Moisturize Your Lips with Homemade Balm

To make your lip balm, you'll need a few simple ingredients, including beeswax, coconut oil, and essential oils of your choice for fragrance. You can also add other ingredients, like shea butter or almond oil for extra moisture.

Start by melting the beeswax in a double boiler or a glass jar placed in a pot of simmering water. This method will help ensure the beeswax melts evenly without burning.

Once the beeswax is melted, stir in the coconut oil until the two are fully combined. The ratio of beeswax to coconut oil will depend on the desired consistency of your lip balm, but a good starting point is 1 part beeswax to 2 parts coconut oil.

Next, stir in a few drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance. Some popular options include peppermint, lemon, and lavender. You can also add a small amount of honey for its natural moisturizing properties.

Stick to just one or two drops if it's your first time making lip balm; much more, and you could end up irritating your lips when you apply it.

Once all of the ingredients are combined, pour the mixture into small containers or tins. You can use empty lip balm containers or small jars or tins from the craft store.

Allow the lip balm to cool and solidify. Place the containers in a cool, dry place for at least an hour. You can also place them in the fridge to speed up the process.

Once the lip balm is solid, label the containers with the name of the lip balm and the date it was made. This will help you keep track of how long it lasts and when it might be time to toss it if you haven't used it up. The general rule is three months for skincare containing only natural ingredients. There are lots of pros to preservative-free products, but they don't last quite as long.

One great thing about homemade lip balm is that other than the short firming-up period, it will be good to use right away! The ingredients in this recipe will moisturize your lips and protect them from becoming chapped when it's cold. Remember to choose a balm with SPF, though, if you're going to be out in the sun for a while.

To ensure that your lip balm stays fresh and effective, store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. You can also keep it in the fridge to help it last longer.

If it's going to be in your purse or backpack, it might be best to keep it in a small jar that seals well—since it doesn't have any stabilizers, if you reuse empty tubes and your bag gets too warm, you could discover a greasy puddle in the bottom!

Once you've mastered the basic homemade lip balm recipe, experiment with different ingredients and fragrances. You can add cocoa butter or avocado oil for different textures of benefits (the latter has wound-healing properties).

Combine essential oils like vanilla and peppermint or rosemary and grapefruit, or explore natural colorants like mica and beetroot powder. Flex your creativity and see what wonderful creations you can invent!