For each of the lip balms we will be making this week, I gave myself a target. Did I want it to be vegan? Did I want it shiny? Soft? Firm? For our first formulation, I targeted a glossy yet firm lip balm. Come join me for how I approached using materials in my cupboard to make this lip balm.
Finished Lip Balm – Formulation #1
When I first applied Formulation #1, I was struck by the creamy sensation of it gliding across my lips. I liked how it felt a little heavier and intense. While it wasn’t as firm as I was expecting, it wasn’t extremely soft either. If I wanted to make this formulation a little more firm, I might consider adding up to 5% of Carnauba or Candelilla Wax.
Weighing Waxes and Oils
I was also pleased with the light glossy appearance it gave the lips. It wasn’t bright like applying a thick yet still liquid lip gloss. Instead this gave the lips a healthy yet natural looking shine. I think this makes this a great formulation for both men and women.
Weighing Oils
The last thing I might change about this formulation is the usage rate of the Peppermint Essential Oil. While it wasn’t painful, it was strong. It definitely made my lips feel cool. While some people like that strong tingly sensation, I tend to like a more mild lip balm. Each to their own, right?
| Ingredients Beeswax Castor Oil Sunflower Oil Cocoa Butter, White Shea Butter, High Melt Point Lanolin Sugar Baby Flavor Oil Peppermint Essential Oil |
Equipment Scale Microwave Safe Container Spoons Pipettes |
Original Recipe:
| Recipe in Grams 100 grams Beeswax 120 grams Castor Oil 56 grams Sunflower Oil 60 grams Cocoa Butter, White 40 grams Shea Butter, High Melt Point 8 grams Lanolin 12 grams Sugar Baby Flavor Oil 4 grams Peppermint Essential Oil |
Recipe in Ounces Beeswax Castor Oil Sunflower Oil Cocoa Butter, White Shea Butter, High Melt Point Lanolin Sugar Baby Flavor Oil Peppermint Essential Oil |
Recipe in Percentages 25% Beeswax 30% Castor Oil 14% Sunflower Oil 15% Cocoa Butter, White 10% Shea Butter, High Melt Point 2% Lanolin 3% Sugar Baby Flavor Oil 1% Peppermint Essential Oil |
Proposed Changes:
| Recipe in Grams 100 grams Beeswax 16 grams Candelilla Wax 106 grams Castor Oil 56 grams Sunflower Oil 60 grams Cocoa Butter, White 40 grams Shea Butter, High Melt Point 8 grams Lanolin 12 grams Sugar Baby Flavor Oil 2 grams Peppermint Essential Oil |
Recipe in Ounces Beeswax Candelilla Wax Castor Oil Sunflower Oil Cocoa Butter, White Shea Butter, High Melt Point Lanolin Sugar Baby Flavor Oil Peppermint Essential Oil |
Recipe in Percentages 25% Beeswax 4% Candelilla Wax 26.5% Castor Oil 14% Sunflower Oil 15% Cocoa Butter, White 10% Shea Butter, High Melt Point 2% Lanolin 3% Sugar Baby Flavor Oil 0.5% Peppermint Essential Oil |
Weighing Oils
Weigh everything except the Sugar Baby Flavor Oil and Peppermint Essential Oil into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until everything is liquid. If you still have a few stubborn beads of beeswax, remove the container from the microwave and stir. The heat in the solution should melt the beeswax.
Add the Sugar Baby Flavor Oil and Peppermint Essential Oil to the liquid lip balm mixture. Stir well. For here you can either use a pipette to fill your lip balm tubes or use a filling tray. Use whichever is most convenient for you.
Adding Lanolin
I like using a filling tray when making 50 or more tubes of lip balm because they are simple to use and fast. If you are using a filling tray, insert your tubes into your tray. Flood the tray with your melted lip balm. Allow the mixture to cool. Scrape off the excess. I like to use a plastic putty knife. Remove the tubes from the tray and cap.
Adding Flavor Oils
If you are going to pipette the lip balm into the tubes, fill the tube until you get a dome of liquid material at the top. Wax shrinks when it cools and doing this helps insure that you get a very pretty top. Fill all of your tubes making sure they are domed on the top before they cool. (You may need to reheat your lip balm during this process. This is normal and to be expected.) Allow the tubes to cool then cap.
Mixed Lip Balm
Now you can label your lip balm. Because I am making several different recipes, I have labeled today’s lip balm Formula #1. (Original, I know.) By the end of the week, we will have several recipes to try and I wanted to keep them straight! Stick around. This week is only going to get better!
Mint flavored lip balm is very popular with customers. I always check MMS for recommended use rate — which I find totally reliable. For a batch of 50 tubes, I would use a volume measure instead of weight, i.e., 2 ml instead of grams. It’s just easier for me.
MMS Catalog says: Peppermint is a great lip balm flavor, but a little goes a long way. Use at a rate of 0.3 to 1%. For a batch of lip balm that makes 50 tubes (.15 ounces each) or 25 jars (.25 ounces each) use from 1 to 3 grams. This converts to approximately 1 to 3 milliliters if you would rather use a pipette. We generally do not recommend more than 2 mL in this amount of lip balm.
HTH