Homemade Lip Balm
Do you like spreading petroleum and chemicals on your lips? Or would you rather use something made from natural ingredients that actually heal and moisturize your lips? If natural is your choice, you will love today's lesson.
Besides the obvious lack of toxic chemicals plaguing your skin and leeching into your body, the ingredients used to make homemade herbal lip balm offer many benefits to your lips and health.
Coconut oil - makes a great lip product by itself, so combined with other ingredients in herbal lip balms really takes it to the next level. Coconut oil provides both a protective barrier and moisturizes. The high fat content in the coconut oil, along with the beeswax, helps this lip balm recipe harden nicely after it’s cooled off. The beneficial fatty acids within coconut oil help provide antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits when applied topically.
Shea butter - leaves everything feeling silky smooth. Shea butter is an emollient, softening the skin and filling in cracks. It provides both short-term and long-term moisture, as well as building up your lip's immune response, speeding up healing time. Shea butter is also great at providing a protective barrier and supplying antioxidants, such as vitamin E, that helps fight oxidative stress and free radical damage.
Beeswax - essential for hardening the homemade herbal lip balm and giving it the ability to go on smoothly. If you prefer a harder lip balm, or if you frequently keep it in your warm pocket, more beeswax pellets can be added to stiffen it up. Beeswax also provides benefits to your lips by forming a protective barrier, lubricating, and reducing trans-epidermal water loss. These properties of beeswax protect the lips from becoming dry or chapped. Beeswax is also an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and is high in vitamin A.
Vitamin E oil - a powerful antioxidant, fighting skin cell damage and providing anti-aging benefits. It also acts as a humectant, providing hydration, and an emollient, supporting the skin barrier. Vitamin E is especially helpful for cracked and dry lips or if an infection is present, as it speeds healing and reduces inflammation. It also helps the lip balm to last longer without going rancid.
Essential oils - contain amazing benefits for the body, both internally and topically. They are a very powerful product and must be used with caution and common sense. You only want to use essential oils that have been deemed safe for ingestion since it will be applied to the lips. The oils are very concentrated and only a few drops are needed. Each essential oil is going to provide different benefits in regards to lip health, and you can tailor it to your specific smell preference. Here is a list of some of our favorites for lip balm -
Peppermint - helps heal cracked lips and provides a soothing effect.
Lavender - anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and soothing
Geranium - leaves lips silky and smooth
Chamomile - hydrating and anti-inflammatory, aids with chapped lips, seals in moisture and reduces fine lines
Orange– anti-inflammatory, helps heal dry and cracked lips
Homemade Herbal-Infused Oil -
Combine your favorite oil and herbs and allow to sit for about 4 weeks. This ingredient can be replaced with your favorite skin benefiting oil without the herbs, however, the herbs can add additional benefits that will take your lip balm to the next level.
Carrier Oils -
Jojoba oil - nourishes and hydrates, loaded with antioxidants and essential fatty acids that help protect.
Olive oil - restores hydration and suppleness, loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that hydrate, moisturize, and protect.
Almond oil - loaded with healthy fats, minerals, vitamins B and E. Nourishes, restores and protects.
Argan oil - loaded with vitamins E and A, other antioxidants and essential fatty acids. Soothes, anti-aging effects, and heals.
Herbs -
Calendula– anti-inflammatory and helps to heal and soothe the skin.
Chamomile– calming and comforting to skin with a beautiful scent.
Lemon balm– heals the skin and speeds healing of cold sores.
Plantain– reduces inflammation and dermatitis, aids in healing.
Precautions -
While generally safe, individuals allergic to ragweed, daisies, or marigolds may experience allergic reactions. Pregnant or nursing individuals should consult a doctor before use.
Herbal Lip Balm Formula
4 teaspoons organic shea butter
1 teaspoon organic, unrefined coconut oil
3 teaspoons herbal-infused oil
2 teaspoons (6 grams) beeswax pellets
4 drops essential oil
5 drops vitamin E oil
In a double boiler, combine shea butter and beeswax, stirring continuously until nearly melted.
Add coconut oil and stir until everything is melted and combined.
Remove from heat and add herbal infused oil of choice, stir to combine.
Allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding essential oils and vitamin E oil.
Thoroughly mix and then immediately transfer to lip balm tubes. Allow to sit for at least an hour to solidify.