How to Make DIY Lip Balm (3 Ingredient Recipe)

Say goodbye to chapped lips with this DIY lip balm recipe. It’s natural, easy to make, and saves money.

I’ve been making lip balm for over 11 years, particularly during winter, when dry lips are inevitable. Today, I’m sharing my soothing, hydrating recipe with simple ingredients: beeswax, shea butter, and oil. 

This blog outlines the steps to make my favorite easy homemade lip balm recipe.

DIY Lip Balm Benefits

• Natural Ingredients – To make the best lip balm, you’ll need a few natural ingredients (easy to find online): beeswax, shea butter (or use mango butter or cocoa butter), and oil of choice (like olive oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil). 
• Minimal Equipment – You’ll also need lip balm tubes, metal tins, a saucepan, a heat-safe bowl, and a stovetop. 
• Cost – My recipe makes 7-8 lip balm tubes, costing just $0.60 a tube- enough to last all winter or share as a great gift! 
• Flavor Options – Personalize the lip balm by adding your favorite essential oils, like peppermint or lavender essential oil. 
• Shelf Life – Homemade lip balm lasts for up to 12 months!

Before you get started: What You’ll Need

You’ll also find the full recipe, instructions, and links for my favorite ingredient brands in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of body butter – provides much of the moisturizing relief my lips crave in the drier months. Choose one of these options for the body butter: cocoa butter (hydrating and rich in vitamin E, chocolatey scent), shea butter (rich in fatty acids, vitamin E, ultra-moisturizing), or mango butter (rich in fatty acids, ultra-moisturizing).
• 2 tablespoons carrier oil – nourishes and moisturizes the skin. My favorite oil options are sweet almond, olive, sunflower, avocado, jojoba, and coconut oil. 
• 2-3 teaspoons beeswax pellets – the glue that holds the oil and body butter together and creates a solid product. The wax also provides a protective moisture barrier to the skin and may also help to soothe the skin.
• 5 drops essential oil (optional) – peppermint or lavender are personal favorites. The essential oil adds a lovely scent.

Equipment

• Small saucepan – used to create a double boiler by adding water to the saucepan and placing a heat-safe bowl on top. This method protects the fragile ingredients from burning.
• Small or medium heat-safe bowl or tall measuring cup (glass or metal)- to melt the ingredients. I’ve found that a glass measuring cup that can sit in the small saucepan (above) works best as it has a spout for pouring the melted wax into lip balm tubes. Other options include a glass or metal mixing bowl; however, they are more challenging to use if you’re making lip balm tubes, as they don’t have a spout for pouring. 
• Lip balm containers – Either lip balm tubes or metal tins. This recipe makes 7-8 regular-sized tubes (or 4 ounces).

How to Make Lip Balm: Recipe Steps

• Step 1 Combine Ingredients – Place the body butter, oil, and beeswax pellets in a small or medium heat-safe bowl or tall measuring cup. 
• Step 2 Melt Ingredients – Place the glass bowl on top (or sitting inside) of a saucepan partially filled with water (about 1/4 way full) over medium heat (this creates a double boiler to protect the fragile ingredients from burning). Heat until the wax and butter melts, stirring occasionally. While doing this, place a disposable plate or paper towel under the lip balm containers to prevent wax from dripping onto your countertop when you reach step 4.
• Step 3 Remove Ingredients From Heat – Remove the bowl from the saucepan and place it on an oven mitt or towel. Add the essential oil drops of choice (if using). 
• Step 4 Pour Into Lip Balm Containers –  Use an oven mitt to pour the liquid mixture into lip balm containers (tubes or tins). Allow the balm to rest for a few minutes until formed and solid. It’s ready to use once set (firm). 

Application Tip: Apply as needed to the lips. May be used daily and multiple times a day. I love to use this lip scrub once a week during the winter as well.

How Long Will This Kind of Lip Balm last? 

Homemade lip balm will last for the life of the ingredients, about 12 months—store at temperature. 

How Much Lip Balm Does This Recipe Make? 

This recipe makes 4 ounces, or about 7-8 standard-size lip balm tubes. 

How to Make Vegan Lip Balm

To make this basic recipe vegan, you must substitute beeswax for plant-based wax, like soy wax, carnauba wax, or candelilla. 

The other ingredients used are all plant-based.

 What to Avoid Doing

• Don’t Use “Hot” Essential Oils – Some essential oils can irritate the skin and cause the skin to feel an uncomfortable burning sensation. Avoid “hot oils” such as cinnamon, clove, oregano, thyme, and lemongrass.
• Citrus Oils – ​ Citrus oils, like sweet orange essential oil or lemon essential oil, are photosensitive and can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Skip these oils if you’ll be in the sun a lot.
• Don’t Add the Essential Oils When Melting The Ingredients – Essential oils quickly evaporate when exposed to high temperatures. Wait until the ingredients have melted and are away from the heat source before adding the essential oil. 

How to Prevent Natural Lip Balm Recipe Problems

• Grainy Lip Balm – Lip balm made with shea butter can (on some occasions) turn gritty or grainy. While the lip balm is still usable, the final product can feel funny on your lips when applied. To prevent a grainy texture:

1. Cool in Fridge – Place the lip balm in the fridge to cool after pouring it into your tins or tubes. 
2. Slow Melt – If you find this issue still occurs, next time, melt the shea butter first over low heat in the glass bowl (double boiler set up) before adding the other ingredients for 15-20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and proceed with the steps. This slower, longer melt can also help reduce the grainy texture issue.

• ​Lip Balm is Too Hard or Soft – Too much wax, and you’ll end up with a very hard lip balm; too little wax, and you’ll get a very soft lip balm. If this issue occurs, next time, add more wax if the lip balm is too soft for your liking. Add more oil if the lip balm is too hard for your liking. Either way, the lip balm is still usable but can be tweaked as desired next time.