Why do we need a lip balm?
The skin on our lips is very delicate and is made up of only 3-5 cellular layers.
As our lips don’t produce sebum (natural skin oil), they dry out much quicker than other parts of our skin and they can easily start to bleed when they are chapped or dry.
A lip balm covers your lips with a protective layer that locks in moisture and makes it more difficult for the heat and cold to make your lips chaffed.
The best lip balms are made with natural ingredients like shea butter, wax, and natural oils. When you are using a skincare product that is applied close to your mouth, it is even more important to ensure that it is 100% safe.
Here's an easy and natural formulation for making lip balm.
How to measure ingredients.
When formulating skincare, we measure ingredients by weight and in percentages. For example, in a 50g lip balm recipe, I might like to use 30% Mango Butter, which is 15g.
We use wight and percentages, because it allows for greater accuracy and also helps when we want to increase or decrease the amount we make. The ingredients in a formulation should always add up to 100%
To measure our ingredients, we use small scales that are capable of weighing small amounts. These are sometimes known as jewellery scales. You can buy a set of scales here.
Lip Balms are pretty forgiving, and if you're starting out, you can also measure in teaspoons, I've also included the recipe using measurements in teaspoons, just so you can easily create it if you don't have scales.
Basic Lip Balm Formulation - makes 50 grams which is approximately 10 x tubes or 5 x tins.
| Phase | Ingredient | Percentage | Weight |
| A | Beeswax | 29% | 14.5 grams |
| A | Mango Butter | 35% | 17.5 grams |
| A | Carrier Oil | 35% | 17.5 grams |
| B | Vitamin E | 1% | 0.5 grams |
Formulation method:
- Add phase A ingredients into a glass jug or beaker
- Using the double boiler method, slowly melt over a low heat until everything is liquid and combined
- Take off the heat, and when it's slightly cooler, add stage B ingredients
- Combine all ingredient and carefully pour into the lip balm tubes or tins
- You will need to work quite quickly as the mixture sets very fast
- If you find the mixture sets before you have the chance to pour it all into your lip balm tubes, just melt the ingredients again very slowly
- Leave the lip balm tubes/tins to set
Alternative Recipe Measurements
- 2 tablespoon of Mango Butter
- 2 tablespoon of Carrier Oil
- 1.5 tablespoons of Beeswax Pellets
- 4 drops of Vitamin E
Think about the climate you’re in, as you will need to adjust the percentage of wax/butter depending on how warm or cold it is where you live.
In a cool climate, a high amount of wax or butter will make your balms too hard. In a hot climate, you will need a higher amount of butter and wax to keep the balm solid.
In the summertime here in Australia, it can get very warm, I just increase the ratio of wax so that the lip balm stays firm.
You might need to play around with the ratios to find the one that suits your climate.
Want to substitute ingredients?
Wax - If you're looking for a vegan option, you can remove the beeswax and substitute for Candelilla wax.
Oils - If you don't want to use Olive oil, you can substitute for any type of liquid carrier oil. For example, Almond, Jojoba, Coconut or Sunflower are great options.
Butter - You can also use Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter instead of Mango Butter. You might need to adjust the recipe slightly as the butters can have different consistencies.
If you have any questions please send me a message via our contact page or reach out via message on instagram or facebook.
FAQs
Can I add colour to my lip balm?
Yes, you can create lip balms with colour. Just ensure your colour is oil soluble and are factored into the percentage of the overall formulation. Lip balm is anhydrous, which means it contains no water, so that’s why anything you add needs to be oil soluble. Water soluble ingredients won’t work and can make the lip balm unstable.
To add some colour, you can try using some oil infused botanicals or pigments, or some Mica powder for a bit of sheen.
Mica powders will only add a light colour or sheen that won’t always colour the lips. One thing to remember is that lip balms are designed to moisturise and protect lips, if you’re looking for something that colours your lips, you’re best off using a natural lipstick which has been formulated with the right colours and pigments. Note: Mica powders are not always sourced in a sustainable way, so if you do use Mica, ensure it has been sourced sustainably and ethically.
Can I add scent or flavour to my lip balm?
Yes you can. There are lots of options for adding scent to your lip balm.
Lip safe flavour oils can add a beautiful aroma such as vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Look for natural oils.
Another idea for some flavour is to add vanilla that has been infused in carrier oil.
You can also add essential oils to your lip balm, however essential oils should be used sparingly. Our lips are incredibly thin; essential oils can be quite strong and can create sensitivity. Some essential oils can be photosensitising so it’s recommended your lip balm contains only 0.1% to 0.5% of essential oils in the overall formulation.
Do I need to add a preservative?
As lip balms are an anhydrous product they won’t need a preservative. To prevent the oils and butters from going rancid too quickly, you can add an antioxidant such as Vitamin E oil.
Do I need to use a wax?
Lip balm needs to be solid so it can stay on the surface of the skin like a barrier. This means it needs some form of wax. A popular option is beeswax, however if you’re looking for a vegan option, you can try Candelilla wax.
Can I create vegan lip balm?
Yes you can. Beeswax is a popular ingredient in lip balm, however it’ isn’t vegan, so if you want to create a vegan lip balm, you can use Candelilla wax.
Happy making!
xx
