What It Was Like Making My Own Lip Balm
26th April 2019 - New Experience Number 42.
I’d never tried making my own lip balm before. It’s just so easy and convenient to buy isn’t it? Using a brilliant kit, I was able to create a luscious and light ointment.
Here’s how I got on when I gave it a try as one of my 52 new things in the year. Including a bit of the history behind this everyday beauty staple, and some tips and recommendations if you want to give it a go too.
An Early Form Of Lip Balm I'll Leave In The History Books
I am extremely grateful for the invention of lip balm. It’s softening and soothing effect helps us to keep our puckers perfect when the weather and daily life plays havoc with the thin skin on our lips.
I am also extremely grateful for the invention of lip balm because in the book The American Frugal Housewife first published in 1829, Lydia Maria Child gave a not-so-pleasant suggestion. “Those who are troubled with cracked lips have found this earwax remedy successful when others have failed. It is one of those sorts of cures, which are very likely to be laughed at; but I know of its having produced very beneficial results.” Erm, I think I’ll pass on that thanks Lydia.
The Origins Of Lip Balm As We Know It
Thank goodness then for Dr Charles Brown Fleet, a pharmacist from Virginia who is credited with creating the first lip balm in the 1880s.
He made the concoction (thankfully without earwax), into a stick shape and wrapped it in foil resembling the appearance of a candle. Unfortunately, it didn’t sell particularly well but a neighbour in the local area thought that the idea had legs. He bought the rights to the product for five dollars in 1912.
The new owner, John Morton and his wife, then busied themselves in their kitchen melting down the ingredients and using solid brass tubes to make them into sticks which proved very popular. The business grew, developed, and eventually became the brand we now know as Chapstick.
Vaseline As A Lip Balm
Vaseline has been around for longer thank Chapstick. Robert Cheseborough first created it with the original name of Wonder Jelly in the late 1860s.
His product was not specifically for lips, but it has evolved to become a staple balm for many people around the world too.
Making My Own Lipbalm From A kit
Sticks, tubs, tins or tubes. Pocket sized pucker picker-uppers are readily available from a variety of brands in a phenomenal array of flavours, (pizza anyone?!). I thought I’d have a go at making my own.
I’d been given a gift card for Boots and treated myself to a Raw Inventions Kit from Beauty Kitchen. They’re a business who are “on a mission to create the most effective, natural and sustainable beauty products in the world”
You don’t necessarily need a kit to make your own lip balm. You can buy the ingredients individually, and there are lots of tutorials and instructions available online.
What Was In The Kit
The kit included all the ingredients for making my own lip balm, including small tins to pour it into. Only one extra item was required – olive oil which we generally have in the cupboard.
The instructions were downloadable from the website. It was super easy!
The Process - Making My Own Lip Balm
The kitchen resembled some sort of makeshift science lab as I attempted to weigh out the ingredients precisely. I should have worn a white lab coat to really look the part.
Cutting off what felt like the most minuscule amounts of bees wax, I wasn’t really sure it would be enough. But then I wasn’t looking to make this on a mass scale. I was only creating two small tins.
Creating a make shift water bath by putting a glass jug over a pan of low simmering water, I mixed together the beeswax and cocoa butter with the olive oil. The cocoa butter smelt soooo good! Giving it an occasional stir, it didn’t take long for it to all melt down.
After it had cooled just a little, I poured the fluid into the two tins and left them to set. Once they’d solidified, I popped them into the fridge for a final firming up.
What The Balm Was Like
Smearing a finger of balm across my lips, it felt rich without being heavy, slick without being greasy, and soft without being sticky. It was as good as any balm I’ve bought in a shop.
A recommendation in the instructions suggested adding some lipstick to give the balm a colourful shimmer. I went au naturel, and I guess the colour could be compared to that of some earwax. However I know it definitely did not contain anything other than the ingredients that I had combined.
Making my own lip balm was really straightforward, especially as the kit contained everything. But, actually you don’t need lots in order to make your own.
Making My Own Lip Balm - Would I Do It Again?
Making my own lip balm was really straightforward, especially as the kit contained everything. But, actually you don’t need lots in order to make your own.
It’s something I’d definitely make again. If you make extra you can also give it as a hand made and unique gift.
Want To Try It Yourself?
- I used a kit from Beauty Kitchen. They don’t seem to be offering kits on their website anymore, but you can pick one up from Peace In The Wild.
- You can find lots of lip balm making kits on Etsy.
- If you’re just after the instructions for making your own lip balm, and sourcing the ingredients separately, take a look at the guide from Wellness Mama
Cost Of Experience
- I used a gift voucher to buy the Beauty Kitchen Kit for £10 in a sale.
- The price of kits will vary, and can start from around £7.
- Buying the ingredients individually will cost around £5 depending on where you shop.
Recommendations
- Follow the instructions. They’re usually tried and tested so will help you to make a quality balm.
- Get creative. But if you do add anything extra, make sure it is suitable for putting on your lips.
- Be careful. Making your own lip balm involves heating liquids, so take care with them.
- Pop on a pinny. Or at least don’t wear your best clothes – just in case there are any spills.
- Enjoy the process. Have fun creating your own pout-worthy balm, and let me know how you get on if you give it a go.
I would be really interested in making my own lip balm as I have seen other people do it, and now that I have read your efforts, I am excited to give it a go! Thanks for sharing this.
Oh brilliant! I hope you do give it a go, I was genuinely surprised at how much easier it was to do than I’d originally thought it would be.
Thank you for reading! :o)