Diy lipbalm

It's been a hot summer and I for one am very sad to say goodbye to the sunshine- but Autumn isn't all bad either- at least I can get all the knits out again. As the weather starts to chill down- it can be a bit of a shock to our skin which has been loving all the extra vitamin d from sunshine, the humidity which can actually help keep skin moisturised as well less need for lotions and gels we may be using in the warmer weather. The crisp air and winds can dry skin out and for me this is felt most noticeably on my lips. So heres a handy lip balm DIY tutorial to keep these pouts puckered and hydrated in the cooler days ahead. 

Equipment 
Double boiler or use a makeshift one with a metal/ heat safe glass bowl inside a saucepan 
Tin or container for storing final product in- I use tins but sterilised jars/ recycled plastic pots and sticks work. 
Optional- to make life easier you may want to use a jug or something with a spout to make pouring the liquid balm into containers easier. 
Spoon or mini whisk 
Optional use of kitchen scales- you can use ratios/ kitchen measurements or you can convert into metric 

Ingredients 
2 tablespoon of beeswax or soy wax pellets or grated *
2 tablespoons of Mango Butter 
1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil 
1 teaspoon of Shea 
2 tablespoons of Jojoba 
Optional- 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin e 
Optional few drops of chosen essential oil 
(these are half teaspoon measurements (around 2g) 

*beeswax is more natural and if you can get some from a local beekeeper then you may be helping your local bee population by supporting small scale keepers who take very good care of bees. However you may want to make your balm vegan and so soy wax is a great alternative- although soy wax often contains chemicals/ additives so may not be as natural. 

How to make 
In your double boiler/ makeshift version heat the wax (grated or pellets) and hard oils/ butters until completely melted and mixed together 
When all in liquid form add the jojoba ( you can substitute for another carrier oil such as sweet almond) 
remove from heat
Add essential oil if you are using* and vitamin e 
Pour into your chosen containers 
Allow to cool (at least 30mins) so the balm sets into a more solid form. 
Label for your own personal needs 
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* make sure you don't add more than 2g so the balm is safe to use and check the essential oil you are using is safe for lips and in a leave on product. Some to avoid for lips are grapefruit, bergamot, lemon, lime, eucalyptus, clove- either because they are photosensitive or can cause burning as they are to hot for sensitive lips.  

Your lipbalm will last a minimum of 6 months if stored airtight at room temp- longer in the fridge. Great idea for a thoughtful gift- 
Would love to hear from anyone who has a go at this DIY- so please leave comments if you've had a go or been gifted a lovely handmade balm 

Love, peace and kisses 
Meg  xxx