Making your own DIY all natural lip gloss will not only prevent the absorption of potentially dangerous chemicals and fragrance ingredients, but is far cheaper, fun, and allows for customization of both texture and scent.
There is no need to empty your wallet to buy popular and pricey lip gloss from trendy suppliers like Fenty and Sephora. Burt’s Bees products are wonderfully all-natural, but still expensive.
You can make top quality and ultra moisturizing lip gloss right in your own kitchen. For a fraction of the price of a commercially manufactured lip gloss, you can make your own specifically tailored lip gloss.
The entire process is kid-friendly because there are no worries about inhaling, and dangerous fumes or touching any harmful substances.
While adult supervision is required, making your own natural lip gloss can be an exciting learning experience for the children in the family – especially if you are a homeschooling parent.
DIY Natural Lip Gloss Recipe
Equipment
- Spoon
- Bowl or glass measuring cup
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Double boiler or glass container to place in a cook pot to use as a double boiler
- Water
- Stovetop or microwave
- Scissors
- Funnel
- Glass or plastic storage containers with an airtight lid
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Olive Oil, Almond Oil, or Grapeseed Oil
- 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil the extra virgin refined oil will offer a smoother and more moisturizing lip gloss
- 1 tablespoon Beeswax
- 2 tablespoons Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter
- 3 capsules Vitamin E
- 5 – 10 drops favorite essential oil optional
Instructions
- Combine the olive, almond, or grapeseed oil, beeswax, coconut oil, and shea butter or cocoa butter in a bowl or large glass measuring cup.
- Place the ingredients in a double boiler that contains roughly two inches of water.
- Turn on the heat to a simmer or medium heat level.
- Stir the mixture consistently to prevent scorching for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Snip off the tips of the vitamin E capsules, and squeeze the fluid into the melting mixture in the double boiler. Do not toss the gel capsules into the mixture.
- Drop in any essential oils you are using, and stir them into the mixture thoroughly.
- While the mixture is still hot, pour the DIY all natural lip gloss into your chosen storage containers. Do so carefully and hold onto the funnel as you slowly pour to avoid spilling or scorching of your hands.
- Allow the lip gloss to cool for about 20 to 30 minutes at room temperatures so it hardens properly, and is not too hot to apply.
Notes
Store the DIY all natural lip gloss into a cool dry place. If you’re using essential oils in the recipe, it is best to store the lip gloss or lip balm in a dark place to prevent them from losing their potency.
In my personal experience, this DIY all natural lip gloss or lip balm recipe will keep for well over a year if prepared and stored properly in airtight containers.
What Is In Store-Bought Lip Gloss?
Great question. We will never be sure of everything that goes into commercially manufactured lip gloss, or a slew of other cosmetic, perfume, and cleaning products because of a lack of FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulation of that industry as well as “proprietary work product” laws.
Even if you can figure out how to pronounce all of the items on the lip gloss ingredients label, that definitely does not mean you would know everything you are about to slather onto your skin, or occasionally ingest a small amount of while wearing.
Hydrolated Lanolin and Lanolin Oil
These two different types of lanolin are oils that are extracted from a sheep’s sweat gland. The lanolin helps to prevent water from deeply penetrating the animal’s thick wool.
While lanolin is a natural ingredient that is largely deemed safe when used topically, it can cause diarrhea if ingested. A related common lip gloss ingredient, isopropyl lanolate, is made from sheep’s wool and used as a thickening agent.
Ceresin
This commercial lip gloss ingredient is a mineral wax derived from coal that is used in the recipe as an emollient.
Microcrystalline Wax and Polybutene
Both microcrystalline wax and polybutene are commonly used as binding agents and to enhance the thickness of cosmetic products.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments maintains that polybutene is an irritant to both the skin and eyes. Polybutene is not only a lip gloss ingredient, but used as an airplane adhesive.
The Environment Canada Domestic Substance List has deemed these ingredients to pose a toxic or medium concern for human health in relation to the impact they can have on organ systems.
Isopropyl Myristate
This is another chemically produced thickening agent that is used in lip gloss. While isopropyl myristate is supposed to moisturize the skin, it may spark other chemical agents in the same product to cause skin irritation.
Isopropyl Palmitate – Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Ethylhexyl palmitate or isopropyl palmitate is generated from palm oil, and has become a more natural replacement for silicone. This type of palmitate may cause dermatitis, clog pores, and cause general skin irritation.
Even though the agents made from palm oil are technically natural products, the process of harvesting it from rainforests has become highly controversial.
Propylparaben
Parabens are one of the most hated ingredients in store bought products by many fans of natural products. Proplyparaben is not only a paraben but may disrupt the endocrine system that can lead to infertility in both women and men.
Propylparaben is not only used in lip gloss but may also be found in deodorants.
While the FDA has deemed small amounts of this type of paraben safe, an exact measurement of what constitutes “small” especially if your body is being exposed to it from multiple sources, remains unclear.
Synthetic Coloring Agents
Toxic heavy metals that may be in the store bought lip gloss currently in your purse include: lead, cadmium, and even mercury or other radioactive metals.
The toxicity of the metals on the body will depend on both the amount and rate of exposure. Indications of heavy metal exposure can include diarrhea, anemia, abdominal pain, vomiting, and heart related issues.
Synthetic Fragrance Agents
Chemical scent ingredients found in lip gloss and a copious amount of other cosmetic, perfume, and cleaning products could cause skin irritation, eye irritation, and hormone imbalances.
It would be fairly rare for a commercial manufacturer to include the fragrance or scent ingredients used in their products, because doing so is not currently required by law.
Other Commonly Used Coloring or Fragrance Agents in Manufactured Lip Gloss and Lip Balm:
- Yellow 5 Lake
- Yellow 6 Lake
- Orange 5
- Blue 1 Lake
- Red 6 Lake
- Red 7 Lake
- Red 21
- Red 27 Lake
- Red 30 Lake
- Red 33 Lake
- Red 36
Tara lives on a 56 acres farm in the Appalachian Mountains, where she faces homesteading and farming challenges every single day, raising chickens, goats, horses, and tons of vegetables. She’s an expert in all sorts of homesteading skills such as hide tanning, doll making, tree tapping, and many more.
Bob, I think it would as well.
Sounds like it might work as a hand balm, too, for chapped skin.