Homemade Lip Balm with Beeswax and Peppermint

5 min read

Homemade lip balm with beeswax and peppermint is one of the easiest skincare products you can make, and it works better than many store-bought balms. A batch of ten tubes takes about twenty minutes, costs very little, and makes a wonderful gift. Beeswax gives the balm its firm texture and protective barrier, while peppermint oil gives a cool, tingling feeling and a fresh scent. Once you learn the basic recipe, you can make endless variations.

Start with beeswax pellets, coconut oil, shea butter, peppermint essential oil, lip balm tubes or small tins, a heat-safe jug, and a pipette or a small funnel. Choose cosmetic-grade beeswax pellets, since they melt quickly and evenly. Pick tubes with a twist mechanism for a professional look, or small tins for a simpler option. Work on a surface covered with newspaper, since spilled balm is waxy and hard to clean.

Measuring the Ingredients

The ratio of wax to oil decides how firm your lip balm feels, so measure carefully. A reliable recipe is two parts beeswax, two parts shea butter, and three parts coconut oil by weight, which gives a balm that is firm in the tube but soft on the lips. Weigh the ingredients on a small kitchen scale, since measuring by volume is less accurate for waxy ingredients. If you prefer a softer balm, use a little less beeswax, and if you want a firmer balm for hot weather, use a little more.

Buy beeswax in pellet form rather than a block, since pellets melt faster and are easier to measure. Store beeswax away from heat, since it softens in a warm room. Keep your scale clean and dry, since water in the mixture can cause the balm to spoil.

Melting and Mixing

Melt the beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil together in a heat-safe jug set in a pot of simmering water, stirring gently as they melt. Never melt beeswax directly over a flame, since it is flammable and can catch fire if overheated. Stir the mixture until it is fully liquid and smooth, with no lumps of wax remaining. Remove the jug from the heat as soon as everything has melted, since overheating makes the balm grainy.

Add the peppermint essential oil after you remove the mixture from the heat, since heat evaporates essential oils and weakens the scent. Start with ten drops of peppermint oil per ounce of balm base, and add more in small steps until the scent smells right. Stir the oil in gently for thirty seconds, and avoid whipping air into the mixture, which creates bubbles in the finished balm. Work quickly once the oil is in, since the mixture starts to set as it cools.

Filling Tubes and Tins

Pour the warm balm into tubes or tins using a pipette or a small funnel, filling each one to just below the rim. Work quickly, since the balm thickens as it cools, and if it starts to set in the jug, set the jug back in warm water for a minute to re-melt it. Fill the tubes on a tray lined with newspaper, since spills are easier to clean from a tray than from a table. Let the filled tubes sit undisturbed until they are fully set, which takes about an hour.

Do not cap the tubes until the balm is fully cool, since capping warm balm traps moisture and can make the surface look cloudy. Check that each tube twists up smoothly, and if a tube sticks, the balm may have cooled too fast, so warm the tube briefly in your hands.

Labeling and Gifting

Label each tube or tin with the balm name, the ingredients, and the date you made it, since labeling looks professional and helps anyone with allergies. A simple kraft label with a handwritten name suits a handmade balm, while a printed label looks more polished for craft fair sales. Tie a ribbon around a set of three tubes for a gift, and add a note about the peppermint scent. A set of homemade lip balms makes a wonderful stocking stuffer or party favor.

Keep a few tubes for yourself and give the rest away, since a batch of ten tubes goes quickly once friends try them. If you sell lip balm, check local rules for cosmetic labeling, since some places require a full ingredient list. Store spare tubes in a cool, dry place, and keep them out of direct sun, since heat melts the balm.

Storing and Using Lip Balm

Store lip balm in a cool, dry place, and use it within six months, since natural oils can go rancid over time. Keep the balm out of hot cars and sunny windowsills, since heat melts it and the tube can leak. Apply the balm whenever your lips feel dry, and reapply after eating or drinking, since food and drink wear it off. A good lip balm should feel smooth and protective, not greasy or waxy.

Skip lip balm with peppermint oil if you have very sensitive lips, since peppermint can tingle strongly on cracked skin. If the balm feels grainy, the shea butter may have cooled too slowly, so re-melt the batch and cool it more quickly next time. Make a fresh batch each season with a new scent, such as vanilla for winter or citrus for summer, and keep notes on which scents your friends liked best.

Questions this article did not answer? Chances are DIY Face Masks with Clay and Honey for Glowing Skin or one of the guides below covers it.

Reference: Lip Balm — Wikipedia

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