January 13, 2012: A Better Batch

I am branching into the DIY bath and body world and it is very exciting. There is much to learn about natural ingredients and various methods used to create the products. Today I learned all about making soap and I ordered the ingredients... so stay tuned for soap! Ok, so back to lip balm. I used the same procedure as the last batch but made some slight modifications to the ingredients. This batch includes beeswax, olive oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, sunflower oil and peppermint oil. I also got this container at Michael's in the bead section. For a little bit o' shimmer and color I added something that is used in fondant and icing coloring. I got it at A.C. Moore in the cake decorating section. It was in a little vile and called "luster dust." I thought this would be a good addition for color because it obviously would not be harmful if it got in your mouth. I am waiting for the lip balm containers that I ordered and I still am not completely satisfied with the final product so... more to come!

January 11, 2012: None of your Beeswax!

Today I made my own lip balm! Honestly, I am not even sure where I came up with the idea to it. Sometimes I am just thinking, "Gee... I wonder if I could make my own ____ (blank)." Then, I hit the computer and see where to start. So I guess that is how this project took root. The first tutorial that I watched, and most helpful, was by DIY Bath Body and Home on YouTube . There are soooo many tutorials out there though. If you are not interested in making a natural lip balm, you can mix Vaseline or Aquaphor with old eye-shadows or other coloring, which is very simple.
I did want to make a natural lip balm so I gathered some ingredients. Believe it or not, I had all of the ingredients for my first batch at home, but you can get any of this at A.C. Moore and your local grocery store. I used .5 ounces of beeswax, 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of honey, peppermint and orange essential oils. As shown in most videos, I used a double boiler to melt the beeswax. Then I added the olive oil, honey, and essential oils. This made enough to fill 12 tiny containers as shown in the picture. The entire process took about 1/2 hour! (I found these containers at A.C. Moore in the painting section) I gave the samples out from this first batch. I really cannot wait to get more creative with making bath and body products! I have since purchased several essential oils and shea butter from a local health food store and some other ingredients on Brambleberry.com. Stay tuned!