DIY Tinted Lip Balm
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THIS PROJECT IS SIMPLE—so very delighfully, splendidly, simple. In the beginning stages of my personal transition to live a more sustainable, healthy life, skin care and cosmetics were among the first of my products to change. What you place on your body absorbs through your skin within 30 seconds, and personally the thought of my blood-stream accummulating the hundreds of chemicals we use on our body was downright scary (keep watch for a post on greening your cosmetics in the near future). As of late, I have been taking things a step further and focusing my efforts on living zero-waste, which means trying to reduce the packaging I bring into my home, even if it is recyclable. I've also been exploring how to live sustainably on an even more stringent budget than ever before, and all things point to making things myself (turns out it's almost always simpler and easier than I thought).
This particular recipe is one I've been making for years. It goes on smooth, and coats your lips without getting too thick or waxy. The mineral pigment I use is actually my mineral blush, produced by a company I know well and trust completely. In fact, just in case this is something you would like to make for yourself, but don't feel like running around gathering all the required bits and bobs, we've put together a handly DIY kit (Scroll to the bottom of the post for details on how to get one!) You can of course leave out the pigment completely, but I truly love it as it elevates the look of plain lip balm ever so slightly, giving your lips a lightly berry-stained look that's perfect for fall. Feel free to play with the quantity of pigment, what I've used here is just enough for a sheer hint of colour.
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Ingredients
- 3 tsp. organic olive oil
- 1 tsp. shaved pure beeswax
- 1/4 tsp. natural mineral pigment
- vitamin E
Method
If you have a solid block of beeswax (as I did), either use a box grater or a knife to carefully shave off flakes of wax.
In a very small pan or heat-proof dish over low heat, gently heat the oil, being careful not to overheat and destroy some of the healing properties of the oil. Add in the wax. Once it has melted, stir in the mineral pigment and a drop of Vitamin E (as a preservative).
Pour the mixture immediately into two 1/4 oz. tins and place in the fridge to solidify (only takes a few minutes). Use at will!
TIP: clean the vessel you used to make the balm immediately, while still warm. Use a paper towel, tissue or soft rag to wipe it clean, then clean with soap and water. DO NOT wait until the mixture has cooled, you will have a real mess!
Interested in a DIY kit to make this at home? Your set will come with a 1oz block of pure beeswax, 4 seamless, reusable tins, and 3 grams of naturally pure mineral pigment. Kit contains enough material for many batches of tinted lip balm.
