Choice Between Buying and Making Your Own Flavoured Lip Balm
It is very easy to get a flavoured lip balm off the shelf and just hand out the dollar to pay. However, many a times when the lip balm bought off the counter is just plain unsatisfactory. The worst case is when the lip balm hits the lips to supposedly “balm” it after the super cold weather had chapped it will result to stingy sensations and sometimes allergic reactions. Then the trouble starts and you end up with the worst case of chapped lips.
This usually happens with flavoured lip balm which was commercially made and the ingredients used are not the ingredients that you would even think of using. No one can really blame you if you just buy off the counter, no one can blame you if you were not able to thoroughly read the microscopic list of ingredients used.
The best thing to probably do is a choice of two things: one, to buy a lip balm made from and uses the most natural of ingredients, but can cost a pretty penny. The second choice, if you are enterprising enough, to make your own flavoured lip balm.
If you are not the enterprising type, then probably what is best is to choose a really good lip balm made by the best reviewed lip balm products: Neutrogena, Chap Stick, Body Shop, and Bloom. These can be bought off the counter and some may be expensive, especially if the products are all made from organically grown and developed ingredients.
However, if you are an enterprising sort, then the best would be to make your own. Yes, there is a way to do it right from your kitchen counter, and you will be assured that they do not undergo animal testing neither do they use ingredients that you may have adverse reactions to. For one thing, you can choose which ingredients you want to use and you can even tint them to whatever shade you wish to use. Here’s how a basic flavoured lip balm is made:
All you need are: 3 tsp grated unbleached beeswax (2 tsp if you want it glossier), 5 tsp sunflower oil or jojoba (8 tsp if you want it glossier), 6 or 7 drops of your choice essential oil and 1 tsp honey for the flavour. Simply melt the beeswax over hot water (double broiler or microwave oven set low), stir the melted beeswax to make sure that everything is dissolved completely before removing from the heat. Add the essential oil of choice and the honey. Again, mix well and make sure there are no lumps. If you want to tint the lip balm, get your favourite colored lipstick and just cut a tiny piece and drop into the beeswax mixture, stir well to mix. Pour into the container of choice and leave to solidify for about 20 minutes.
Remember the essential oils that are used for the recipe above? Well, those are also the flavors for the lip balm. You can use apricot, strawberry, blackberry, calendula, even almond essential oils; it is really up to you. The point is, it is very easy to make and for the cost that you pay for the well known brands will make you several pots of the winter essential that will keep your lips soft and moisturized.