How to Make DIY Lip Balm in 15 Minutes or Less

Chapped lips go hand in hand with dry winters.

If you’re plagued with cracked and bloody lips in the winter, DIY lip balms can come to your rescue.

While there is a vast range of lip care cosmetic products, the amount of chemicals used in them can be off-putting, to say the least. Needless to say, the more luscious looking the shades or scents of the lip balm, the more toxic the ingredients can be. That’s because artificial fragrances and colors are basically a blend of chemicals.

Homemade lip balms and scrubs offer a safe and natural alternative. The main ingredients are beeswax and a base oil or butter. Get creative and you can even use your homemade lip balms as personalized gifts.

Being light, virgin coconut oil is a good choice, but you can use as many variations as you like. Cocoa butter, mango butter or shea butter can be used interchangeably. Sweet almond oil is also a popular addition. Apart from hydrating your lips from within, sweet almond oil can also help even skin tone as well.

Adding essential oils is entirely up to you. Being anti-inflammatory and nourishing, essential oils add multiple qualities to the lip balm.

Herbs and spices can also be used for DIY lip balm. You just need to infuse the base oil with your choice of herbs, spices or flowers. Use dried herbs and flowers instead of fresh ones for a long shelf life of the lip balm. Lavender, chamomile, peppermint, citrus peels, calendula, frankincense, rosemary, sage, primrose or vanilla beans are good options.

If you have a double boiler, you can use that for your lip balm adventures. If not, a makeshift hot water bath would work just as well – that’s what we’ve used to make our lip balms. If you don’t own a stove or an induction cooktop, microwave can be done just as easily.

No matter how you do it, whipping up a batch of homemade lip balm is nothing but easy!

Here are five recipes to make DIY lip balm in 15 minutes or less - tinted as well as non-tinted.

Tinted Lip Balms

Tinted lip balms contain ingredients that give them color. While you can use mica powders to tint your lip balms, there are many natural ways to tint them. If you’ve already been experimenting with natural dyes, then you know some popular options are beetroots, cherries, roses, and hibiscus.

# Chocolate Lip Balm

Chocolate lip balm not only sounds delicious, but the cocoa used in it also gives the lip balm its dark color. It’s an old classic that’s popular with all ages, making it perfect for gifting as well. The recipe is simple and involves just melting, mixing and storing.

An essential oil that will go well with the chocolate flavor can also be added, like peppermint. You can also use cocoa or espresso fragrance oil.

Things you’ll need:

• Cocoa powder (gives the lip balm its dark color)– 1 tablespoon
• Grated beeswax (anti-inflammatory & protective barrier for lips) – 1 tablespoon
• Shea butter (moisturizes your lips) – ½ tablespoon
• Coconut oil (helps nourish your lips) – ½ tablespoon
• Cocoa butter (helps nourish & retain moisture) – ½ tablespoon

Step 1. Melt beeswax, cocoa & shea butter, and coconut oil in a double boiler

• Place a pan over heat and fill a quarter of it with water.
• Place a heat-resistant glass bowl into the pan to create your makeshift double boiler.
• Put 1 tablespoon of grated beeswax into the glass bowl.

• Add 1 tablespoon of cocoa butter to the bowl.
• Add ½ tablespoon of shea butter to the bowl.
• Add in a ½ tablespoon of coconut oil.
• Allow the ingredients to melt over steady heat while stirring with a spoon.

Step 2. Mix in cocoa powder

• Take the melted concoction off the heat.
• Working quickly, add ½ tablespoon of cocoa powder to the mixture. Stir constantly while adding it so that it mixes in completely.

Step 3. Stir it well and store in a container for easy use

• Stir the mixture well.
• Pour the liquid lip balm into an old lip balm container and allow it to solidify.

Enjoy your tinted chocolate lip balm!

# Beetroot Lip Balm

Beetroot makes a lusciously tinted lip balm – all you need to do is add beetroot juice to the basic recipe. The quantity of the juice can be adjusted for a darker or lighter tint in the lip balm.

You can use raw beetroot juice or boil it for a couple of minutes before adding it to the balm. Using cooked juice instead of fresh will extend the shelf life of the lip balm.

You can also use beetroot powder in this recipe for the maximum possible shelf life. To make beetroot powder:

• Cut beetroots into very thin slices.
• Dry the slices completely in a dehydrator or naturally in sunlight.
• Pulse the dry beet slices in a grinder until they turn into a fine powder.
• Or you can purchase beetroot powder online.

Things you’ll need:

• Grated beeswax – 1 tablespoon
• Cocoa butter – ½ tablespoon
• Shea butter – ½ tablespoon
• Sweet almond oil (contains hydrating properties) – ½ tablespoon
• Beetroot juice (lends lip balm a natural tint) – 1 teaspoon
• Lavender essential oil (contains healing & anti-inflammatory properties) – 10 to 15 drops

Step 1. Melt beeswax, butters and sweet almond oil in a double boiler

• Place a pan over medium heat and fill a quarter of it with water.
• Place a heat-resistant glass bowl inside the pan over the warm water.
• Put 1 tablespoon of grated beeswax into the bowl.

• Add ½ tablespoon of shea butter to the bowl.
• Add ½ tablespoon of cocoa butter to it.
• Add in a ½ tablespoon of sweet almond oil.
• Stirring constantly, allow the oils and butters to melt completely.

Step 2. Add beetroot juice and essential oil

• Take the bowl off the heat. Let cool slightly before adding next ingredients.
• Add 1 teaspoon of beetroot juice to the melted ingredients. Do a bit of rapid stirring while you do this to thoroughly mix in the beet juice.
• Add 10 to 15 drops of lavender essential oil to the mixture while stirring continuously.

Step 3. Mix and store in a lip balm container for use as needed

• Stir the mixture well.
• Pour the lip balm into an old lip balm container and allow it to solidify.
• As needed, just take a little lip balm on your fingertip and apply it on your lips for a tint as well as lip protection.

Non-Tinted Lip Balms

Non-tinted lip balms are just as fun as tinted lip balms but without pretty colors. Without having the exact shade of color to worry about, you can pay more attention to features you can add to your lip balms like taste, texture and the kind of herbs you wish to use.

# Orange Lip Balm

Citrus is a brightening essential oil and most citrus contains antioxidants. When it comes to citrus, you can’t go wrong with orange. The aroma of this lip balm will uplift your mood in the darkest of winter nights. Lemon, lime, tangerine, and grapefruit are other citrus flavors that you can use.

Things you’ll need:

• Beeswax shavings – 1 tablespoon
• Cocoa butter – ½ tablespoon
• Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
• Shea butter – ½ tablespoon
• Pure vanilla extract – 1 tablespoon
• Orange essential oil (uplifts your mood) – 10 to 15 drops

Step 1. Melt beeswax, coconut oil, and butters in a double boiler

• Place a pan over medium heat and pour water into it so that it fills up one-fourth of the pan.
• Place a heat-resistant glass bowl into the pan.
• Add 1 tablespoon of beeswax shavings to it.

• Add a ½ tablespoon each of cocoa butter and shea butter.
• Add in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
• Stir to mix the ingredients together as they melt.

Step 2. Mix in vanilla extract and essential oil

• Take the melted mixture off the heat. Let mixture cool slightly before adding next ingredients.
• Add 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract to it.
• Add in 10 to 15 drops of orange essential oil.

Step 3. Stir the mixture and store it in old ChapStick container

• Carefully stir the mixture.
• Use a spoon to transfer the liquid lip balm into an old ChapStick container or using a small funnel.
• Put in a little at a time and let it solidify before you add more.
• Let the lip balm solidify for about 24 hours or at least overnight before applying.

# Peppermint Lip Balm

This peppermint lip balm will be cool and soothing for your lips. A slight tingling effect will make your lips feel a bit fuller. Using it year-round will keep your lips soft and healthy. While it will protect your lips from dry winter air, peppermint essential oil also provides a slight natural sun protection for your lips throughout the year.

Things you’ll need:

• Grated beeswax – 1 tablespoon
• Coconut oil – 2 tablespoons
• Shea butter – ½ tablespoon
• Peppermint essential oil (soothes your lips) – 25 to 30 drops

Step 1. Melt beeswax, coconut oil, and shea butter in a double boiler

• Arrange a makeshift double boiler over a cooktop by putting a heat-resistant glass bowl into a pan filled one-fourth with water.
• Add 1 tablespoon of grated beeswax to the bowl.

• Add ½ tablespoon of shea butter to it.
• Add in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
• Stir the ingredients as they melt to thoroughly mix them.

Step 2. Add in the essential oil and store in a container of your choice

• Carefully remove the glass bowl from the pan. Let mixture cool slightly before adding next ingredients.
• Add 25 to 30 drops of peppermint essential oil to the mixture and give it a stir.
• Working quickly, spoon the liquid lip balm into an empty ChapStick tube or an old lipstick case before the balm solidifies.

Enjoy your peppermint lip balm!

# Coffee Lip Balm

If you consider coffee to be a blessing in life and start every morning with a cup o’ Joe, this coffee-flavored lip balm may be just your thing. Made from coffee-infused coconut oil, this lip balm will give your lips the perfect wakeup they need.

The caffeine that keeps you alert during work hours is also good for your skin. This is the reason cosmetic brands include it in skin care products. Caffeine repairs sun damage and makes the skin smooth and evenly toned.

If you don’t want to nuke the oils and butters in the microwave, just use a double boiler to do the melting work.

Things you’ll need:

• Beeswax – 3 tablespoon
• Coconut oil – 3 tablespoons
• Coffee grounds (softens skin) – 2 tablespoons
• Shea butter - 1 tablespoon
• Sweet almond oil – 1 teaspoon

Step 1. Heat coconut oil and coffee grounds in a microwave

• Put 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds into a microwave-safe bowl.
• Add 3 tablespoons of coconut oil to it.
• You can also infuse the almond oil instead of coconut.
• Pop the bowl into the microwave for 2 minutes or until melted. We suggest heating in 30-second intervals.

Step 2. Steep the coffee grounds in coconut oil overnight

• Remove the coffee and oil mix from the microwave. Use oven mitts because it will be hot.
• Cover the mixture and allow the coffee to steep in the oil overnight.

Step 3. Strain the coconut oil

• Arrange a fine mesh strainer over a microwave-safe container. Line the mesh strainer with about 2 layers of coffee filter paper.
• Once it has steeped, pour the coffee and oil mix through the lined mesh strainer to collect the coffee-infused coconut or sweet almond oil.

Step 4. Add beeswax, almond oil, and shea butter

• Add 3 tablespoons of beeswax to the coffee-infused coconut oil.
• Add 1 tablespoon of shea butter to it.
• Add in 1 teaspoon of sweet almond oil.

Step 5. Melt the ingredients and store in an empty ChapStick tube

• Pop the container into a microwave and heat it in short bursts of 20 seconds. This will prevent any ingredient from burning, as different microwaves have different heating capacities.
• Stir the ingredients between these 20-second intervals to mix them completely. Continue until all the ingredients are melted.
• Pour the liquid blend into the empty tube of an old lip balm and let it solidify for about 24 hours.

Your coffee lip balm is ready!

Tips

• While working with a makeshift double boiler, you can place a small folded towel or dishcloth under the glass bowl to prevent it from being in direct contact with heat.
• You can also store your lip balm in an old lipstick case or even a cleaned out glue stick tube. Clean and sterilize any old container before storing lip balm in it.
• Before pouring liquid balm into an old ChapStick or lipstick tube, twist it up. Pour in your lip balm until it’s filled up to the brim, then twist the tube down to fill the rest of it. This will allow you to easily fill up the entire tube without any air bubbles.
• By increasing or decreasing the amount of beeswax in the recipe, you can make the texture of your lip balms firmer or softer.
• Keep the texture of your lip balm soft when storing in round, flat lip balm containers. When storing in lip balm tubes, go for a firmer texture.
• If the lip balm solidifies too fast for you to pour it into containers, keep it in the warm water bath while you’re at it. Simply remove the pan from the heat, but let the bowl stay in the pan to keep it liquid for a maximum amount of time.
• You can reheat your lip balm to make any desired changes in the recipe.
• When experimenting with new shades in tinted lip balms, whip up a small batch. Once you’ve got the desired shade, make it in the desired quantity.

Summary of How to Make DIY Lip Balm in 15 Minutes or Less

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