Make Your Own Beeswax Lip Balm
I sure do hope summer arrives soon. I know it always ends up making an appearance, but this spring has been a big fat tease. I’ve been taking this time of anticipation to prepare for a season filled with outdoor music and camping, to help with a few DIY projects for a baby shower and to ready our apartment for a sweet new roommate.
This time of year has also inspired me to get a few seeds going for spring planting and to try out some new recipes, including this tasty strawberry tart (I subbed blueberries for the rhubarb). During my last grocery store trip for berries and such, I stopped to grab a tube of Burt’s Bees chapstick and I stopped for a moment, as I usually do, and was displeased with the price, as I usually am. “I could make me some chapstick,” I often think to myself before I continue with my silly purchase.
Well this time was different! I decided to go buy a brick of beeswax and make me some chapstick. I did a little online research and carefully curated a few different recipes and a little testing into my own version I like to call “Bee’s Knees Lip Balm.” I found most of my ingredients at Whole Foods (Coconut oil, shea butter and essential oils); this of course meant, I had to spend a little extra money for that organic touch. This is so easy to make and would be a great baby shower, birthday or just-because gift for friends. You can use vintage tins or buy bulk lip balm tins like this. Give it a whirl.
Ingredients
4 tsp Coconut Oil
2 tsp Shea Butter
2 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Honey
3-4 tsp Beeswax
4-5 drops Peppermint essential oil (you can sub any other oils; I’m using lavender in my next batch)
Small tin or jar
Process
Heat your coconut oil, olive oil and shea butter on low-medium heat until the solids are melted into an smooth, clear oil.
Add your tsp of honey and about 3-4 tsp of shredded beeswax (I used a cheese grater for this). Once everything is melted, let the mixture cool a little and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
Pour the mixture into a small tin or chapstick tube. This recipe made enough to fill about two small Altoids tins with a little left over.
After my first go the lip balm felt too soft and oily, so I scooped it out of the tin, melted it down again and added a little more beeswax. Let me know if you’re into making your own beauty products, and feel free to share your recipes in the comments section below.
