vegan lip balm recipe

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vegan (glossy!) lip balm recipe

I wear very little make-up, but there is one thing I am never, ever without: a tube of my glossy lip balm! For some reason, adding just a little bit of shine to the lips can somehow work mental miracles for me on those days when I'm not feeling like my most beautiful self. I mean, pick-me-ups just don't get much easier than this.

Since this photo was taken, I've quite happily made the switch from plastic over to a more eco-friendly tube—for myself, anyway. Scott still prefers the plastic because 1. they're smaller and 2. the caps never fall off, but I've found the cardboard tubes to work perfectly fine. The eco tubes are larger than the plastic, however, so you'll obviously fill fewer fewer of them with this recipe (unless you just double it like I do, of course!).

alkanet notes

The alkanet tinted oil does add an extra step to the process of making this vegan lip balm recipe, but once infused it stores nicely in the refrigerator until you need it again. Without the tint I can whip up a batch in under 15 minutes, so they're a quick and simple way to add an all-natural product to your life without too much fuss. The tint is definitely optional, though, so if you'd prefer a clear lip balm, simply replace the alkanet/coconut mixture with straight coconut oil.

It should be noted that while the tint is very pretty and should add a slight blush to your lips, don't expect it to behave like a lipstick. One of my girls absolutely loves this tinted version and is never without a tube, but still regularly asks me when I'm going to get around to making a lipstick. (My answer, as always, is: eventually.) Also, make sure to prepare the alkanet tint in advance so that it's ready when you are :)

And lastly, for my fellow humans who also believe that the bees deserve to keep the efforts of their incessant labor, my lip balm is completely plant-based. Whereas most lip balms are created with beeswax, I've found candelilla to be a fabulous replacement. So why not let the bees keep their hard-earned wax when the alternative is just as lovely?

Alkanet Tint Ingredients

• ¼ cup organic coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon organic alkanet root

Alkanet Tint Directions

1. Add the coconut oil and alkanet root to the top pot of a double boiler.

2. Once the oil has melted, simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from heat and let the mixture sit for another 30 minutes or so.

4. Pour the mixture through a small mesh strainer or a piece of cheesecloth, catching all of the oil in a small container. Cover, and keep it stored in the refrigerator.

   
   

Note: Coconut oil solidifies when cold, so when I need this tint for a batch of lip balms I simply place the container in a bowl of hot water and let it come gently back to a liquid state before using.

Supplies

• double boiler

• empty lip balm tubes (cardboard & plastic)

  
  

 Lip Balm Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon candelilla wax

• 2 teaspoons tinted alkanet/oil root mix

• 1 teaspoon organic olive oil

• 3 drops organic peppermint essential oil

• 2 drops organic lavender essential oil

Lip Balm Directions

1. Add the candelilla wax to the double boiler and warm until completely melted.

2. Add in the coconut oil (tinted or not) and olive oil, warming until thoroughly melted as well.

3. Remove from the heat and drop in the essential oils. Stir until thoroughly mixed and carefully pour into the lip balm tubes. Let cool completely before using. Makes 5 plastic tubes.

general notes

Do not use peppermint essential oil via any route with children under the age of two.

Don't have a double boiler? No worries. Simply place the ingredients to be melted into a heat-safe glass container (in my pre-double- boiler days, I used a Pyrex measuring glass), which is then placed in a small saucepan filled partway with water. You don't want the water getting into your lip balm ingredients, so make sure it only comes about a third of the way up the outside of the glass container. Warm gently and proceed as outlined above.

For stability purposes, it helps to hold the tubes together with an elastic band when pouring in the lip balm. Pour quickly but carefully and if your wax hardens before you’ve poured it all, simply return it to the double boiler and rewarm gently. I never use (or need) any kind of preservative in the lip balm, but I do store all extra tubes in the refrigerator until needed.

And that'll do it for today. Hope your day has been a beautiful one :)

Much love,

Melinda

Level 3 Holistic Aromatherapist

An untinted version of my vegan lip balm