DIY Lip Balm You Can Make at Home

Treat your dry, chapped lips with your own homemade lip balm made with natural ingredients. It is an inexpensive alternative to commercial lip balms that are often loaded with synthetic chemicals.

You can make your lip balm using beeswax, coconut oil, castor oil, and honey. Beeswax is known for its emollient, soothing, and softening properties. It forms a protective barrier on your lips to prevent dryness. When melted and combined with other ingredients, it helps make your lip balm firmer.^[1]

Coconut oil, being rich in fatty acids, nourishes your lips and keeps them moisturized. Plus, its antioxidant properties protect your lips from damage.^[2] Honey also helps retain moisture, thanks to its humectant properties.^[3]

This recipe also includes a little castor oil. While it softens lips, castor oil is very moisturizing, absorbs well, and leaves a soft, glossy shine.

How to Make Your Homemade Lip Balm

Things you will need:

• Beeswax
• Extra-virgin coconut oil
• Castor oil
• Raw honey
• Microwave or double boiler
• Grater or peeler
• Mixing spoon
• Mixing bowl
• Sterilized lip balm containers or tubes

Steps

1. Shred a ½ ounce bar of beeswax using a grater or peeler and transfer it into a bowl.

2. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin coconut oil. (Ideally, the proportion of beeswax to coconut oil should be 1:2.)

3. Add 1 to 1½ teaspoons of castor oil.

4. Melt this mixture in a microwave or a double boiler.

5. Add ½ to 1 tablespoon of raw honey.

6. Mix it well and quickly transfer the mixture into your lip balm containers before it cools and hardens.

A single batch of this recipe should be enough to fill 4 to 5 small lip balm containers.

Store your homemade lip balm in a cool, dry place. It should last for several months.

Additional Tips

• You can vary the amounts of beeswax and coconut oil, depending on whether you are going to store it in a lip balm container (use more coconut oil and less beeswax so it is not too firm) or a lip balm tube (use more beeswax and less coconut oil to make it firmer).
• When transferring the melted solution into the lip balm tubes, use a dropper to avoid spills.
• To create a double boiler to melt the beeswax, fill half a pan with water and turn on the heat. When the water starts boiling, put your bowl containing the beeswax mixture in it. Simmer on low heat until the mixture melts completely.
• If using a microwave to melt the beeswax, be careful not to overheat as beeswax is highly flammable. The wax should melt in 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• When melting the beeswax, do not cover it as the condensation can ruin the texture of your lip balm.
• To add color and flavor to your homemade lip balm, add ½ teaspoon of cocoa powder. You can also use beetroot powder or alkanet powder.
• If you do not want to use beeswax, consider using candelilla wax (a vegetable wax) and pair it with shea butter along with coconut or almond oil. When substituting candelilla wax, use half the amount specified for beeswax.
• Compared to commercial lip balm, you may have to reapply your homemade lip balm several times a day because many of the ingredients absorb into the skin faster than commercial lip balms. The fast absorption of ingredients and frequent application of the lip balm are beneficial because your lips will be nourished regularly with the natural ingredients in comparison with using commercial lip balms.

Resources:

1. Kadu M, Vishwasrao DS, Singh DS. Review on Natural Lip Balm. International Journal of Research in Cosmetic Science. https://docplayer.net/21136255-International-journal-of-research-in-cosmetic-science-issn-2277-7172-review-article-review-on-natural-lip-balm.html. Published August 3, 2014.
2. Verma SR, Sivaprakasam, et.al. In vitro anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties of Virgin coconut oil. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411017300871. Published January 17, 2018.
3. Burlando B, Cornara L. Honey in dermatology and skin care: a review. Journal of cosmetic dermatology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24305429. Published December 2013.