DIY Lip Balm

Soothe dry, chapped, and even cracked lips with a DIY Lip balm. Make this lip balm recipe with all-natural ingredients for a long-lasting, hydrating lip balm.

I hope you love saving money and using natural, eco-friendly ingredients in all your DIYs; I know I do! So every winter, I make a batch of this lip balm, usually after my lips start to dry out and crack from the cooler weather.

Thankfully, this protective recipe doesn’t take long to restore the lips. In addition, this DIY lip balm provides a protective covering over the lips from the elements such as wind and cold weather.

And the best part of all, it is simple to make and extremely cost-efficient. For example, the recipe will make about 12 lip balm tubes, lasting you all winter long!

A tube of lip balm can cost upwards of 4 dollars, which I guess is not a big deal but can certainly be made for so much less. For me, with kids, it’s tough to justify when most likely, it’s going to get lost, or a kid is going to bite the top off ruining it!

So, like most things in my home, ok, all things in my house, I decided to DIY it. Using many of the same ingredients as my lip gloss and lipstick recipes, I put together this lip balm that is perfect for chapped lips! 

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Lip balm ingredients

• 2 tablespoons beeswax
• 2 tablespoons cocoa butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 10 drops of essential oil (I’ll share my favorites below)
• Lip balm tubes (this recipe will fill about 12 tubes)

Lip balm recipe 

Place all the ingredients (except essential oils) in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, don’t go out and buy one! Fill a pot with water, then set a glass bowl over the top to where it will be partially submerged.

Melt all the ingredients together, stirring often.

Once all the ingredients are melted, remove from the heat, add essential oils if used, and mix well. Work fast as the mixture will harden quickly after being removed from the heat.

Fill the lip balm containers using a small funnel, pipette, or old medicine dropper.

Let tubes sit at room temperature for a few hours until cooled and completely hardened before capping them—store extras in a cool, dry place.

In the case of extremely chapped or dry, flaky lips, exfoliate first with a lip exfoliating scrub.

After making this simple recipe, don’t let it get lost in the array of storage tins, containers and tubes. Print off a free lip balm label in my online resource library.

Substitutions

Each of the ingredients can be easily substituted to satisfy your specific wants.

Beeswax can be substituted equally for soy wax with minimal change to the texture.

Cocoa butter shares many similar properties with shea butter and mango butter. As a result, substitute or mix and match any of these three butters.

Essential oils, as long as they are pure, with no added fillers, essential oils make a great addition to this lip balm recipe. You’ll find a list of gentle oils to add below.

Lip balm storage options

Use old lip balm or chapstick tubes when possible. If those are unavailable, empty tubes are pretty cheap and are reusable.

I bought a set of chapstick tubes years ago, and I am still reusing them. However, if you prefer, a small tin or container works well for storing your natural lip balm. Plus, it is easier to fill a large container than the smaller tubes.

How long does lip balm last

This lip balm recipe will last up to several years, which, using up before then, should not be a problem. Both beeswax and the essential oils essentially have no expiration.

The two ingredients that do have a shelf-life are cocoa butter and coconut oil. Both of which will last at least two years if stored in a cool, dry place.

Adding flavor to lip balm 

Depending on your preferred flavor and scent, you can use several essential oils in your lip balm. For example, use mint essential oils to cool and soothe chapped lips.

WARNING: If you use any citrus essential oils in your lip balm, do not apply to the lips if you’re going to be in direct sunlight. Citrus essential oils can cause a phototoxic reaction, typically resulting in an exaggerated sunburn.

Lavender: Great for the skin and smells fantastic.

Peppermint:  The cooling effect of peppermint feels really good on chapped lips.

Spearmint:  Same cooling effect as peppermint with a milder, sweeter scent.

Roman Chamomile: I love this delicate floral oil’s scent, and it has many benefits for the skin.

*Wild Orange:  Orange and chocolate…need I say more?

*Lemon:  This oil is very uplifting, refreshing, and cleansing, making it perfect for your lip balm.

Rose:  Rose oil is amazing for any skin imperfection, and of course, it smells lovely.

Frankincense:  Known for its extensive benefits, frankincense has been used in cosmetics for millenniums.

Rosemary:  Pairs beautifully with lavender and the other ingredients in the lip balm.

A little on the ingredients

Beeswax: This ingredient is essential in fighting against chapped lips or skin with its antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. In addition, it forms a protective wall by sealing moisture in the skin without clogging up the pores.

You can make a lip balm without beeswax, but the balm will not provide the same protection or texture that it would otherwise have with beeswax.

Cocoa Butter: Cocoa butter is the fat that comes from cocoa beans, and it smells absolutely delicious, in my opinion. This might be why my kids like to eat their lip balm!  

Don’t worry; cocoa butter is edible! Cocoa butter naturally moisturizes the skin and heals dry, chapped skin.

Coconut Oil: The hype around coconut oil these days is for a good reason. You can use it in the kitchen, on your skin, in your hair, and the list goes on. Coconut oil is naturally antibacterial, anti-fungal, and an excellent moisturizer for your skin and lips.

Essential Oils: Several essential oils can do wonders for skin imperfections. I like using peppermint in my chapstick because of the cooling effect it has.  

Peppermint is very soothing for dry, chapped lips. Lavender is another one of my personal favorites, partly because it is very gentle on sensitive skin such as the lips, but also because it smells incredible with cocoa butter.

Why homemade lip balm

Making your own beauty products ensures the products going onto your body are natural, pure and free of any artificial or synthetic ingredients.

In addition to the above, making your own lip balm, beauty products, etc., allows you the opportunity to customize each recipe to suit your specific wants and needs.

Ingredients found in many lip balms 

Petroleum Jelly: Petroleum jelly can make your skin or lips feel moisturized and hydrated. However, studies have shown it to be a carcinogen, a toxic ingredient and not recommended for use on the lips.

Parabens: Parabens are a group of compounds used as a preservative in most cosmetic and personal products. They mimic estrogen and cause hormone imbalances. Parabens are found in 99% of breast cancer tumors!

Fragrance: Fragrances can cause allergic reactions, contain hormone disturbers, carcinogens, and have been linked to damage sperm.

Lanolin: Lanolin is a waxy substance that coats a sheep’s fur, keeping it moist and protecting its skin. If you aren’t buying organic, this ingredient may be loaded with pesticides and chemicals that are sprayed on the sheep’s fur to protect them against bugs.

Artificial Dyes: Artificial dyes are known to cause allergic reactions. They have been linked to cancer tumors and hyperactivity in children.

Lip balm vs chapstick

Both lip balm and chapstick are interchangeable, with chapstick being a form of lip balm. Many may associate lip balm with providing protection for the lips while using chapstick more as a moisturizer.

With a number of different lip balm variations, you are sure to find one to fit your specific needs.

 Homemade lip balms

This homemade lip balm recipe is easy to whip up, very cheap, and made with all-natural ingredients. As much as I try to keep toxic products out of my home, I try to make homemade products as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible.

When making products, especially skincare products, it is so important to use all-natural ingredients. Take this all-natural lip balm, for example; it is being applied to one of the most sensitive parts of the body!

It’s almost a guarantee some of it is making its way into the mouth, not to mention the fact that the skin is already naturally absorbent.

OTHER DIY HOME PRODUCT RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE 

• Lemon Balm Salve
• Deodorant
• Sea Salt Hair Spray
• Dry Shampoo
• Cleaning Wipes 
• Body Butter
• Toothpaste

Have fun making your own lip balm, and be sure to let me know how it turns out in the comment section below!