lip balm recipe with beeswax

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    1. Hi Julie!

      I’m afraid I’ve never made a tinted version of any lip balm, so I’m not the best person to ask, since I’ve never actually experimented with different techniques. However, in general, DIY tinted lip balms are made with either mica powders (they come in a wide variety of colors), or root powders like alkanet, madder or beet – for pink, reddish, maroon colors.

      Micas are mineral powders that may or may not be 100% natural – you would have to check with the vendor, if that’s important to you. They give tint and a sort of shimmer effect. You can add them directly to the heated oils when you’re making the lip balm and mix it in thoroughly. The amounts would depend on the intensity of the color you want to achieve. But you could try 1/8 tsp per ounce of lip balm for a softer tint and up to 1/4 tsp per ounce for a deeper tint. Test and see how you like it.

      Root powders are herbal – they’ll give you a tint but not shimmer. These you have to infuse into the oil, prior to making the lip balm. So, you’d either let them steep for a couple of weeks or three, then strain the oil. Or you’d “cook” them in the oil for a bit (double boiler), over a low heat, until the oil acquires the color and then strain. The amounts of powder would vary depending on the actual color and shade you’re aiming for, so it’d be a matter of experimenting.

      I hope that helps!

    1. Hi Sherie! ^_^

      Yes, of course. You can use spearmint if you prefer. The main difference between the two is that peppermint is much higher in menthol (has a cooling and slightly spicy effect) and spearmint is much higher in camphor (sweeter and has a warming effect). Peppermint is also known as a pretty effective lip plumper, although all mints increase blood flow to varying degrees.

      They’re both very strong essential oils and the lips are a very sensitive part of the body, so make sure not to go overboard on the amount. A safe ratio is about 0,5 % dilution – so, about 3 drops per 1 ounce (30 ml) of balm.

      Hope that helps!

    1. Hi Tracey! 🙂

      The most popular substitutes (and probably easiest to source) would be Candelilla wax and Carnauba wax. Candelilla has a similar (approximately) melting point to beeswax, so that might be your best bet. You can use Carnauba as well, but this one has a higher melting point, so you would need to reduce the amount of the wax in the recipe. Maybe cut it in half and test it to see if the consistency is good for you. If not, just melt everything again and add a bit more or a bit less of the wax, depending on whether you think it’s too soft or too hard.

      As long as you don’t add any essential oils, you can just keep melting the balm back to liquid form and adding more of the wax/oils, letting it solidify and testing it again. Just make sure to write down how much you added of each ingredient, so you don’t forget the perfect ratio next time you want to make it.

      Hope it helps!

    1. Hi Vicki ^_^ Yes, that should be fine, just make sure to check the specific flavour oil you’re planning to use for the following:

      must be safe to use on the lips (i.e., should NOT be a fragrance oil); the vendor should list this information for you
      make sure to adjust the amounts accordingly (flavour oils are usually stronger than essential oils, so you should be using less of it); the maximum amount considered safe will depend on the specific oil, so you’ll have to check what that is for the oil you want to use (can range anywhere from 0.3% to 5% of the total product amount).

      I hope that helps!

    1. Hey Deena ^_^ Thanks! Yes, that makes sense – although coconut is solid at Winter/Fall room temperatures, it’s not as viscous an oil as olive. Olive oil definitely feels like more of a protective barrier for the skin.

    1. Hi Donna 🙂 Yes, that would be fine! This recipe makes a solid lib balm when cooled down – all you have to do is pour it into the tubes, after melting everything and mixing it together.

  1. Does this make only one or a few. I’d like to make some as gifts but want to make sure the ratios were correct. Thank you! Can’t wait to try this!

    1. Hi Evelyn! 🙂 The recipe makes about 30 ml / 1 oz – enough for a small jar. But the ingredient amounts are in whole units of measure (1, 2, 3), so it’s easy to double, triple, quadruple…whatever you need. ^_^

    1. Hi Kimberly! 🙂 I don’t usually have mango butter on hand – I tend to stick with Shea or cocoa (depending on the type of recipe), but I have used mango butter in other things and you’re right – it feels less greasy but still very hydrating. If you try it in the lip balm recipe, let us know how it works 🙂

  2. I made this today and it was SO quick and easy and it’s a really nice lip balm! Very soothing and just the right consistency. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

        1. Hi Kelly 🙂 Yes, you add the honey to the fats and beeswax mix and let everything melt together. If you’re using honey, remember to stir the mixture for a while longer, to make sure it’s well blended and doesn’t just sink to the bottom.

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