homemade_lip_balmThis is a homemade gift idea that you could combine with Homemade Gift Idea #97: Homemade Bath Bombs and Homemade Gift Idea #99: easy melt and pour soap bars to make a bath and body themed homemade gift basket. It seems relatively easy to make. The process seems a lot like the melt and pour soap bars. Judging from the amount required, you could make quite a few with just one batch. I haven’t given these as gifts yet, but as part of a homemade bath and body gift basket, I am sure your gift recipients will be impressed.

There are literally hundreds of lip balm recipes out there. You can find quite of few of homemade lip balm recipes at fromnaturewithlove.com. The recipe outlined below is adapted from soap-queen-blogspot.com. Everything you need, oils, waxes, flavors, tins, can be purchased through Brambleberry.com’s lip balm section. They also carry a meltable lip balm base that makes the process even easier. You don’t have to worry about the proportions, you just melt the base in the microwave or double-boiler, and add your flavor and/or color.  The down side to this is you can’t customize the oil and wax ingredients, which is part of the creative fun in this kind of project.

The following recipe is adapted from soap-queen-blogspot.com:

Materials
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon beeswax
1 1/2 teaspoon sweet almond oil
1 teaspoon olive oil
20-30 drops of the flavoring of your choice
7 to 10 lip balm containers. It will vary greatly depending on the size container that you get.

Directions
You can do the melting process in the microwave, but you want to make sure you heat in brief 10-20 second intervals, stirring between each interval. To be safe, use a double-boiler or if you have a Pyrex measuring container, or other heat resistant glass for the procedure below. I like to use the Pyrex container method because it is easier to pour the mixture into the lip balm containers.

  1. Add a few inches of water into a saucepan. If you are not using a double-boiler, place your Pyrex container in the saucepan.
  2. Heat water on low.
  3. Add coconut oil and beeswax. Stirring often, heat until they are completely melted.
  4. Add olive oil, sweet almond oil, and flavoring. (If you are adding coloring, do so here)
  5. Continue heating and mixing for a minute or two.
  6. Pour mixture into small lip balm containers.
  7. Let cool and you are done.

You can easily make fun homemade gift labels with by printing on self adhesive Avery full sheet labels and cutting them out.

Related posts:

  1. Homemade Gift Idea #92: Super Easy Homemade Lotion
  2. Homemade Gift Idea #97: Homemade Bath Bombs
  3. Homemade Gift Idea #99: Easy Melt and Pour Soap Bars