Bath & Beauty — April 30, 2020

DIY Organic Lip Balm

Bath & Beauty — April 30, 2020

DIY Organic Lip Balm

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A while ago I started the process of making my own lip balm. It fits right in with all of my bath and beauty product being natural and organic and I love that it can so easily be handmade. After experimenting with a few variations, I have come up with my personal favorite blend. Of course you can adjust to make it fit your preferences. I do add just a little color to mine with a natural color stick. You can also use pure mineral powder blush or a touch of your favorite lipstick color. Remember that the yellow of the olive oil will change the color a bit. If you replaced the olive oil with all coconut oil, you would be able to get a clearer pink. I like the added olive oil so I don’t mind. Another option for those who are allergic to coco butter is lanolin. I will be trying this in the next batch and will report how I like it.

I have also prepared these kraft paper style labels just for this project. Just download them onto your computer. Install the free font Quicksand Bold and open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat. You can change the flavor if you need and add your own “made by” and ingredients list. Print these onto full sheet label paper and trim rounds with a 1.5 inch circle punch and the squares with a craft knife. Important note: When printing the PDF make sure you print FULL SIZE rather than the default FIT PAGE. This will make your labels too small. Enjoy your silky lips! ~ Lia

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Organic Lip Balm Labels

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Discussion

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103 Comments

Carol May 19, 2021 at 1:24pm

Instead of using 1 1/2 teaspoons of cocoa butter, could I replace it with shea butter? ie 1 1/2 teaspoons plus 1 teaspoon of shea butter = 2 1/2 teaspoons of shea butter? I don’t like the smell of cocoa butter.

Reply
1. Lia May 19, 2021 at 2:03pm
  
  @Carol
  
  I haven’t tried that so can’t say for sure what the results would be, but if you’re up for experimenting you can skip the cocoa butter and add jut a bit more beeswax to balance out the liquid versus solid. Make a small test batch first 😉
  
  Reply
Julie June 4, 2019 at 8:07am

Lia,
I would like to know about the labels for the lip balm. I see that I can fill in some information on the labels, wonderful, but I cannot “save” my changed copy. It reverts back to your original. And, what adhesive paper do you suggest I print those onto? Please advise. Thank you!

Reply
1. Lia June 4, 2019 at 8:57am
  
  @Julie
  
  Make sure you save the PDF to your desktop, then open, make your changes, and save again. The edits will not save if you try to edit in the browser window. There’s a link in the post to the label paper we used, but any full sheet label paper will work!
  
  Reply
Darlonda December 19, 2018 at 1:09pm

Hi,

I just became a member for this recipe, yet, I don’t see it anywhere. Am I missing something?

Reply
1. Lia December 19, 2018 at 1:37pm
  
  @Darlonda
  
  There was a glitch with the recipe template we use– check it now!
  
  Reply
Jenny July 9, 2018 at 12:10am

Hi Lia,

How long is the shelf life for the Ginger and honey scrub? Only because of the fresh ginger you use, do I need to keep it in the fridge

Thank you, love your recipes X

Reply
1. Lia July 9, 2018 at 8:29am
  
  @Jenny
  
  Hi Jenny! Yes I keep it in the fridge and try to use it within a week.
  
  Reply
Veronica April 9, 2018 at 4:29pm

Hi Lia, do the tubes and pots require sterilizing first?, also, do you add sunscreen?. Thank you.

Reply
1. Lia April 10, 2018 at 9:39am
  
  @Veronica
  
  I rinsed mine out but you could certainly sterilize. I didn’t add sunscreen to these.
  
  Reply
Andrea January 21, 2018 at 10:11am

Just tried your recipe. It’s fantastic. Perfect silky texture and doesn’t wear off in minutes. Thank-you for sharing!

Reply
1. Lia January 21, 2018 at 2:20pm
  
  @Andrea
  
  I’m so glad you like it Andrea!!
  
  Reply
Cat July 13, 2017 at 12:38am

Hi, I recently made this and to say I LOVE IT is an understatment.
Just wondering can this be used for a certain amount of time/will it go off?
I want to add these to a gift set present and I want to check so I can advise.
Thank you for the recipe 😀

Reply
1. Lia July 13, 2017 at 8:32am
  
  @Cat
  
  I’m so happy to hear you love it! I sure love this one, too 🙂 The typical shelf life of oils and butters in this recipe are around 1 year from the time they’re opened and first used– so if you want them to last a long time, I’d start with brand new, fresh ingredients.
  
  Reply
Edith July 6, 2017 at 7:35am

Hi Lia,
I really do not like the taste of the beeswax in my lips :(. It is possible to add somethig sweet in the recipe?, like honey or something more likely?
I have tried recipes like this one, but those used to taste greasy! not so nice like the commercials.

Reply
1. Lia July 10, 2017 at 11:47am
  
  @Edith
  
  I haven’t tried any alternatives, but have heard candelilla wax or soy wax are good replacements!
  
  Reply
Ellen November 23, 2016 at 11:10pm

The color in your pictures looks like a tan not a pink like the blush you picked, how did you get the tan color?

Thank you!
Ellen

Reply
1. Lia November 25, 2016 at 9:46am
  
  @Ellen
  
  Hi Ellen, I just left the natural color out of some for a basic lip balm.
  
  Reply
Lucy November 22, 2016 at 12:05pm

How much does the recipe make? I noticed that you had a lot of lip balm in your pictures.

Reply
1. Lia December 2, 2016 at 5:06am
  
  @Lucy
  
  For this post I made 3 pots and 2 tubes. I am thinking since the tubes take a lot less you could get at least 8 from a batch.
  
  Reply
Susan November 15, 2016 at 7:51pm

Hi Lia! Love love love your website! I was wondering, could you provide the measurements of the ingredients by weight rather than volume? I think it might be easier to measure out that way. Thanks!

Reply
1. Lia November 16, 2016 at 9:33am
  
  @Susan
  
  Thanks Susan! I’m planning to make a tinted lip balm soon and will keep in mind your suggestion to weigh ingredients!
  
  Reply
Zee September 7, 2016 at 2:50pm

Hi can I substitute the Shea butter for more cocoa butter or something else? Will the consistency be similar? I don’t have any and it is extremely expensive here. Do you find this recipe liquifies in the heat? Thanks 🙂

Reply
1. Lia September 9, 2016 at 9:29am
  
  @Zee
  
  I haven’t tried that substitution but think the shea butter is important to give it the buttery consistency that lip balm needs. I would keep it in a cool, dry place as it could get too soft if left in the heat. 🙂
  
  Reply
Melinda August 31, 2016 at 7:11pm

Hi, at what point did you put the peppermint oil in? I know you aren’t supposed to heat the oils very hot so just wondering. Thanks!

Reply
1. Lia September 1, 2016 at 12:32pm
  
  @Melinda
  
  I put it in at the very end right before I pour it into the tubes 🙂
  
  Reply
Cj July 11, 2016 at 2:52pm

Can you tell me the exact stores on amazon hat you buy your products from? I bought some Shea butter that smelled horrible and don’t want to make that mistake twice.

Thanks!
-C.J.

Reply
1. Lia July 14, 2016 at 3:20pm
  
  @Cj
  
  This was the last shea butter that I ordered, and love it! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D9NV2D4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
  Reply
Asmaa July 11, 2016 at 5:00am

thanks i wonder how it last organic makeup in general ? wish you add more diy .

Reply
1. Lia July 14, 2016 at 9:19am
  
  @Asmaa
  
  I would say this lip balm lasts about 6 months. If you have any suggestions for posts you would like to see, we would love to hear from you!
  
  Reply
Makiko May 31, 2016 at 10:32pm

How can I measure 1.5 tsp of coco butter when the product is solid? How about beeswax?

Reply
1. Lia June 1, 2016 at 9:07am
  
  @Makiko
  
  I let my ingredients soften at room temperature so it’s easier to scoop and measure 🙂
  
  Reply
Kimberly May 21, 2016 at 8:57am

Absolutely love this! Was wondering who makes the label paper you’re talking about and where can I get it?

Thank you!

Reply
1. Lia May 25, 2016 at 9:55am
  
  @Kimberly
  
  Hi! We buy our label paper from WorldLabel.com 🙂
  
  Reply
Emma February 16, 2016 at 5:23am

Hi Lia
Where do you get the cocoa butter, Shea butter and beeswax from as I am struggling to find it? Thanks. X

Reply
1. Lia February 18, 2016 at 5:11pm
  
  @Emma
  
  I find them all on Amazon! 🙂
  
  Reply
Emma February 15, 2016 at 3:30pm

Hi Lia
Where do you get the cocoa butter, Shea butter and beeswax from as I am struggling to find it? Thanks.

Reply
1. Lia February 21, 2016 at 6:16pm
  
  @Emma
  
  I buy them all on Amazon. My favorite shop. 😉
  
  Reply
Emma February 15, 2016 at 3:07pm

Hi Lia
Where do you get the beeswax, cocoa butter and Shea butter from as I can’t find it any where? Thanks.

Reply
1. Lia February 21, 2016 at 6:17pm
  
  @Emma
  
  I think this was already answered but just in case. . . try Amazon. I find everything I need there.
  
  Reply
Zaina December 5, 2015 at 6:48pm

Hey there Lia! Love this recipe so so much! I think it’s the best I’ve ever used…store bought included. Even my husband loves it and also agrees it’s the best yet. I want to make this as a gift for my sister but she’s allergic to coconut…what could I substitute for it? Also I saw another recipe for a pumpkin pie lip balm that uses honey and pumpkin pie spice, and I would love to incorporate that into your recipe…any ideas how I can do that? Thankyou Lia!!

Reply
1. Lia December 8, 2015 at 4:55pm
  
  @Zaina
  
  Thank you so much!! You can definitely substitute the coconut oil. You can really use any oil you would like, I would suggest olive oil. Because olive oil doesn’t solidify the way that coconut oil does, you should use less olive oil and more beeswax to balance it out. I wish I could give you exact ratios but I’m not quite sure since I always make mine with the coconut oil! If you end up making a batch but accidentally use too much olive oil (aka if it is not solidifying correctly), no need to waste it! You can just re-melt the batch and add more beeswax 🙂 As for the honey and pumpkin pie spice, I’m sure you could add small amount of that with no issue! I have never tried it so I won’t be able to give you exact amounts, but I think it would be great to play around with it 🙂
  
  Reply
Judy November 8, 2015 at 6:27pm

Love this! And it stays on better than anything else that I have tried! Only thing I would do next time, is add some color!
I use labels from Staples – Avery Kids Self-Laminating – they come in 2 choices of multi colored labels with 48 in a pack – they work really well for all my homemade products!
Thanks for a great lip balm!

Reply
1. Lia November 9, 2015 at 11:36am
  
  @Judy
  
  Thank you, I’m so glad you like it Judy! Adding some color is definitely a good idea for next time 😉
  
  Reply
Andrea October 19, 2015 at 12:35am

Hello, My family really enjoyed the lip balm I made using your recipe. Turned out great! From your recipe, I read essential oils is an option. Is there a certain amount of essential oil “drops” that must be added to this lip balm recipe? Would 8 drops be too much? Thank you.

Reply
1. Lia October 20, 2015 at 3:20pm
  
  @Andrea
  
  I guess it depends on how strong you like the fragrance and how pure the oil. I add about 4-6 drops of mint oil to give that soft minty feel.
  
  Reply
Jennifer April 27, 2015 at 1:58pm

where can I buy these little tin pots? I’ve been looking all over

Reply
1. Lia April 27, 2015 at 3:15pm
  
  @Jennifer
  
  I bought them on Etsy. However, I am liking the tubes better.
  
  Reply
Susanne February 21, 2015 at 8:02pm

Hi!
I just made a batch of the lip balm and love it! Now… What kind of (sticky) label paper do I use to print the labels? I haven’t found any that has both circular and rectangular labels on one sheet, so do you actually cut and glue every single label?? Thanks!
Also, I found a tube filling tray at Bulk Apothekary that makes filling up to 50 tubes a breeze. I got 8 tubes out of the recipe. 🙂

Reply
1. Lia February 23, 2015 at 11:55am
  
  @Susanne
  
  How fun! I love mine too! I print on a regular sheet of label paper and cut it. I can never precut labels to align properly:-)
  
  Reply
Tara February 21, 2015 at 9:55am

Hi! I found your label printable and was wondering if it’d be okay to link to your post for the label tutorial?

Reply
1. Lia February 23, 2015 at 11:56am
  
  @Tara
  
  Yes thank you!!
  
  Reply
annita January 7, 2015 at 12:12am

How many tubes of lip balms will this fill? And do you know the shelf life?
(I’m using my phone to read your blog and my screen is small, sorry)

Reply
1. Lia January 7, 2015 at 10:17am
  
  @annita
  
  Honestly, I have no idea:) I do know that I am using still using mine after 6 months and I love it!!!
  
  Reply
Joanne January 1, 2015 at 12:31am

Hi Lia, I ran into your blog while trying to track down ingredients to make my own lip balm for the first time. I love how simple and pure your recipe is with out the artificial stuff which others use. I actually had couple questions for you.

I saw this blend for lip balm somewhere for shea butter, an essence oil, avocado oil, and pumpkin seed oil. I was wondering if you knew and if I can somehow mix it into your blend without the essence oil. There are so many different types of oils to use and is olive oil better?

The reason I am asking this is that I’m allergic to bees wax, sensitive skin, and have really chapped lips to the point of cracking. It started to crack couple years ago and have not found a solution for it. Do you have something to substitute beeswax or can I eliminate it out of the recipe.

I found this shea butter and was wondering if you’ve used this one of heard of it:

http://www.amazon.com/Certified-ORGANIC-PREMIUM-Unrefined-African/dp/B00GMRJWPY/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1420097471&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=certified+organic+african+shea+butter

My apologies for the long email and all these questions! I would love to hear back from you!

Reply
1. Lia January 1, 2015 at 12:37pm
  
  @Joanne
  
  Hi Joanne! There are sooo many wonderful natural ingredients out there and I love shea butter and avocado oils. I have yet to try pummpkin seed, but am sure it has wonderful qualities. I think you could mix your favorites in for sure. I love olive oil but equally love coconut and other oils. For the lip balm I feel the coconut is the magic ingredient. As far as the bees wax, certainly don’t use it if you are allergic. The reason for it is to hold the shape of a lip balm stick. If you can use little lip balm pots rather than sticks you could get away with no bees wax. Shea butter is not quite as stiff, but with the right mix you could have a nice soft balm.
  
  Reply
kate December 5, 2014 at 2:06am

Just a thought but you could always infuse some calendula in the oil (3-4 wks) before you make the balm for those with chapped lips and skin. Calendula is know to be a natural herb that helps speed healing and nourishes skin. It’s also gentle enough for babies and helps with inflammation.

Reply
1. Lia December 6, 2014 at 9:11am
  
  @kate
  
  Love Calendula. Great idea Kate!
  
  Reply
Tina November 25, 2014 at 1:20pm

Hi – you have a beautiful blog. I can’t wait to get on a desktop to look around more. What size labels do you use for your jars & lip balms & where do you buy your blank labrls.? I’m really struggling to find my label source. (Found all kinds of printable but need the blanks)

I also need to find a label design I like for my products – can you suggest a program/template I can use to design my own?

Thanks Tina

Reply
1. Lia November 25, 2014 at 4:16pm
  
  @Tina
  
  Hi Tina, thank you so much I am happy you found me:) I get my labels from World Label (Avery also has them) but I always print on a full sheet and then use a hole punch to cut them out. I can never get the pre-sized to line up and then my design end up being off-centered;-)
  
  Reply
ginger October 14, 2014 at 10:59am

Where did you get your tubes for the lip balm?

Reply
1. anna October 14, 2014 at 12:55pm
  
  @ginger
  
  I found them on Etsy, but don’t remember the sellers name.
  
  Reply
Emily August 9, 2014 at 10:14am

Hi, I was wondering what color you used for the Well People blush stick. 🙂
I can’t wait to try this lip balm!!

Reply
1. Lia August 16, 2014 at 10:24pm
  
  @Emily
  
  I used this one in #8. You can order a sample or two in different colors and try them out. I like them because they are chemical free.
  http://w3llpeople.com/index.php/face/universalist-matte-multi-use-colorstick.html
  
  Reply
Abby August 6, 2014 at 8:56pm

Hiya! 🙂 I have a couple of questions, which color did you use for the blush stick? Also was it matte or luminous? One last question, how much of the color did you use to get the color that you got for your lip balms?

Reply
1. Lia August 8, 2014 at 4:11pm
  
  @Abby
  
  I used a color stick from Well People, but you can use any mineral powder or any other makeup to color your lip balm. I used about 1/4 tsp for a pale pink, and you can add as much as you like to get the color you desire.
  
  Reply
Sarah July 31, 2014 at 1:10pm

Is there some additional oil or other product i can use in place of the cocoa butter? I am all out currently but have every other ingredient and i’m dying to try this recipe asap!! 🙂

Reply
1. Lia July 31, 2014 at 7:43pm
  
  @Sarah
  
  I LOVE this lip balm! It is my favorite. You can skip the cocoa butter and add jut a bit more bees wax to balance out the liquid versus solid. Make a small test batch first. 🙂
  
  Reply
Amanda June 28, 2014 at 10:03pm

Hi, Where did you get the “natural color”? It doesn’t have a link in the recipe and the picture is not clear enough to read the label.

Reply
1. Lia July 1, 2014 at 7:37pm
  
  @Amanda
  
  It is a natural makeup line called Well People that sells a blush stick but you can use any natural mineral based blush or makeup.
  
  Reply
Maggie June 17, 2014 at 1:44pm

Hi Kia. I’m just about to make some lip balm as a giveaway to the new mums I hope to meet at a show I’m doing on Sunday. I make baby accessories using natural yarns. I hope you’ll let me use your labels but my own words?

Reply
1. Lia June 20, 2014 at 9:38am
  
  @Maggie
  
  You can use the labels here for sure. Of course I can’t offer custom on the freebies. Have a great event!
  
  Reply
stacey May 30, 2014 at 8:14am

I LOVE this!!! I make my own Lavender lip balm and give it to friends and teachers. I have been looking for a file FOREVER that is classy. I also make a sugar scrub. I know it is asking a lot, but…. would you/Could you make a label just like this for the short half pint Ball “mason” jars? I would LOVE for my scrub and lip balm to match

Reply
1. Lia June 2, 2014 at 11:04pm
  
  @stacey
  
  I can do a custom label in my Etsy shop. Just send me a note over there. Also, I have the whole spa kit with matching labels, but it doesn’t say sugar scrub. Worth looking at though.
  
  Reply
Shelley May 28, 2014 at 5:35am

I have tried the Burt’s Bees brand lip balm, but cannot handle the taste. Is it the beeswax that has a taste to it? Also, i use a lip scrub from Mary Kay, which I love, but is so expensive. Do you have a recipe for something like that. I have very dry mouth problems, so it really helps exfoliate weekly.

Reply
1. Lia May 29, 2014 at 7:01pm
  
  @Shelley
  
  I don’t care much for the Burt’s Bees anymore now that they sold to the big boys. I LOVE my lip balm but it does have a cocoa fragrance which you have to like. And I do. The texture is silky and smooth. . . a little glossy too. It seems since I started using it I have no lip dryness anymore. For the lip scrub I use my sea salt and coconut oil every week on my face and lips. I don’t mind the salty taste and know it helps pull out any extra toxins too.
  
  Reply
Marni April 15, 2014 at 7:16am

I have super chapped lips and try to use only the best stuff on them. This might just be the trick! Thanks for sharing all the info 🙂

Reply
1. Lia April 15, 2014 at 8:49am
  
  @Marni
  
  I LOVE this blend for my lips and I am pretty picky about what I use. This is a little glossy (which I like) but you can add more of the hard oils if you prefer a less glossy look.
  
  Reply
Mary March 23, 2014 at 10:21pm

Lia, where can I buy the cocoa and shea butter ? I cannot seem to find them in my local stores. Thank you !

Reply
1. Lia March 24, 2014 at 12:29am
  
  @Mary
  
  Hi Mary. If you click on the text link in the recipe (it is the green type in the body text), it will take you to the Amazon source where I bought mine.
  
  Reply
  1. Mary March 24, 2014 at 5:13pm
    
    @Lia
    
    Thank you so much !!
    
    Reply
    1. Lia March 25, 2014 at 10:56am
      
      @Mary
      
      You are most welcome!
      
      Reply
Erika March 17, 2014 at 7:44am

At what step do you add the color?

Reply
1. Lia March 17, 2014 at 8:12am
  
  @Erika
  
  It goes in with all the other ingredients.
  
  Reply
Kathygamez March 14, 2014 at 11:32pm

what about the expiration date? for how long it works?

Reply
1. Lia March 16, 2014 at 4:15pm
  
  @Kathygamez
  
  I am thinking that this should last a very long time… none of the ingredients need refrigeration or have expiration dates.
  
  Reply
Cindy March 14, 2014 at 2:01pm

Love everything you do! Can you tell me where to find the pots?

Reply
1. Lia March 14, 2014 at 8:39pm
  
  @Cindy
  
  I bought them on Etsy. Honestly, I am liking the tubes better though.
  
  Reply
Lorey March 14, 2014 at 12:09pm

How many tubes or pots does your recipe make?

Reply
1. Lia March 14, 2014 at 1:45pm
  
  @Lorey
  
  I made the 3 pots and two tubes. If you are doing just tubes I would guess at least 6 if not 8.
  
  Reply
Francesca March 14, 2014 at 8:29am

How many tubes needed per batch?

Reply
1. Lia March 14, 2014 at 1:51pm
  
  @Francesca
  
  For this post I made 3 pots and 2 tubes. I am thinking since the tubes take a lot less you could get at least 8 from a batch. My next version will be tubes only, so I will keep you posted.
  
  Reply
Megan March 13, 2014 at 7:57pm

Love this! Where did you buy the tubes? Were they easy to fill?

Reply
1. Lia March 13, 2014 at 8:02pm
  
  @Megan
  
  These two were recycled from old tubes, but you can by them here too: https://www.etsy.com/listing/101509572/50-bulk-brand-new-empty-white-lip-balm?ref=shop_home_active_14
  
  They were easy to fill. I used a plastic funnel. The trick is to pour slowly since they will fill quickly.
  
  Reply