clean before adding your Lip Balm to it, I usually just toss them in the dishwasher.

I have also included a link to company that sells empty containers at the end of this article. You will have to make sure those are clean as well, I always wash mine before using them.

A Carrier oil is a mild vegetable oil that comes from comes from kernels, nuts or seeds. When choosing a Carrier Oil, you also want to make sure that it is cold pressed. Alternatively, you can choose a food grade scented oil (or unscented if you choose), or combination of oils for your Lip Balm. A few examples and ideas for you include:

Almond Oil
Coconut Oil
Apricot Oil
Hempseed Oil
Peppermint Oil
Citrus Oil
Jojoba Oil
Sunflower Oil

Make sure that everything you are using to mix your Lip Balm in is clean.

All of the Lip Balm Recipes have a Beeswax base to them. You can purchase Beeswax as a chunk or you can get it in loose little pellets. If you get it as a chunk, you will need to grate it before melting it. It does not need to be a small size, your average cheese grater will work just fine. You can also use a sharp knife to shave off small chunks, about the size of a pea or piece of corn. There is really no wrong way to do it.

Beeswax and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm:

Mix the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter in a 1:1 ratio (the same as a 50-50 ratio) in a glass measuring cup (like the Pyrex ones with the handle). If you do not have a glass measuring cup, a glass bowl will work just fine. For smaller Lip Balm containers use 1-2 teaspoons of each, and for larger containers like baby food jars use 3-5 tablespoons of each.

Heat the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, and then stir. Repeat this process until the ingredients are melted together. The amount of time you will need to heat it will be different depending on the amount of Lip Balm you are making.

This Lip Balm recipe is great as it is, but you can also add a drop or two of a scented or essential oil. Cocoa Butter has a bit of a chocolate scent to it, so you have to think about that when choosing your oil scents. Mint or Coconut would be two wonderful choices to add to this Lip Balm. You will be adding the essential oil to the mix after the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter has melted.

Beeswax and Shea Butter Lip Balm:

The basic recipe for this is the same as the first recipe (1:1 ratio) but you have more scents to choose from because the Shea Butter does not have a scent itself. It has a slight nutty scent as it comes from the nuts of the Karite Nut Tree. For the most part though, you will not notice a scent and you can mix it with just about any scent you wish.

Follow the same instructions for heating and mixing this recipe as the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm.

Beeswax and Carrier Oil Lip Balm:

I still use a 1:1 ratio for this recipe, but it is a much softer Lip Balm. Most Carrier Oils have a great scent to them, like Coconut Oil. Add a few drops of a lime scented oil with Coconut Oil for a fresh summer blend. A few drops of Chocolate and Peppermint Oils would make for a wonderful Christmas Holiday scent. There are so many different essential oils and scented oils to choose from that the possibilities are endless!

Follow the same instructions for heating and mixing this recipe as the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm.

Beeswax and Petroleum Jelly Lip Balm:

You can still use the 1:1 ratio with this recipe, and again it is a much softer Lip Balm. Adding the Petroleum Jelly also gives this mixture more of a glossy look to it. If you like the harder Lip Balms without the glossy look, use a 1 to 1/2 ratio with this, the Beeswax being the larger portion.

Follow the same instructions for heating and mixing this recipe as the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm.

After your base and scented oils are heated and mixed together well you can add it to your container of choice. If you have a dropper or syringe type medicine dispenser, they work great to transfer the lip balm from your measuring cup or bowl to your container. If not you can use a spoon to transfer it. The glass measuring cups are nice to use, because you can slowly pour the lip balm into the larger containers.

After you make your first batch, you may decide that it is not the right consistency for you, feel free to add more or less of each ingredient. I love experimenting with different ingredients and amounts used. Additionally, with any of these recipes, you can add a few drops of Vitamin E to the mix for extra moisturizing.

Enjoy using your homemade Lip Balm and have fun experimenting with textures and flavors!