Just Make Your Own #LipBalm (It's Easy)
With most beauty products, healthy choices become clearer after a scan of the ingredients. But tiny tubes of lip balm, and their equally tiny labels, can make this difficult. To avoid putting unwanted dyes, petroleum products, and preservatives near your mouth, mix up a batch of balm yourself. It’s surprisingly easy, and the results beat many store-bought salves. Add peppermint and eucalyptus oils to heal a chapped kisser, or opt for a soothing vanilla- and rose-scented version. Either way, you’ll have lip-softening relief right in your pocket.
Chances are, you already have one or more carrier oils (see materials list) — so called because they help distribute the essential oil and create a smooth texture — in your kitchen: grapeseed oil (virtually odorless), sunflower oil, olive oil (choose the lightest grades so the scent won’t mask that of the essential oil), and vitamin E oil (which can be expensive, so use in small quantities in combination with another carrier oil).
See More: 8 Unique Handmade Holiday Gifts That Will Impress
Materials:
1 tablespoon beeswax pellets
2 tablespoons carrier oil
Heatproof glass jar
Pot
Metal spoon
Plastic pipettes
Essential oil(s)
Store-bought lipstick and eyeliner (for color)
Craft stick (for shaving lipstick)
Cosmetic-style slide tins or metal pots (available here)
1. Put 1 tablespoon beeswax and 2 tablespoons carrier oil in jar, and close lid. An adult should heat the jar in a pot of water over medium-low until wax has melted. Remove jar from pot carefully.
2. Stir mixture with a metal spoon. Using a pipette, add essential oil, 1 drop at a time, until strength of scent is to your liking. shave off small amounts of lipstick and liner with a craft stick, then stir in shavings, one at a time, until desired shade is achieved.
3. Using another pipette, transfer lip balm to cosmetic containers. Let set for 1 hour.
4. Once balm in container has set, you can make patterns with melted balm in another color: For dots, use a straw to poke holes in balm; remove excess wax from tin with a toothpick, then use a pipette to fill hole with melted balm; let set. For stripes, cut away balm with a knife and pipe in a different color.
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