As a life-long gloss wearer, I’ve been a bit innocent to the products that one might use to take care of your lips. A few weeks ago, Alyssa and I were searching for some fun lip colors (as I’ve recently made the decision to actually USE some of these colors I keep buying) and the subject of lip scrubs came up. Since I’d never really tried to the leave the house in a deep berry or bright red shade, I had no idea that proper exfoliation is crucial to wear length and appearance!
Who knew? (Ok, ok, you probably knew.)
After spending a small fortune on Burt’s Bee’s lip balm, I recently decided I needed to learn to make a similar product I could keep on hand. I love minty fresh balms- it wakes me up and is so refreshing! The news about needing a lip scrub came at just the right time: wouldn’t it be lovely to have a matching set of minty goodness?
I wanted to create a recipe that would create just the right amount of lip balm and the one below was PERFECT for me. It created enough to fill 3 half-dollar sized metal containers (and I promise to come back and update the recipe when I try lip balm tubes). It’s completely scaleable though- don’t be afraid to multiply the recipe to make some gifts or put one in every pocket you have!
- 1 teaspoon shea butter
- 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
- 2 teaspoons sweet almond oil
- 2 1/2 to 3 heaping teaspoon of beeswax pellets (or 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons solid beeswax)
- 10 drops peppermint oil
- Heat shea butter, oils and beeswax on the lowest stove-top setting in a small pan. (Don't heat quickly as it could make your balm gritty.)
- Remove from heat and add peppermint oil.
- Pour into metal tins or tubes, leaving opening. Let set for 24 hours, then cover and use as usual!
- Beeswax is the key to thickening your balm. I definitely prefer the smaller recipe quantity since it leaves the mixture just slightly smooshy- exactly how I like it. If your mixture is too thin, add beeswax pellets (or tiny bits of solid) one at a time. If it's too thick, a dash of the almond oil will help.
- If the mixture becomes too thick after adding your peppermint oil (this can happen since it's so much colder!) heat VERY slowly over low heat until it returns to a more liquid state.
- If your pan doesn't pour well, use a dropper to fill your containers!
Now, let’s talk about this lip scrub! This recipe is SO simple and moisturizing. The peppermint left just the right amount of tingle, while the oils and honey were the perfect combination to make the exfoliation gentle yet effective. I even had enough to use the next day!
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sweet almond oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar (I like Trader Joe's organic version- not as granular as turbinado sugar, but a bit thicker than white granulated sugar!)
- 3 drops peppermint oil
- Combine all ingredients in a small container. Mix well with a spoon or small spatula.
- Apply a thick layer to lips and let sit for two to three minutes to moisturize.
- Gently massage scrub into lips and surrounding skin using circular motions.
- Rinse with warm water and finish with Mint Lip Balm.
- If the mixture isn't mixing too well, heat your container in the palm of your hand to help melt the honey. Don't worry too much if the oils aren't completely incorporated- it will still work perfectly!
Amy W says
This is totally awesome and I love the picture you took of all the ingredients, too. Thanks for sharing with us at our Link It or Lump It party!
Allison @ Dream a Little Bigger says
Hey, there! Thanks so much for linking your project to Link It or Lump It. I’m so excited because your divine looking balm and scrub duo will be featured at Dream a Little Bigger tomorrow and shared with your social links! Thanks again and looking forward to seeing more excellent links from you in the future!
Kristine says
Love it so much I shared on my fan page. Thank you!
Anna says
What a lovely blog! I will keep on reading your posts…
Anna
https://www.plainandpure.blogspot.be