How to Make Beeswax Lip Balm

Co-authored by Tymia Yvette

Last Updated: October 16, 2024 Approved

Lip balm is a great way to make your lips soft, but it can get very expensive. Many store-bought lip balms also contain questionable ingredients. If you are concerned about any of this, making your own is a great option. Best of all, you can alter the ingredients to suit your specific tastes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Basic Lip Balm

1
Place 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) of a carrier oil into a heat-safe jar. Olive oil and coconut oil are great options and the easiest to find. Other great options include: apricot kernel, avocado, jojoba, sweet almond, and sunflower seed. ^{[1]
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- If you will be placing the lip balm into tins or jars (as opposed to tubes), add 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) more of your chosen oil.
- For extra shine, replace ½ tablespoon of your oil with castor oil.
2
Add 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of a solid butter. Cocoa butter and shea butter are great options. You can also try mango butter or kokum butter instead. Coconut oil does not count as a butter even though it is solid. ^{[2]
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- Do not use regular butter made from cow's milk; this will not make very good lip balm due to its flavor and consistency.
3
Add 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of beeswax pellets. For the purest color, choose white or ivory beeswax. If you can't find any, the pale yellow kind will do fine, just be aware that it will give your lip balm a yellow tint. ^{[3]
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- If you are vegan, use ½ tablespoon (7 grams) of candelilla wax instead. It is much harder than beeswax, so don't use more than that.
Fill a saucepan with a few inches/centimeters of water. Set the jar down into the saucepan. The water should reach the top of the ingredients in the jar. If the water level falls below the ingredients, simply add more in. ^{[4]
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5
Heat the water until the ingredients melt. Turn the heat on your stove up to medium-low and wait for the oil, butter, and wax to melt together. Stir the ingredients occasionally to help them melt. Do not let any water get inside the jar. ^{[5]
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- How long everything takes to melt depends on how fast your stove heats up. The type of solid butter you use will also make a difference.
6
Remove the jar from the pot and stir in 5 to 10 drops of essential oil. Spearmint and vanilla are both great options. Other good choices include: lemon, lime, orange, mandarin, or tangerine. You can use all one type of essential oil, or you can combine different types to create a unique flavor and fragrance. ^{[6]
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- If you want to make your lip balm last longer, use 4 drops of rosemary essential oil, and 8 to 10 drops of any other essential oil.
- Do not add the essential oil while the jar is still in the saucepan, or the heat will destroy the properties of the oil.
7
Add 5 drops of vitamin E oil, if desired. This will make your lip balm more nourishing. Vitamin E oil can also act as a preservative and help your lip balm last longer. Be sire to give the lip balm a good stir at this point to ensure that everything gets mixed together.
- You can use vitamin E oil from a capsule or a bottle.
8
Pour the lip balm into tubes or tins. Set out 7 to 8 lip balm tubes or lip balm tins. Carefully pour the melted mixture into them. If you need to, use a stainless steel funnel to help pour the melted mixture into the tubes/tins. If the funnel gets clogged up, you can unclog it with a toothpick or a skewer.
- If the outside of the jar is still wet, wipe it down with a towel first. This will prevent any water from getting into the finished lip balm.
- You can try using a baster or dropper for this step, but be aware that it will be difficult to unclog if the mixture hardens inside it.
This should only take about 1 hour. You can also speed things up by placing the tubes/tins into a refrigerator for a couple of minutes. Once the lip balm cools, place the caps or lids onto the tubes or tins. Print out some pretty labels, if desired, and stick them on.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Multicolored Lip Balm

1
Melt the beeswax, coconut oil, and shea butter. Place ½ teaspoon of beeswax pellets into a heat-safe glass bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and 1 teaspoon of shea butter. Melt the ingredients in a saucepan filled with ¹ ⁄ ₂ inch (1.3 cm) of water over medium heat. ^{[7]
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- You can use a different type of oil, such as olive oil.
- You can use a different type of butter, such as cocoa butter or mango butter. Don't use regular butter.
Use the same kind of oil used for flavoring candy. Avoid using extract, as it doesn't mix very well with the lip balm base. ^{[8]
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3
Place a mini cookie cutter into a small lip balm jar. You can also use a polymer clay cutter instead. Another option would be a shaped eraser, but be aware that it may be difficult to remove. ^{[9]
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- Hearts are very popular, but you can use a different shape as well.
Be careful not to fill it. When you get close to the top of the lip balm jar, stop. Do not fill the cookie cutter. Set the rest of the mixture aside; you will be adding color and flavor to it shortly.
5
Let the lip balm set before removing the cookie cutter from the center. You can let the lip balm set on the counter, which will take about an hour. You can also speed things up by placing it into the fridge for a few minutes. Once the lip balm sets, remove the cookie cutter from the middle. ^{[10]
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- Your original batch of lip balm will harden too, which is fine.
6
Reheat your first batch of lip balm and add some color or flavor to it. Take out the bowl of lip balm you set aside earlier, and reheat it using the same method as before. Stir in some chap stick or lipstick for color. If you did not add any flavoring oil earlier, you can do so now. ^{[11]
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- Don't reheat the lip balm that's already in the container.
7
Pour the melted mixture into the hole in the center of the hardened lip balm. If you need to, use a small funnel, dropper, or syringe to help guide the mixture into the hole. Be sure to fill the hole completely. If you get any spills on the lip balm outside the hole, wipe it off with your finger as quickly as possible. ^{[12]
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- Once the lip balm hardens, you will have a differently-colored shape in the center.
Don't leave it out on the counter for this step, otherwise the hot mixture in the hole may cause the surrounding lip balm to melt. Once the lip balm hardens in the fridge (this should only take a few minutes), you can put the lid on and use it.

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Question

Is one teaspoon of honey really enough?

Community Answer

It depends. Test it out with 2 to 3 lip balms, each with different amounts of honey. You may find that you actually need less than one teaspoon of honey!

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Question

What are beeswax beads?

Community Answer

They are little beads of beeswax. You can get them online. They commonly are called beeswax pellets.

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Question

Can I use candle wax?

Community Answer

If this is for your lips, you shouldn't use candle wax. You want to use ingredients that are safe for skin use.

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Tips

Make sure that the beeswax and oils you are using are cosmetic-grade. You can often find them in health food stores and online.

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Be careful not to overheat the ingredients. When in doubt, use a lower temperature on the stove, and smaller increments on the microwave.

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You can find lip balm tubes and tins online. Some craft stores may also sell small, acrylic jars that are just the right size.

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Warnings

Citrus-based essential oils make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Avoid using lip balms containing these oils before stepping out into the sun.

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Do not add essential oils while the mixture is still on the stove. Doing so will overheat the essential oils and destroy their beneficial properties.

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Things You'll Need

Basic Lip Balm

3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) carrier oil
1 tablespoon (14 grams) beeswax pellets
1 tablespoon (15 grams) solid butter
5 to 10 drops (possibly more or less) essential oil
5 drops vitamin E oil (optional)
Small saucepan
Heat-safe glass jar
Stirring utensil
Stainless-steel funnel
7 to 8 lip balm tubes or tins

Making Multicolored Lip Balm

½ teaspoon beeswax pellets
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon shea butter
Flavoring oil (optional)
Lipstick or chap stick (optional)
Small saucepan
Heat-safe glass bowl
Stirring utensil
Stainless-steel funnel, syringe, or baster
½-ounce (15 milliliter) lip balm jar
Mini cookie cutter or polymer clay cutter

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How to Make Beeswax Lip Balm

Steps

Making Basic Lip Balm

Making Multicolored Lip Balm

Community Q&A

Video

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

Basic Lip Balm

Making Multicolored Lip Balm

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References

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