In our experience, in which we have slaved away trying to make the 'perfect' lip balm, we have found that there is no exact formula to stick to. It depends how you like your lip balm.
However, we have picked up a few tips along the way for making really good lip balm.
In addition, we have included a Safety Assessment FAQ at the bottom which we hope you'll find useful!
Lip Balm Making Rules
What oil should I use?
Use a medium to high fat / thickness oil, not a dry 'thin' oil. You can use Sweet Almond Oil or Apricot Kernel Oil if you would like no odour from the oil, but for a delightful coconut smell, use our Virgin Organic Coconut Oil. Add some Calendula oil for sore, chapped lips, or Rosehip oil has excellent rejuvenating properties and is ideal for anti-ageing balms. Castor oil is a thick, glossy oil so is ideal for use in lip balm or indeed lip gloss (see below). The more of any oil you use in a lip balm, the glossier the lip balm. But steer clear of Extra Virgin Olive Oil - it turns the lip balm green and tastes too savoury for our liking!
What butter should I use?
Stick to our top-quality Organic Shea butter and Organic Cocoa butter for the best texture and flavour. The better quality of the butter, the better the lip balm.
What wax should I use?
If you want an unrefined wax, go for a Yellow Beeswax. If you want to tone down the beeswax odour, go for our Organic Refined Beeswax. With all types of beeswax, a little goes a long way. However you can swap the beeswax for Candelilla wax in order to make your lip balm Vegan-friendly. With an almost identical texture, you can use the exact same amount as you would beeswax. Or our new Carnauba wax would work well.
What preservatives should I use?
Generally speaking, anhydrous (water-free) formulas don't need any preservatives, as the lip balm should last up to 24 months without, if unopened and stored in a cool, dark place. However, we would recommend it be used within 6 months of opening (when used by the end consumer). To add more antioxidant power, add around 1% of Vitamin E.
What quantities should I use?
Generally speaking, you need to use roughly 15-20% beeswax to 25-30% butter and 45-50% oil. The more butter and wax you use, the thicker or 'sturdier' your lip balm will be. This is good if you want your lip balm to stay on for quite a while. It will also be 'creamier', which is how we like it! However, add more oil for a 'glossier' lip balm - though it doesn't cling to your lips as much so you'll have to re-apply more often.
Is a tube or a pot best?
Tubes are more handy than pots for when out and about, but you will need pipettes to make lip balm in tubes. Lip balms can look cuter in pots though, and can make better-looking presents.
How do I flavour the lip balms?
If you want a gorgeous natural flavour, you can use pure essential oils, or our Natural / Organic Flavour Oils. Or, for a more punchy aroma, you can use our Funky n' Fruity Lip Balm Flavour Oils, which allow a maximum of 5% in your lip balms! You could also try flavouring your lip balms with honey, real chocolate, vanilla pods or coffee. Be experimental - it's fun! (If you are selling these to the public though, please check the suitability of your recipe with your safety assessor!)
How do I add natural colour to the lip balms?
Our Mica Colours are ideal for colouring both the lip balm and your lips. You can choose between our Pearlescent Mica-based Shimmer Colours, which add a gorgeously subtle, shimmery sheen to your lips, or our Pigment Colours pack a powerful punch, meaning you need to use less of them in your balm.
What about making lip gloss?
If you want a thick liquid texture, just make the recipe below but with roughly 7 times as much oil. Our Organic Castor Oil is ideal for use in lip gloss as it is thicker than other oils so will stay on your lips longer. Alternatively you can just use our Organic Lip Gloss Base.
Do I need to have my products safety tested before I sell them?
Yes. But this process needn't be a daunting one - our Safety Assessments come with all the relevant information sheets you need to be compliant - it's simple when you know how!
Do I still need my own assessment if I buy your kits and/or ready-made bases?
Yes. As you are bringing them to the retail market and using your own branding, you would need the assessment to be in your name. However our Pre-flavoured Organic Hand & Body Creams would be covered by our safety assessment so do not require you to buy your own. But you'll still need your own paperwork, such as batch sheets and Product Information Files (PIFs). Please note it is your responsibility to ensure you have all the legalities in place before selling your products. Getting a Safety Assessment needn't be a daunting process though (see above). Also, we sell a handy Starter Lip Balm Assessment for almost half the price of our standard one, which allows you to sell either our Pre-flavoured Organic Lip Balm Bases, or our Ready-made Organic Lip Balm Base with added selected flavours.
