The Blog

GIY- Tinted Lip Balm

Green It Yourself (GIY) is a continuing blog series about upcycling everyday things to make the perfect gifts and more. Do you have some Green It Yourself ideas? We want to hear from you!

Protecting your lips is crucial any time of year but it is, especially important during the cold winter months when UV rays are still in full force. Stop paying $3-$5 for lip balm and invest in making your own. The simple and all natural ingredients in the project below bring great benefits to your lips. Beeswax has natural sun protection qualities. Peppermint oil is stimulating, soothing and anti-inflammatory. Coconut oil is anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and has an SPF of about 4. Almond oil is full of vitamin E, which offers protection from UV rays, prevents cell damage and is great for dry skin. It is nice to know exactly what you are putting on your lips and with this simple, holistic recipe; you can tailor it to your skins needs.

You will need:

2 tbs grated beeswax

2 tbs coconut oil

2 tsp almond oil

Chunk of lipstick (Color is up to you, a little goes a long way & remember it will look darker in the pot than it appears on your skin)

8-10 drops of essential oil (I used peppermint, but you can use any kind)

Mason jar

Disposable bamboo skewer/chopstick

Mini mint tins (I used the small Altoid containers & paint pods)

Instructions:

1.  Add everything but the essential oil and vitamin E capsule into the jar. Heat the jar in hot water until the wax melts and there are no flakes from the beeswax. Do NOT boil or overheat, this should be a gradual process. Stir continuously with a disposable skewer. Remove from heat.

2.  While off heat, add 8-10 drops of essential oil and stir.

3.  While the mixture is still hot, carefully pour into containers and let cool at room temperature until hardened and opaque.

*Tips: The ingredients are very versatile*

Locating my supplies was more difficult than I anticipated. I did all the running around for you, so you don’t waste your time checking every store around town. Go to Hyatts Art Supplies for the beeswax ($14 for 1lb compared to $25 and up elsewhere) and pod containers to hold your lip balm, both were readily available and much cheaper than the other spots I checked. Sweet almond oil can be found at Feel Rite and the Lexington Co-op. The essential oils and coconut oil were easy to find, check at any natural food or vitamin store.

The more coconut oil and almond oil you use, the glossier it will be.

The more essential oil you use, the more potent the smell and tingle.

If you don't want color, simply omit the lipstick shavings. The color component in my batch does not appear to be very strong. I think I will be making a more manly batch soon for all my friends who volunteered to be my testers.

Always patch-test a product, especially if you have sensitive skin or have a history of allergies.

I hope you enjoyed this GIY, I certainly did, the process was quick and easy with exceptional results. If you have any GIY projects of your own please share your trials and errors in the comment section below or on our Facebook page.