I loved growing up in the 90s. With things like French Toast Crunch, putting beads on your bicycle spokes, having walls plastered with Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys posters, hoping your Tamagotchi didn’t die before you got home from school, and owning 100 flavours of B*nneBell L*pSmackers chapstick. It was quite the childhood! (Click here or here for a trip down nostalgic memory lane!) 

Did you ever read the ingredients on a tube of commercial chapstick? OMG how many ingredients do they have? For what purpose? Can you even pronounce half of those ingredients?

What is in Commercial Lip Balms

Parabens: Hormone disruptors

Colourful dyes: (the blue/green/yellow/red #) made from petroleum

Petrolatum: Carcinogen, hormone disruptor, organ system toxicity

Fragrance: (Which really is a loophole for companies to add anything…)

Ingredients

Carrier oils are moisturizing and full of incredible skin benefits. Choose a good quality carrier oil that is organic, cold pressed, and unrefined with no additives. Carrier oils I love for this recipe: sweet almond oil, olive oil, apricot kernel oil, grapeseed oil, hemp seed oil, sunflower oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil.

Beeswax acts as the protective layer for cuticles in this recipe. It is an emolient, which makes skin softer and humectant, which draws moisture into the skin and forms a barrier to keep it in. Candelilla wax is a wonderful vegan alternative to beeswax.

How to Make DIY Natural Lip Balm

This will make enough lip balm to fill a 1 oz small container or 5 lip balm tubes. If making more, increase amounts.

Start by choosing a container. I like these small metal tins and these small glass jars to store lip balm. If you prefer lip balm in a tube, try these lip balm tubes.

Next, melt one tablespoon of beeswax or 1/2 tablespoon of candelilla wax on a double boiler (glass bowl over a pot of hot water).

Add one tablespoon of coconut oil to the double boiler. Once it has melted, remove from heat.

Add a few drops of essential oils (add up to 6 drops for a 1% ratio) I usually only add 2-3 drops and find that this is the perfect amount.

I recommend using Lavender EO (Young Living or Plant Therapy) for soothing chapped or sunburned lips, or Peppermint EO (Young Living or Plant Therapy) for invigorating scent and lip plumping. *Do not use Peppermint EO if making this recipe for child age 2-15 or pregnant/nursing mamas*

{I use and recommend Young Living Essential Oils and Plant Therapy Essential Oils because they are 100% pure quality essential oils. There are other reputable essential oil companies to purchase from. Your local drug store’s cheap essential oil can give you a rash and not have the same positive effects because most only contain about 10% of the pure oil and the rest is filled with synthetics. Do your research and find a company you feel comfortable purchasing from.}

Finally, add it to the container and let it cool. Voila: lip balm!

Psst… some extra tips

For a firmer lip balm: Use 1 1/2 tablespoons of beeswax and 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil.

For a softer lip balm: Use 1/2 tablespoon of beeswax and 1 1/2 tablespoons of coconut oil.

Not a DIYer? Here are some natural alternatives to purchase

• Dr. Bronners Organic Lip Balm (my go-to is the naked lip balm with no added flavour or scent)
• Hurraw! Lip Balm
• Young Living Lip Balm (my favourite is the lavender)
• Sky Organics Lip Balm
• Pronounce Skincare Lip Lotion

Happy Lip Balming 🙂

Do you have dry chapped lips? What is your favourite lip balm?