I’m tired of running out of lip balm. It comes in little tiny tubes. They don’t last long. When I need more, I have to order it. That’s because it’s the easiest way to obtain non-toxic lip balm.
Otherwise, if I buy whatever I see in the local drugstore, I’ll end up putting nasty chemicals on my lips. I haven’t worn this type of lip balm in years, and I never plan to again. That’s because it’s made with a number of ingredients I don’t want anywhere near my body. Lip balm invariably gets swallowed. So I’d be literally eating petroleum derivatives.
The tube of lip balm also contains parabens. These are chemicals added as preservatives. However, parabens are worrisome. They mimic the female hormone estrogen.
It’s feared these chemicals could potentially fuel hormone-driven cancers. There’s some research showing that parabens help breast cancer cells grow, when observed in the lab. This doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing happens in the body. However, I’ve decided parabens are something I want on my lips.
How to Make Non Toxic Lip Balm
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Actually, nowadays, there’s no need to wear lip balm made with parabens. A number of natural non-toxic options exist. I order my natural lip balm online. I like the brands I’ve used. They work really well. However, they run out quickly.
So, this time around, I decided not to order more. That’s because I know how easy it is to make your own lip balm, with just three ingredients. You can then add the essential oils of your choice. I decided to make mine homemade lip balm with peppermint essential oil, since I always have this in the house anyway.
How to Make Natural Lip Balm With Beeswax
For my DIY lip balm, I used a basic beeswax salve recipe. I skipped the little tube. I didn’t even want to try pouring hot oils into such a small container. Instead, I put my homemade lip balm in an empty mint tin. (My husband likes mints. When he’s finished, he gives me the tin.)
The recipe I use calls for uses coconut oil and organic shea butter to moisten the lips. These natural plant-based emollients are something I use on my skin every day, because they work so well. I add an equal part of organic beeswax pellets. This provides firmness. Without the beeswax, the formula would have the consistency of a heavy cream. It would also melt in warmer weather.
How to Make Lip Balm That Doesn’t Melt
I used a general salve recipe for my lip balm. I have two kinds of DIY salves that I use regularly. One is a sleep salve. I keep this by my pillow. The other is a pain relief salve made with a special essential oil blend. I have chronic nerve inflammation. But I manage it well with natural remedies. I use essential oils for any breakthrough pain.
This salve has held up in warm weather, because of the beeswax pellets. I’m confident enough to carry this homemade lip balm in my purse, knowing it won’t turn to liquid or drip. Because it’s in a mint tin, I use a rubber band to keep the lid on.
How to Make Lip Balm Base
Okay, so here’s my really easy recipe for DIY homemade lip balm that doesn’t contain potentially toxic chemicals.
1/4 cup of organic beeswax pellets (You can find them here)
1/4 cup of organic coconut oil (You can find it here)
1/4 cup of organic shea butter (You can find it here)
1 drop of peppermint essential oil (You can get it here)
Slowly melt the first three ingredients over low heat. On my stove, I set the dial at two. Watch closely. You don’t want the mixture to smoke. As soon as it becomes liquid, remove from heat and add the peppermint essential oil. Pour into a clean glass jar or an empty cleaned mint tin.
How to Make Natural Lip Balm for Pink Lips
If you’d like a pinkish glow to your lip balm, you can add a little bit of organic beet root powder or hibiscus powder. For beet root, I’d choose only an organic brand. That’s because many of the beets grown in the United States are now genetically modified. Knowing what I know about GMOs, I try to avoid them. One study done in France found that animals fed GMO grain developed enormous tumors.
Is there anything that I could use instead of coconut oil. I am highly allergic to coconut. Almost all lip balms have coconut in them.
Hi, Casaundra, if it were me and I couldn’t use coconut oil I’d try using olive oil and adding a little more shea butter than you would normally and maybe even a tiny bit more beeswax than the recipe calls for. You might have to play around with it to get the consistency that you like.