A hand bag essential, lip balms keep your lip soft. A little while ago I checked out the ingredients in a store bought version and here is what I found

• Oxybenzone- derived from petroleum is a UV absorber, associated with endocrine disruption, produces damaging reactive oxygen species upon exposure to sunlight
• Mentyl Anthranilate- synthetic UV absorber not assessed for safety in cosmetics. produces damaging reative oxygen species upone exposure to sunlight
• Fragrance- synthetic scent which contains phthalates
• parabens- synthetic preservatives- suspected endocrine disruption, contact dermatitis and skin irritation in some people

(source: Info from the Chemical maze App)

I am not happy about any of these ingredients going on my lips or my families for that matter. Here is the good news. It is really easy to make your own and the recipes are good enough to eat. Chances are you will already have some of these ingredients in your pantry. Here are a couple of recipes and places I have sourced my ingredients from. These recipes are great for nourishing your lips and are quick to make.

Choc Mint Lip Balms ( approx 18 tubes)

• 15 g beeswax
• 15g Shea Butter
• 15g Cacao Butter
• 15g Coconut Oil
• 1 tsp cacao Powder ( or more)
• 18 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Melt beeswax, coconut oil and butters in a glass pyrex dish over a pot of simmering water. Once melted, remove from heat and stir through Cacao Powder and Peppermint Essential oil. Use syringe to fill lip tubes and set in the fridge.

Lavender Lip balms ( approx 18 tubes)

• 20g Shea butter
• 20g avocado Oil
• 20g Beeswax
• 15 drops lavender oil

Melt beeswax, butter and oil together in pyrex dish. Remove from heat and stir in lavender Essential oil. Syringe into tubes and set in the fridge

Tips

• Use a ramekin to stand your lip tubes in
• pick up a syringe from your local pharmacy
• decorate your lip tubes with washi tape
• work fast before the lip balm sets. You can always re-melt
• make sure lip tubes are wound down fully before filling

Supplies

• Lip Tubes you will find online. I purchased mine from Aussie candle supplies
• Butters and Beeswax try Biome
• Oils from your local supermarket
• Essential Oils from Young Living. Get started here with a Premium Starter kit (Lavender and Peppermint are in this popular kit)
• Cacao pwder and other great wholefoods from The wholefood collective