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Ever wondered how to make natural lip balm at home? With this DIY recipe, you can achieve soft, hydrated lips without relying on store-bought products filled with synthetic ingredients. Making your own lip balm at home is not only fun and cost-effective but also allows you to customize it to suit your preferences. It also works great as a gift! Follow this simple guide to create your very own DIY homemade lip balm using natural ingredients like beeswax, refined coconut oil, honey, essential oil, and sweet almond oil. I also list substitutions to make this vegan.
Why I Started Making DIY Homemade Lip Balm
Last year during the holiday season, I thought I would take a different approach to my gift-giving. I wanted to give gifts that were more personal and meaningful. After putting some thought into it, I decided to make garden bouquets with the herbs and flowers I was growing in my garden, as well as homemade soaps and lip balm. To my delight, the lip balm was a hit, and our family still uses it today. Making your own personal care items is gratifying, and gifting them adds a personal touch that store-bought items simply can’t compete with.
Wholesome Ingredients in DIY Homemade Lip Balm
The ingredients used in this easy lip balm recipe are all natural and offer several benefits. Here’s a quick snapshot:
- Beeswax – acts as a protective barrier, sealing in moisture and protecting the lips from environmental damage.
- Refined Coconut Oil – is highly moisturizing, providing deep hydration to prevent dry, chapped lips.
- Honey – is a natural humectant, helping to retain moisture in the skin and lips, making them softer and more supple (humectants are commonly used in skincare and cosmetic products).
- Essential Oils – not only add a pleasant scent but can also have therapeutic benefits for the lips and skin.
- Sweet Almond Oil – is rich in vitamins and fatty acids, which nourishes and soothes the skin, making it an ideal ingredient for lip care.
How to Make DIY Homemade Lip Balm
Ready to get started on your super easy DIY homemade lip balm? Gather your ingredients and follow these steps:
Supplies Needed:
- 1 tablespoon of sweet almond oil
- 2.5 tablespoons of beeswax, pellets or shaved*
- 3 tablespoons of refined coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of raw unfiltered honey**
- 20 drops of essential oil of choice (I use Bergamot; a sweet citrus scent)
- Double boiler setup (a pot and a heat-safe container like a round glass Pyrex bowl)
- 10-11 lip balm tubes, or small containers (I purchased the tubes online)
- Small funnel
- Rubber band (if using lip balm tubes)
*It takes longer for beeswax to melt, which is why it needs to be in thin or small pieces. I have blocks of beeswax that I shave down using a cheese grater, but you can purchase them already shaved or in small pellets.
**Regular honey tends to not fully incorporate into the lip balm mixture, however raw unfiltered honey will.
For a vegan version of this recipe, don’t use the honey and swap the beeswax for candelilla wax.
DIY Homemade Lip Balm Instructions:
1. Combine ingredients:
In your heat-safe container, combine the beeswax, coconut oil, and sweet almond oil.
2. Melt ingredients:
Place heat-safe container over a pot of simmering water (not full-on boiling), ensuring the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the container. Think of it as “steaming” the ingredients. Melt the ingredients together, stirring occasionally with a heat-safe utensil like a wooden spoon.
3. Tie a rubber band around lip balm tubes, if using:
While the mixture is melting, secure the lip balm tubes by tying a rubber band around them, like in the photo below.
4. Cool the mixture:
Once fully melted, remove the container from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Make sure the mixture doesn’t start solidifying. If it does, place back over the heat for a minute or two.
5. Add honey and essential oil(s) of choice into the mixture:
Once added, stir well to ensure the honey is evenly distributed. I had to stir mine for a couple of minutes until it was fully incorporated.
6. Pour into tubes or containers:
Use a small funnel to help guide the liquid into the tubes. You’ll want to do this before the mixture starts solidifying, which can happen pretty quickly once it starts cooling down.
7. Let solidify:
Let the homemade lip balm solidify for at least an hour before placing the caps/tops on and storing.
Tips and Variations
Experiment with different essential oils like lavender, vanilla, peppermint, eucalyptus, or orange.
Adjust the texture of your homemade lip balm by adding more beeswax to produce a firmer texture, or reducing the amount of beeswax for a softer texture. For a firmer texture you can increase the beeswax to 3 tablespoons instead of 2.5. For a softer texture you can reduce the amount of beeswax to 1.5-2 tablespoons.
Create tinted lip balm by mixing in beetroot powder or cocoa powder to the oils before adding in the beeswax.
Create a vegan lip balm by not using the honey, and swapping out the beeswax for candelilla wax.
Store your homemade lip balm in a cool, dry place to prevent melting.
Use organic and high quality ingredients for the best results.
Safety Precautions
- Always use caution when working with hot materials.
- Use heat safe equipment.
- Be mindful of allergies, irritation, or sensitivities to any of the ingredients listed, and discontinue use if irritation occurs.
FAQs
Homemade lip balm can last between 6 months to 1 year if stored in a cool, dry place.
Yes, you can substitute the sweet almond oil with jojoba, olive oil or avocado oil.
You can experiment by replacing the coconut oil with avocado oil, jojoba, grapeseed oil, or olive oil. Note, different oils will produce slightly different lip balm textures.
Yes, you can swap the beeswax for candelilla wax.
Yes, to make this lip balm vegan, do not use the honey, and swap the beeswax for candelilla wax.
Other DIY Recipes to Explore
Easy DIY Homemade Lip Balm Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Double boiler setup (a pot and a heat-safe container like a round glass Pyrex bowl)
- 10 Lip balm tubes, or small containers
- 1 Small funnel
- 1 Rubber band (if using lip balm tubes)
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Sweet almond oil
- 2.5 Tablespoons Beeswax (shaved or pellets)
- 3 Tablespoons Refined coconut oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Raw unfiltered honey
- 20 Drops Essential oil of choice (I used Bergamot for its sweet citrus scent)
Instructions
- In your heat-safe container, combine the beeswax, coconut oil, and sweet almond oil.
- Place heat-safe container over a pot of simmering water (not full-on boiling), ensuring the water doesn't touch the bottom of the container. Melt the ingredients together, stirring occasionally with a heat-safe utensil like a wooden spoon.
- If using lip balm tubes, secure the tubes by tying a rubber band around them while the mixture is melting.
- Once fully melted, remove the container from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Make sure the mixture doesn't start solidifying. If it does, place back over the heat for a minute or two.
- Add raw unfiltered honey and essential oil(s) of choice to the mixture, and stir well to ensure the honey is evenly distributed. This can take a couple of minutes.
- Use a small funnel to help guide the liquid into the tubes. You'll want to do this before the mixture starts solidifying, which can happen pretty quickly once it starts cooling down.
- Let the homemade lip balm solidify for at least an hour before placing the caps/tops on and storing.
Notes
- Homemade lip balm can last between 6 months to 1 year if stored in a cool, dry place.
- Experiment with different essential oils like lavender, vanilla, peppermint, eucalyptus, or orange.
- Create a vegan lip balm by not using the honey, and swapping out the beeswax for candelilla wax.
- Create tinted lip balm by mixing in beetroot powder or cocoa powder to the oils before adding in the beeswax.
- Adjust the texture of your homemade lip balm by adding more beeswax to produce a firmer texture, or reducing the amount of beeswax for a softer texture. For a firmer texture you can increase the beeswax to 3 tablespoons instead of 2.5. For a softer texture you can reduce the amount of beeswax to 1.5-2 tablespoons.
- Use organic and high quality ingredients for the best results.
- Store your homemade lip balm in a cool, dry place to prevent melting.
- Always use caution when working with hot materials.
- Be mindful of allergies, irritation, or sensitivities to any of the ingredients listed, and discontinue use if irritation occurs.
