two small open tins of homemade lip balm surrounded by peppermint leaves

Easy DIY Lip Balm

Week 23

I learned this week that convential lip balm not only comes in plastic tubes, but is often made with petroleum based ingredients, aka plastic! I found plenty of sustainable lip balm options, but wanted to save a little money by giving home made lip balm a try. This recipe took all of five minutes and my husband and I both love how it turned out!

I try very hard to use ingredients I already have, otherwise I'd be making a new purchase every other week and that defeats the purpose of saving money and reducing waste. The coconut oil, shea butter, and essential oils can all be used to make deodorant, shaving cream, and skin care products like moisturizer and face scrub. I even reused a couple small tins from some Elate Cosmetics samples I tried a few months ago.

What you'll need:

  • 1 tbsp shea butter
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp beeswax pastilles
  • 5 drops essential oil - I opted for peppermint.
  • Containers for lip balm - I reused a small mason jar to keep in my home and some sample tins from Elate Cosmetics that are perfect for on the go.

Let's make lip balm!

  1. jar of shea butter, coconut oil, bag of beeswax, bottle of peppermint essential oil, small mason jar and small metal tin on a counter

    Gather your ingredients.

  2. glass bowl with coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax pastilles next to metal tablespoon

    Scoop a tablespon of shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax pastilles into a microwave-safe bowl.

  3. glass bowl with ingredients in microwave

    Microwave for one minute.

  4. hand putting peppermint oil into glass bowl with other ingredients

    Add 5 drops of essential oil. I love the smell of peppermint, but you can choose lavender, vanilla, etc.

  5. hand using spoon to stir mixture in glass bowl

    Stir all of the ingredients together until everything is completely melted.

  6. one small mason jar and one very small metal tin, both filled with home made lip balm

    This mixture will start to harden if you leave it, so quickly pour into your containers. I put most of mine into a small jar that I can keep at home and the rest into a small tin that is more convenient for when I'm on the go. Let harden and apply as needed.

Letter Asking for Low-Waste Lip Balm →