Easy Natural Lip Balm

Do you like putting petrolium by-products, benzyl benzoate and red dye #5 on your lips? You don't have to with this quick recipe using natural ingredients.

- 1/2 cup beeswax
- 3 vitamin E gel capsules
- 1 teaspoon of 100 proof vodka
- 1/4 cup organic sunflower or sesame oil
- organic, food-grade essential oil of peppermint (or vanilla or other favorite essence)

Melt the beeswax in a double boiler or stainless steel pot over very low heat.

Warm the oil in a separate stainless steel pot over very low heat; do not let it boil or burn.

While the wax and oil are still warm, just after removing them from the heat source, pierce the vitamin E capsules and squeeze their contents into the warmed oil. Add the vodka and a few drops of the essential oil to the warmed oil.

Pour the warm oil mixture into the melted beeswax and blend thoroughly, using a wire whisk or a frother.

Pour the blended mixture into lip balm tubes or cosmetic tins and let them cool and set before putting on caps or lids.

This recipe makes 6 tubes or tins of lip balm, 1 ounce each.

Tips

Use the best quality organic ingredients you can find for the best results.

You can use essential oil of spearmint, organic vanilla, or tangerine instead of peppermint. Or, alternatively, if you grow mint in your garden, you can use it to make an infused herbal oil instead of using essential oil. Just add mashed or chopped peppermint leaves to the oil while it's warming, keep it over low heat for an hour or so, then strain out the herbs.

If you want tinted lip balm, add a drop of red food coloring. Or experiment with natural mineral powders. If you grow raspberries, squeeze the juice from one into your warmed mixture for a pink tint.

Make a double recipe to have lip balms to give as gifts.