This easy homemade lip balm only requires 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep!
With just 3 ingredients and a microwave, you can whip up this easy, indulgent 5-Minute DIY Lip Balm recipe. It’s an affordable, all-natural, homemade gift for you or your loved ones!
Whether you’re looking for a special Mother’s Day gift for that lady in your life, an end-of-school teacher’s treat, or a fun stocking stuffer for the Christmas holiday, this easy homemade lip balm recipe is the perfect solution!
Since it’s made with just 3 all-natural ingredients, it’s also safe for kids!
HOW TO MAKE LIP BALM:
I kid you not — this homemade DIY lip balm only requires 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes of hands-on time.
You just need:
LIP BALM CONTAINERS:
You can store your DIY lip balm in any type of container that you prefer. You might like:
I like to make my lip balm in 2-ounce round metal tins like these, since the shallow wide tins allow me to use the balm as cuticle oil, too.
HELPFUL TIPS:
- I love the refreshing scent of mint-flavored lip balms, so I opted to use peppermint essential oil. If you want a bright flavor to perk you up, a citrus flavor (like lemon) would be perfect. Want a nighttime, soothing balm? Lavender essential oil is your best best!
- Have all of your supplies set up and ready to go before you start working. You don’t want to be messing around looking for anything once you start melting the wax.
- Work over a towel, paper towels, or old rags. You don’t want wax to drip on your nice countertops!
These lip balms would be the perfect addition to a Mother’s Day care package, or a great way to show your girlfriends that you’re thinking of them. During the winter holidays, they make a great stocking stuffer, hostess gift, or teacher appreciation treat.
Homemade lip balm is practical, indulgent, easy, and affordable. The perfect gift!
5-Minute DIY Lip Balm
This easy homemade lip balm only requires 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep!
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons beeswax
- 12 drops Young Living peppermint essential oil
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil and beeswax in a pourable glass measuring cup in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.
- Add essential oil and pour into empty lip balm tubes or pots.
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes about 15-20 tubes of lip balm, or 4 (2-ounce) containers of lip balm.
HELPFUL TIPS:
- I love the refreshing scent of mint-flavored lip balms, so I opted to use peppermint essential oil. If you want a bright flavor to perk you up, a citrus flavor (like lemon) would be perfect. Want a nighttime, soothing balm? Lavender essential oil is your best best!
- Have all of your supplies set up and ready to go before you start working. You don't want to be messing around looking for anything once you start melting the wax.
- Work over a towel, paper towels, or old rags. You don't want wax to drip on your nice countertops!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
Jenny says
March 20, 2015 at 8:05 amI could use some of this right now! I bet it smells amazing too!
Blair says
March 21, 2015 at 6:24 amIt definitely does, Jenny! Thanks! 🙂
Ally says
November 13, 2018 at 10:03 amHow long does it last? Will it go bad?
Blair says
November 13, 2018 at 11:01 amHi, Ally! I honestly don’t know! It lasts quite a long time — many months — but I’ve never kept it around long enough to watch it go bad. 🙂
Sammi says
December 13, 2018 at 12:38 pmAlso, I prefer to work over a cookie sheet so I can scrape up what I spill & reuse the spillages. 😊
Lily Lau says
March 20, 2015 at 1:27 pmI’m addicted to lip balms, I have like hundreds! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Blair says
March 21, 2015 at 6:24 amMe too, Lily! Love ’em! 🙂
Rachael says
October 10, 2017 at 7:41 amAppeiciate it dear
Amy @ Ms. Toody Goo Shoes says
March 20, 2015 at 8:32 pmLooks amazing! Thanks for linking up at Best of the Weekend!
Anna @ Sunny Side Ups says
March 21, 2015 at 12:49 pmI am so doing this!! Essential Oil chapstick is my favorite, but it can be expensive, and this looks so easy to make! 🙂 Love it!
Blair says
March 22, 2015 at 5:41 amDo it, Anna! You’ll love it! 🙂
Sarah J says
March 23, 2015 at 10:14 amPopping over from Merry Monday =) I love homemade gifts! This has been on my to do list for a bit now… just gotta go get the beeswax. Thanks for inspiring! Be sure to share your recipes, crafts, upcycles & DIYs at Two Uses Tuesday (Mon 8pm EST to Fri 11pm EST) over at Sarah Celebrates if you don’t already!
Blair says
March 23, 2015 at 12:00 pmThanks, Sarah! Definitely give it a try!!
M says
January 22, 2016 at 12:50 pmHow do you measure 3 tablespoons of beeswax if it comes in a bar? Do you melt it first? Can you reuse the wax you melted but didn’t use if you accidentally melt more than 3T? Just wondering how that works. Thanks!
Blair says
January 22, 2016 at 3:06 pmHi, M! I don’t know if there’s a “correct” way to do it, but I eyeballed 1 tablespoon (kind of like when I’m slicing off 1 tablespoon of butter from a stick). I then melted it, measured it, and discarded any extra. By eyeballing the measurement, I didn’t have too much leftover, so I didn’t try to save it. I honestly don’t know if you can reuse the wax once it cools and hardens again. I would think so (kind of like reusing coconut oil), but I’m no expert! 🙂
Sammi says
December 13, 2018 at 12:26 pmYes you can save the extra melted wax. Just let it cool & harden then keep with the rest of your beeswax until ready to use.
Rita says
February 16, 2019 at 8:46 pmYou can buy beeswax pastilles Blair and I was wondering when done is it hard to the touch or soft applicable. Usually I add Shea butter.
Blair says
February 17, 2019 at 5:31 amHi, Rita! It’s pretty hard — not soft like Vaseline. 🙂
Pam Cook says
August 28, 2017 at 7:20 pmHi. You can shave it like cheese, or buy it already in small bead form. I used that because it’s so easy if it’s already shaven or shred. Hope this helps. By the way, the wax just seems to harden the same as it was in whatever shape your dish is.
Blair says
August 29, 2017 at 4:32 amGreat tips! Thanks, Pam!
Bobbie Williams says
April 10, 2016 at 8:04 pmI have honey combs how do I get the wax out ?
Blair says
April 11, 2016 at 10:32 amHi, Bobbie! I have no idea! 🙂 I’ve never worked with honey combs…I just buy the wax in blocks.
Sammi says
December 13, 2018 at 12:33 pmOnce you have removed as much honey as you can from the honeycomb (beekeepers use a spinner to spin the honey out) melt the remaining honeycomb. I like to use a cast iron pan on low heat. As the wax melts, the impurities will settle to the bottom. You can the use the clean wax off the top or pour the clean wax into muffin tins for later use. Discard the “dirty” wax by pouring onto newspaper to let it harden then toss into the trash.
Sammi says
December 13, 2018 at 12:35 pmOnce the wax is poured into muffin tins, you may need to heat the tin slightly to remove the wax muffins.
Coda says
June 17, 2016 at 1:40 pmCan you tell me how long the balm will last?
Blair says
June 17, 2016 at 7:33 pmAt least a few months, but maybe even more Coda! 🙂
Maddy says
September 13, 2016 at 3:50 pmApproximately how much does it cost to get everything needed to make it?
Blair says
September 13, 2016 at 7:45 pmHey, Maddy! I’m not sure — if you just buy the bottle of peppermint oil it can cost anywhere from $10-30 but it lasts FOREVER and can be used for zillions of other things. The beeswax is about $6 (for a lot of it) and the coconut oil is about $10 for a lot of it. That gives you way more of those ingredients than you need for just the lip gloss, though. You can use a variety of different containers, but the version that I bought and linked to in the post is about $14 for 8 tins. Hope that helps!
Jennifer says
November 26, 2016 at 11:11 pmHi. I was just wondering if you could use an extract instead of an essential oil?
Blair says
November 27, 2016 at 5:41 amHi, Jennifer! I’m honestly not sure how that would work since I have never tried it myself. It might be fine, since I know that extract is a fine replacement for the oil in some recipes. BUT, since the products are very different in composition (oil versus a liquid with alcohol), it might affect the consistency of the lip balm in this particular project. I’ve just never experimented. 🙂
Jessica says
November 29, 2016 at 5:28 pmI don’t have a microwave. Could I make this on the stove?
Blair says
November 29, 2016 at 5:39 pmDefinitely! You just need to melt the ingredients, so any heat source should work! 🙂
Jennifer says
November 29, 2016 at 6:02 pmAfter making today, I would upt for a pourable container, such as a metal measuring cup? I opted for a 2:1 ratio and added some vitamin E. I think next time, I’ll try a 3:1 ratio or add more Vitamin E, but am in love with this recipe! It was super easy. Thanks!
Blair says
November 30, 2016 at 7:14 pmGreat suggestions, Jennifer! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Sharon says
December 12, 2016 at 8:51 amTis recipe is nice and solid. Thanks!
Sharon says
December 12, 2016 at 8:53 am*This! And I also wanted to say, thanks for the links even if some are affiliate, they’re useful!
Blair says
December 12, 2016 at 4:05 pmThanks, Sharon!
Lori says
December 14, 2016 at 11:19 pmHow long does this take to set up or harden after it is poured?
Blair says
December 15, 2016 at 7:26 amHey, Lori! Not too long. Maybe an hour or so?
Renee says
December 20, 2016 at 12:04 pmI just have a stick of beeswax. How do I know how much 3 tablespoons is?
Blair says
December 20, 2016 at 12:48 pmHey, Renee! It will depend on how big your stick is. It’s kind of like butter — sometimes there are little markers on the solid stick (or wrapper) to tell you how much it is. If not, I would go ahead and melt the stick and then measure the melted wax with a tablespoon measure, just as if you were measuring melted butter or oil. 🙂
Madi says
February 11, 2017 at 11:38 amHey Blair,
This is a Lovely idea.
I’ve been looking for something to do with the coconut oil I have. Thanks for the inspiration
Also i’m enjoying reading the content on your site, your recipes are amazing.
Thanks
Madi
Madi says
February 11, 2017 at 11:38 amHey Blair,
This is a Lovely idea.
I’ve been looking for something to do with the coconut oil I have. Thanks for the inspiration
Also i’m enjoying reading the content on your site, your recipes are amazing.
Thanks
Madi
Madi says
February 11, 2017 at 11:41 amHi Blair,
This is a wonderful idea.
I’ve been looking for something to do with my leftover coconut oil. Thanks for the inspiration
Also i’m enjoying reading the content on your site, your recipes are amazing.
Thanks
Madi
Blair says
February 11, 2017 at 6:58 pmHi, Madi! Thanks so much for stopping by! Enjoy that lip balm! 🙂
Michelle ` says
February 13, 2017 at 3:51 pmMy friend an I just made this recipe almost exactly. We read the comments and answers prior… we seen a question asking about using vanilla extract instead instead of essential oils. Like I said we followed this exact recipe… we tried it with 100% pure vanilla extract and an essential oil. The results with both are the same.
This is an amazing recipe! My lips were chapped when we made the balms… as soon as I applied the balm to my lips I could feel the instant results. As well… it stays on after taking a drink too!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Sincerely,
Michelle and Cindy
Blair says
February 13, 2017 at 6:35 pmAwesome! Such a great tip to use the vanilla extract, Michelle. Now I want to try it! 🙂
Teresa says
July 26, 2017 at 8:59 pmBlair,
If I wanted to make a Lavender Vanilla balm, would you recommend 6 drops of Lavender oil and 6 drops of vanilla extract?
Teresa says
July 26, 2017 at 4:30 pmI read a comment that vanilla extract worked. Was thinking of a vanilla lavender balm. Would you suggest 6 drops of each?
Blair says
July 26, 2017 at 5:16 pmHey, Teresa! I haven’t tried the vanilla extract myself, so I have no idea how much would work. I think that 6 drops is a safe bet, though. I also think that you can use anywhere from 6-12 drops of lavender, depending on how strong you want that flavor to be. If you just want a mild lavender, then I would go with 6. Increase from there, as you like! 🙂
Teresa says
July 26, 2017 at 9:00 pmThanks Blair! And sorry! I scrolled through and couldn’t find my post so I asked again 😳
Blair says
July 27, 2017 at 12:19 pmNo worries — I hope that it works well for you! 🙂
Lillian says
August 4, 2017 at 3:36 pmI have a question about the coconut in the lip balm. My niece is allergic to coconut can you use a different kind of oil in place of it?
Blair says
August 4, 2017 at 3:49 pmHi, Lillian! I wouldn’t know what to suggest instead of the coconut oil. The coconut oil is solid at room temp, which helps the lip balm solidify. I’m not sure what the texture would be like if you used a different oil.
Chenden Chee says
December 20, 2017 at 8:36 amHi Blair, just at the right moment. The hamattan here has subsided so I might not need it as much. But This will definitely be useful when it comes back around.
Alexandra says
January 17, 2018 at 3:28 pmDo you melt the beeswax and coconut oil first and then measure for their respective quantities? How do you measure out the beeswax when it’s in it’s solid form (same with coconut oil)?
Thanks!
Blair says
January 17, 2018 at 7:52 pmHi, Alexandra! You could do it either way, depending on what’s easiest with your ingredients.
I do not melt the ingredients in order to measure them. I scoop the coconut oil with a tablespoon measure, as though measuring shortening or butter for a recipe. It can still be spooned when it’s in solid form.
The beeswax that I use is sold in little 1 ounce bars. That makes it easy to measure before melting, because a 1-ounce bar is equal to 2 tablespoons melted (so I need 1.5 bars for 3 tablespoons melted).
Hope that helps, and enjoy!
Morgan says
January 24, 2018 at 12:11 pmHi! I don’t have beeswax bars, I have beeswax pastilles (tiny pellet things, ha). What would be the equivalent amount to use for this recipe? Thank you!
Blair says
January 24, 2018 at 4:08 pmHi, Morgan! I haven’t used the pellets myself, but I would just try measuring them with a tablespoon measure. Once melted, just make sure that it’s equal to 3 tablespoons, and then melt more (if necessary) to get it to the right amount.
Jennifer Duke says
April 18, 2018 at 4:41 pmLooks great and I’ve never thought of it doubling as a cuticle oil too.Interesting.
Erica says
November 21, 2018 at 12:35 amGreat tutorial! Thank you for sharing.
Marilyn says
December 3, 2018 at 8:35 pmCan’t wait to try this!!! What can you use to add some color for the tube lip balm??? Thanks!!!!
Blair says
December 3, 2018 at 8:50 pmHi, Marilyn! I’m so glad that you’ll try it! Unfortunately, I’ve never experimented with adding color to the lip balm, so I have no idea what to suggest. 🙂
Roy says
February 3, 2019 at 8:14 amMeasuring Beeswax
Usually there is a great difference between the liquid volume of an ingredient and its dry weight. This is not true of beeswax. Example: 1 ounce weight of solid beeswax is equal to 1 ounce liquid measurement of melted wax. The following chart can be used to measure beeswax as a solid or as a liquid.
Melted beeswax or liquid measure= Solid wax or Dry Weight
1 Tablespoon melted beeswax or liquid measure=1/2 ounce solid wax or dry weight
2 Tablespoons or 1 ounce= 1 ounce
1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons = 2 ounces
1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons= 4 ounces or 1/4 pound
1 cup or 16 tablespoons = 8 ounces or 1/2 pound
2 cups or 16 ounces= 1 pound or 16 ounces
The liquid displacement formula
Solid beeswax can be measured by displacing liquid. For example, to measure 1 Tablespoon beeswax use the following method.
Since 4 tablespoons of liquid equal 1/4 cup, add 3 tablespoons of water to a clear measuring cup. Add lumps of solid wax until the water reaches the 1/4 cup line. Pour off the water. The remaining wax equals 1 tablespoon. Set the wax aside to dry before using it in any formula.
I hope you find this information as useful as I did.
Lisa says
May 23, 2019 at 3:34 pmWOW ! Thanks for the amazing tips.