How to Make your Own Lip Butter

Natural skincare brand, Read/the/Label know all about being kind to your face and body – the company creates cosmetics from 100% pure vegetable and plant based components (no synthetic stuff here). The stall is brimming with organic handmade soaps, body butters, moisturisers, oils and balms you’ll want to stuff your bathroom cabinet with.

You can buy Read/the/Label products online here, but alternatively, here’s how to rustle up one of Read/the/Label’s all-natural lip balms at home.

Ingredients:

20% wax: candelilla, carnauba and jojoba are all great but you can use any, if you find a responsible non-commercial bee keeper near you, ask for any left over beeswax – they’re usually happy to share
40% butters: you should be able to find shea, mango and cocoa butter in your local independent food store
38% soft oils: olive, coconut, sunflower, sweet almond, grapeseed are good options
1 % essential oil: lavender, lemon, bergamot, geranium, orange, tea tree, ylang-ylang (strictly limited to 1% max (24 drops is equal to 1ml)
1% vitamin E

Equipment:

Double boiler (or if you don’t have one, rest a bowl on top of a pan of simmering water)
Clean sanitised work surface – safety goggles and an apron recommended
Spatula and knife for cutting
Weighing scales
Lip balm containers

Method:

Cut and weigh the ingredients according to the percentage proportions detailed above
Warm the wax and butters in the double boiler
Add vitamin E and the essential oil
Heat all ingredients until they turn to liquid
Use a pouring jug to fill your containers – stir the melted mixture with a spatula between filling each container
Let the balms cool before use

BIG TIP! The percentage of wax, butters and soft oils are a guideline and will produce a firm lip balm with good moisturising potential. The percentages can change from summer to winter, or according to your preference (i.e. if you prefer a softer balm for the winter simply add more soft oils and less wax and butter).

For more info about Read/the/Label and where to find them, click here.