Earl Grey Tea Lip Balm

My thick chap stick is inspired by Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek The Next Generation, "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot."  

Note that my lip balms don't require any preservatives as it is free from water or any watery types of ingredients. It is nothing but fats and waxes. It naturally preserves itself!

Before you get started, I want to stress to you that for the most part, these are guidelines. I have provided links for products & supplies we feel you may find useful. After all, it's the stuff I have either used, or are currently using. In the end, use what works for you. I want you to be comfortable with the whole process. This isn't a chore, or a stress, it's a simple relaxing way to make your own lip balm free from synthetics - at a fraction of the cost. 

I like to make my lip balms nice and thick. If you prefer a thinner lip balm, adjust your waxes and oils to make it thinner or thicker. Less beeswax or more oil equals a thinner balm. More beeswax or less oil equals a thicker balm. Test before pouring into the tins. Adjust as needed until it is the consistency you like.

My personal preference for heating the ingredients is to use a paper bowl & a cast iron grill over the stove top or if it's during the winter, I forgo the grill & use a paper bowl on top of our wood stove. I prefer this method for it's easy clean up & the fact that I can toss the used bowl in the burn pile &/or compost pile (it also makes for a great fire starter). If you do not feel comfortable with my method/s, you can always opt. for a small crock pot, putting the ingredients directly into the pot. If you have a gas stove you may not feel comfortable with an open flame around your oils. This is perfectly understandable. You too, can use a small crock pot directly or make clean up easier by using a larger oval shaped crock pot and paper bowls. Yet another option is to heat the oils directly in a glass canning jar rather than a paper bowl. 

Clean up is a bit more difficult if you directly heat your oils & waxes in a glass jar or crock pot, but it can be done. Once you have finished, use plenty of straight soap no water. This is the same method I use to clean up after soap making. Water will only make the cleaning process more difficult. Once the vessel is sufficiently cleaned, you can then rinse it with hot water. If after rinsing, it still has residue, clean it again with plenty of straight soap no water. Repeat this process until it's clean.

There are no hard fast rules, except to please use common sense. Remember you are dealing with oils which are highly flammable. If for whatever reason, you do have a kitchen fire, do not use water! You can quickly toss baking soda on the flames, or quickly smother it with towels, or the best option (although very messy), use a fire extinguisher. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a messy kitchen then burn it to the ground!

Ready? Lets begin!

Earl Grey Tea Lip Balm

Ingredients:

• 1 Ounce Organic Cocoa Butter is the ultimate all natural moisturizer. It keeps skin soft & supple. It is one of the most stable, highly concentrated natural fats known. It melts at body temperature so that it is readily absorbed into the skin. It is often recommended for the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema & dermatitis. When applied topically, it creates a barrier between sensitive skin & the environment & also helps retain moisture. Pregnant women have long used to cocoa butter formulations to prevent & treat stretch marks.
• 1 Ounce Organic Beeswax is an all natural anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic & antibacterial skin softener that helps lock in the skin's own natural moisture, & creates a protective, long-lasting barrier against the elements.
• 1 Ounce Organic Sesame Seed Oil easily penetrates lips, is antibacterial & is a potent antioxidant.  It balances mood, reduces stress, & is a calming aphrodisiac.
• 25 Drops Organic Bergamot Essential Oil (adjust as needed/preferred) is sweet smelling, is an anti depressant & stimulant, antibiotic & disinfectant, antiseptic & vulnerary. What this all means is it fights germs & heals skin, it's smell is pleasant & soothing.
  

Supplies:

Kitchen Scale & Adapter (optional)
Paper Bowls
Large Stainless Steel Pot or Cast Iron Pan (better)
Slide Tins

Lip Balm Directions:

1. If you are using a large shallow stainless steel pot or large deep stainless steel pan, you will need to fill it half way with hot water. Put it on the stove on the lowest heat setting. If you are using a cast iron grilling pan (my preferred method), put the pan on your stove using the lowest heat setting.
   
2. Measure out your ingredients using your scale. Put your paper bowl on the scale first. Then hit the tare button to zero out the scale. Next add 1 ounce of cocoa butter. You can then hit tare again to zero out the scale or add 1 ounce of beeswax next making the scale total 2 ounces. Again, you can either hit tare a third time to zero it out or add 1 ounce of sesame seed oil (pour very slowly) making the scale total 3 ounces.
3. Carefully place your paper bowl containing all three ingredients either floating in your pot of hot (not boiling) water or on your cast iron grilling pan (my preferred method).
   
4. Keeping the stove heat on the lowest setting, allow the beeswax and butter to slowly melt. Do not leave the mix unattended. This is a good time to prep your slide tins so they are ready to receive the melted product.
5. Once everything is fully melted and incorporated, turn off the stove heat. Add the essential oil.  Carefully lift up the bowl, bend one side of the lip to form a little crease that will act as your pour spout. Pour the hot liquid into your tins of choice.
6. Let the tins sit until fully cooled & hardened. Place the lids on the tins. Label the tins.
7. Enjoy!

You may also like:

DIY! Spicy Vanilla Mint Lip Balm

DIY Coconut Healing Hard Salve