I was so excited when my friend Shaye over at The Elliott Homestead posted a tutorial on how to make homemade chapstick!
I am a total chapstick nut. It’s a horrible affliction, really. Actually, I think the chapaholic gene runs in my family. My mom had it, her dad had it. It’s not my fault I’m using it so often. My problem dates back to my pre-teen years.
When I went to live with my dad at 15 he tried his best to break me of my habit. He forbid me from using Blistex, and threw away my entire stash. I was devastated. But my faithful friends always smuggled more to me, which I strategically stashed in a hole in the back of a stuffed animal.
Yeah. It’s that bad.
It’s still that bad. So when I saw this recipe I knew it was definitely something I wanted to try. All-natural and a real money saver, what’s not to love?! Recipe originally from Passionate Homemaking:
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons beeswax (about 1 oz)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
2 Tablespoons shea butter
12 lip balm containers
dropper
Directions:
1. Melt beeswax in a small pan or crockpot over low heat. Add coconut oil and shea butter until all ingredients a melted. Add a few drops essential oil if desired. I did not use any essential oil and it is smells wonderfully like honey!
2. Using a small medicinal dropper, pour the melted liquid into your lip balm containers. Add a few extra drops to the top after filling each container as the ingredients will shrink as they cool.
3. Cool completely to harden. Cover with cap and decorate or label as desired.
Check out a complete step-by-step tutorial w/ great photos at The Elliott Homestead! You can find all of the ingredients, plus the cute little chapstick tubes at Mountainroseherbs.com.
A city girl learning to homestead on an acre of land in the country. Wife and homeschooling mother of four. Enjoying life, and everything that has to do with self sufficient living.
I have to make this! I always used Blistex and found that it seemed to dry my lips out more. I switched to Burts Bees which is $2.99 a tube!! Can’t wait to try this one out 🙂
I am chapstick addicted also. Told my husband I have to be buried with a tube Lol. Being chemically sensitive due to a chemical exposure from the oil/gas industry had to find a way to keep my chapstick. I came up with a simple recipe also and had such rave reviews they talked me into to selling them (with very little profit margin just want to get it out here but on limited income). Coodles to you.
Need to find a simple lotion recipe and soap and shampoo. Anyone with ideas, just for me. Bless you
jaime
I currently have 5 tubes of chapstick in my purse. No lie. Perhaps I should try making my own! If I’m going to carry that many, they might as well be cheap and healthier for me than the chemical-laden junk i buy at Walmart! 😉
Thanks very much for sharing this. I tried making lip balm years ago and it was like trying to scrape a rock over my mouth! After reading your post, I think the cocobutter I used in place of your coconut oil component made it too hard. I can’t wait to try your formula — sounds perfect and reasonably priced. Having all of the ingredients on hand helps!!
Way to feed your addiction on the cheap! I got hooked on Blistex as a teen too. Should we start a support group to help others recover? 😉
Better check out the ingredients in Burts Bees. Really scary.
I was reading somewhere that the addition of vit. e (just cut open a capsule or more) works as a preservative naturally. If you make a bunch of chapsticks, after awhile they kinda smell funny. Next time I make it I am trying the vit. e addition.
i use a very similar recipe but with cocoa butter instead of shea and it’s wonderful, especially with a few drops of peppermint oil. if you want it a little sweet you can stir in a Tbs of honey as it’s cooling but you’ll have to squish it into your containers instead of dripping it in as a liquid so doesn’t work as well for the roll-up tubes.
This is awesome can’t wait to try this! Thanks Kendra 🙂
If you’re a fan of vanilla, the vanilla/vanilla bean lip tubes are really yummy. 🙂 I’ve gotten my chapsticks from the gals over at Face of the Wave for a few years now (I’ve been around so long that several of my wahm haunts have been sold/switched hands).
Ok, I’ve got to try this….my daughters love chapstick but my husband doesn’t like petroleum jelly. This would be a fun afternoon project and we have TONS of coconut oil. Do you think you could add a “flavor” to this? If so, these would make great stocking stuffers.
Marta,
I know Burt’s Bees has peppermint oil in it. That would probably be nice!
Thanks for posting this. My middle girl and her friend were going to bake cookies for their friends, but when I showed her the link, she had me email it to her. She is going to discuss it with her friend and they might make these to hand out to friends. What fun!
This sounds so neat and inexpensive–I will have to give it a try! I, too, go through a lot of lip balm and prefer the natural ones, but they are so expensive.
I know what you mean! I am totally addicted to chapstick! In my search to find non petroleum products I am now using Berts Bees wax. Not cheap but my lips are healthier I am sure. I am excited to try this and thank you for telling me where I can find the ingredients!
Monica,
I’ve been using Burt’s Bees too. Definitely not cheap.
I’m a total chapstick addict also! My mom is too! She never went anywhere without having her chapstick in her pocket or in her purse. And now I am the same way. I always have my Burt’s Bees in my pocket or purse especially this time of year! I’m thinking my 15 year old daughter is going to be the same way, she is always borrowing mine when she doesn’t have her own!
I’m so glad you posted this! I’m going to have to try it!