DIY Peppermint Lip Balm

With Just 6 Ingredients!

I admit it, I am addicted to lip balm. I use it daily…when I wake up, several times a day and again just before bed. I have them stored in my bathroom, in my purse and in various other places around the house. Are you as addicted as I am?

If so, consider this. You put lip balm on your lips. You, then, proceed to lick your lips, eat, drink or maybe even kiss someone. What doesn’t get ingested, surely gets absorbed into the thin skin of your lips.

If you are like me, you want to know just what is in that lip balm before it makes its way into your body…several times a day!

What’s In Those Commercial Lip Balms, Anyway?

After doing some research, I found that many commercial lip balms or chapsticks include some questionable ingredients; ingredients I certainly try to avoid putting on or in my body. Here is a list of the most common toxic ingredients found:

1. BHA and BHT

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) are compounds used as preservatives in lip balms. They are known to have carcinogenic effects on test animals. They are also linked to endocrine disruption, liver damage, developmental and reproductive toxicity and respiratory irritation.

2. Lanolin

Lanolin is a fatty substance extracted from sheep skin and wool. It has been shown to have fantastic moisturizing qualities, holding up to 400% of its weight in moisture. However, if you are allergic to or have sensitivities to wool, you probably want to avoid using lip balms including lanolin, as they may cause an allergic reaction.

3. Parabens

Parabens are used as fragrance or flavors in many low quality lip balms. They also act as a preservative in beauty products to keep them from growing bacteria and mold. If a product ingredient contains a word that ends in “paraben”, such as methylparaben, proplyparaben, isopropylparaben, and isobutylparaben, that product should be avoided.

Parabens are known endocrine disruptors that mimic estrogen in the body and can cause hormonal imbalances, reproductive problems and cancer. In fact, a 2012 study found that 99% of all cancerous breast tumors contained parabens. It should be especially noted that products containing parabens should never be used on developing babies and children. These estrogen mimicking endocrine disruptors can wreak havoc on the developing bodies of both boys and girls alike, causing breasts in boys, early menstruation in girls and obesity in both genders. This is particularly disturbing to me, since my kids have been caught practically eating some of my unguarded lip balms!

4. Petrolatum

Petrolatum (i.e. petroleum jelly or mineral oil) is made from refined petroleum. Some refining methods use synthetic chemicals, which may contaminate the petroleum jelly with toxins. In addition, petroleum jelly creates an airtight barrier on the skin, thereby sealing in the toxic ingredients, encouraging them to be absorbed by the body.

5. Sunscreens

Sunscreens (i.e. SPF) often include toxic chemicals, including oxybenzone, octinoxate and homosalate. These chemicals can often be found in cosmetics such as lip balms. They have been shown to disrupt hormones, act like estrogen in the body and alter sperm production in male animals.

It should also be noted that, on July 3, 2018, Hawaii banned the sale of sunscreen products that contain either oxybenzone or octinoxate, as they are linked to hormone disruption in people and the bleaching of coral reefs and coral death. Sadly, however, the ban will not apply to makeup containing oxybenzone or octinoxate.

6. Synthetic Chemicals

Synthetic colors, flavors and “fragrance” are listed on nearly every conventional skin care or cosmetic ingredient label that contains an artificial fragrance (including the unscented ones). Often times, synthetic colors are sourced from heavy metals, coal-tar or bug carcasses. The ingredients that go into making the artificially chemical fragrances or flavors are often considered “trade secrets.” The term “fragrance” or “parfum” may include any combination of 3,000+ chemical ingredients that include carcinogens, allergens, endocrine disruptors and irritants.

I don’t know about you, but this list makes me weary. Although there are a few brands on the market that are safe to use, some of them can get pricy. And if you use lip balm as much as I do, it starts to take a little more out of your pocket than you’d like.

What Should Be In A Lip Balm?

Organic lip balms are often created using a combination of hard waxes, oils that are solid at room temperature, oils that are liquid at room temperature and perhaps a few extra ingredients. Acceptable natural ingredients include:

Hard waxes, such as beeswax and candelilla wax, that lock in moisture.
Oils that are solid at room temperature, including coconut oil and Shea butter. These oils give lip balms a creamy texture.
Oils that are liquid at room temperature, including almond oil, avocado oil, calendula oil, jojoba oil and olive oil. These oils penetrate the skin and provide deeper anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-aging benefits. Calendula oil is an especially great addition to lip balms, as it softens the skin and helps stimulate the growth of new skin cells.
Additional ingredients added to lip balms, not only for their scent, flavor and preservative qualities, but also for their health benefits. These extra ingredients may include essential oils, honey, tea and Vitamin E Oil.

If you are looking for a quick purchase, a few of the brands I have used and like include:

However, if you are interested in making your own lip balm in bulk for a fraction of the cost, read on. I’ve estimated that this recipe yields about 14 lip balm tubes at a mere 50 cents per tube!

What Will I Need To Make My Own Lip Balm?

Making your own lip balm may sound intimidating, but it is actually really easy to do. Some of the equipment I would recommend using are as follows:

You probably have most of these items in your kitchen already, with the exception of empty lip balm tubes. If this is the case, here are the ingredients I use in my recipe:

Beeswax

If you have never worked with Beeswax before, you’ll certainly want to know some conversion facts. If you have a food scale, you can easily measure 0.5 ounces or 14.2 grams of solid beeswax or beeswax pastilles. However, not everyone owns a food scale and you can be left scratching your head wondering what to do next!

To make your life easier, here are the conversions. A half an ounce (or 14.2 grams) of Beeswax is equivalent to:

1 Tbsp of melted beeswax or
4 ½ teaspoons of beeswax pellets or pastilles

If you are using solid beeswax and you do not have a food scale, I would suggest melting a portion of it first before starting this recipe. I do this by adding a bit to a glass jar and setting it in my toaster oven for about 20 minutes before starting.

Essential Oils

When choosing an essential oil brand, it is important to know how the oils were sourced and how they were extracted. There are several brands on the market that produce great oil selections, such as doTERRA, Healing Solutions, Plant Therapy & Young Living. I, personally, love the Edens Garden Brand, as they are passionate about providing high-quality and affordable essential oils to those searching for natural products. Their oils also smell really good!

How Do You Make This Lip Balm?

Once you have all of your ingredients ready, it’s a very simple process. You first must combine the beeswax, Shea butter and coconut oil in a glass jar and melt it down into a liquid, by placing the jar in a saucepan filled halfway with water. Simmer the contents until all of the ingredients are melted down.

When the beeswax mixture is melted, the essential oil, Vitamin E and almond oil can be added in. Mix all of the ingredients well and quickly pour the mixture into empty lip balm tubes before the mixture starts to harden.

If it does start to harden, however, don’t fret. Simply put the jar back in the warm water you used to melt the beeswax mixture in for a few moments until it melts again. Then, continue pouring the mixture into the remaining tubes. Piece of cake! The whole process should take under 20 minutes.

How Should I Store My Lip Balm?

Once you have filled all of your lip balm tubes, fix the caps onto the tubes and let them cool for several hours. When cooled and hardened, store them in a cool, dry place until ready to use. They will last for at least a year when stored properly.

Peppermint Lip Balm Labels Download

Holiday Peppermint Lip Balm Labels Download

These lip balms are great to make just for yourself, but they also make great gifts, too! I have made them and given several away during the holidays a few times. I’m looking forward to enjoying my last batch of homemade lip balm all year long. I hope you do, too! And if not, I hope I’ve helped you make healthier choices when purchasing lip balm. Your lips will surely thank you!