This lip balm with shea butter is moisturising, nourishing and all-natural! We only need 3 ingredients and probably no more than 10 minutes to make it.
It’s the ideal lip balm to get you through those rough, dry winter days, or simply use it every day or whenever your lips need hydrating.
Ingredients
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- shea butter
- beeswax
- oil
- essential oils (optional)
Shea butter
I highly recommend always using organic, raw and unrefined shea butter (like this one here). Yes, it’s a bit more expensive but also much more beneficial and nourishing.
Beeswax
I made this recipe with beeswax from a local beekeeper who sold his beeswax on the farmer’s market (which I reckon is your best option to get some, like in general). It came in a block which I then grated.
You can also get beeswax in pellets. Just make sure to buy organic, raw and unrefined here as well. Refined beeswax is often bleached to make it paler or white. I really don’t think we need this for making our own lip balm!
Vegan option: Instead of beeswax, you can use soy wax. I haven’t used it myself, but a friend of mine made her lip balm this way. I reckon you can substitute beeswax with soy wax 1:1.
Oil
Which oil you use is totally up to you. It doesn’t matter so much here as long as it’s comedogenic so it keeps your lips moisturised and doesn’t vanish so fast.
Coconut oil is great because it’s also antibacterial and solidifies in colder temperatures making it an ideal ingredient for those winter months and for when you want to use tubes instead of little containers.
Olive oil is deeply nourishing and ideal for dry skin.
I usually just use sweet almond oil because that’s the oil I’m using for my skin in general as well. It’s high in vitamin E which we need for our skin.
Essential Oils
Some people like adding essential oils to their lip balm. I don’t actually because I don’t like any taste in my lip balm.
But if you like to add them, absolutely feel free to do it! Essential oils like lavender, chamomile and frankincense are great for chapped, dry lips that need repairing and that extra nourishment.
Peppermint oil is also a popular ingredient because it’s known for stimulating circulation and making the lips look fuller.
Equipment
What you need for making this lip balm with shea butter
In order to make this lip balm with shea butter, you don’t need much. Just a bowl and a spoon really, if you have a microwave.
If you don’t, then you need to melt the ingredients in a double boiler for which you need a heat-proof bowl and a pot.
Which containers to use for this lip balm with shea butter
This lip balm with shea butter is great for small containers (like these aluminium ones) as well as tubes (I like these bamboo ones or you can get them made from paperboard too, to avoid plastic!).
I just reuse my tubes and small containers that I have been collecting over the years (see pictures).
If you live in the US, you might like to check out SKS Bottle & Packaging that have a huge collection of different containers (like these paperboard tubes, or plastic tubes similar to the one you can see in the picture).
Instructions
Step One. Melt the beeswax. You could do this, actually, in the microwave within a minute or so (depending on how powerful your microwave is and if you’re using pellets or grated wax). Otherwise, create a double boiler by placing a heat-proof bowl over a small pot filled with a little bit of water. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Put the wax into the bowl.
Bring water to a boil and turn down the heat a bit. The steam should now be enough to melt the beeswax.
Step Two. Once the beeswax’s melted, remove the bowl from the pot (or microwave). Add shea butter and oil and stir. The heat of the wax should melt the shea butter too. If not, put the bowl back into the microwave for a few seconds or back over the (probably) still steaming pot and wait a few moments.
Step Three. If you like to add essential oils, wait until the mixture’s cooled down a bit further. Otherwise, the heat may evaporate the oils.
If you don’t use them, simply pour the oil/wax mixture into small containers or tubes (whichever you like).
Step Four. Either put your tubes/containers into the fridge or keep them in a cool room to solidify the lip balm. This can take up to 2 hours depending on your fridge temperature and how warm the lip balm is.
Storage
I keep mine in the fridge because I live in a hot climate (and my house is generally quite warm). In any other climate, you should be fine keeping the lip balm with shea butter in your cupboard or in your bag.
Don’t worry, this lip balm won’t melt in higher temperatures. It only goes really soft. So, if you live in a hot climate, you may want to put the lip balm into containers rather than tubes.
Warnings & Safety
Beeswax can cause an allergic reaction in some people but it’s quite rare. If using essential oils, make sure to use low amounts as the skin of our lips is very thin and sensitive.
If any irritations occur such as swelling and reddening of the lips, stop using this lip balm with shea butter immediately.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tsp shea butter preferably unrefined, organic
- 2 tsp beeswax preferably unrefined. It's 6 grams if you're not using pellets.
- 2 tsp oil coconut oil, olive oil, sweet almond etc.
- 2-4 drops essential oils see notes
Instructions
- Melt the beeswax. You can do this in the microwave or create a double boiler by placing a heat-proof bowl over a small pot filled with a little bit of water.
- Once the beeswax’s melted, add shea butter and oil and stir. The heat of the wax should melt the shea butter too. If not, put the bowl back into the microwave for a few seconds or back over the (probably) still steaming pot and wait a few moments.
- If you like to add essential oils, wait until the mixture’s cooled down a bit further. If you don’t use them, simply pour the oil/wax mixture into 6 small containers or tubes (whichever you like).
- Put your tubes/containers into the fridge to solidify the lip balm. This can take up to 2 hours plus.
Notes
- Essential Oils: Lavender, chamomile and frankincense are great for chapped, dry lips. Peppermint oil is known for stimulating circulation and making the lips look fuller.
- Amounts: You can absolutely make a bigger batch. You simply use the same amounts for all 3 main ingredients. If you want to make this lip balm softer, use less beeswax (1 heaped teaspoon instead of 2).
- Storage: I keep mine in the fridge because I live in a hot climate. In any other climate, you should be fine keeping the lip balm in your cupboard or in your bag.
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