Over the years I’ve come up with a lot of different lip balm recipes. From this Burt’s Bees dupe to this tinted lip balm with a little shimmer. This DIY lip balm necklace though is an elegant spin on regular lip balm.
Before I made my own skincare products I used to have chronically dry lips. I’m sure the stash of conventional lip gloss and similar items in my bathroom drawer didn’t help matters. Ever since I tried natural lip balm (and started making my own!), I’ve been hooked.
Lip Balm Locket
I always have some homemade lip balm somewhere in the house or in my purse. With this locket necklace though, you can carry your natural lip balm around with you in style. It also makes a great gift for valentine’s day or as a stocking stuffer.
Lip Balm Ingredients
A lot of my lip balm recipes have coconut oil, but this one does not. While I’m still a coconut oil fan, it’s a little fickle depending on the temperature. Coconut oil has a melting temperature of 76 degrees. This means that in a warmer room, or right next to someone’s 97.5-degree skin, it will start to melt. That’s not a big deal if the lip balm is in a jar, but it’s a different story when it’s in a locket.
Instead, I’ve used jojoba oil as the carrier oil. Unlike coconut oil, it basically stays the same consistency even in warmer or colder temperatures. Jojoba is one of my favorites because it closely mimics our skin’s sebum and my skin drinks it up.
The consistency of this lip balm is a little harder than some of my other recipes. This helps it to stay in the locket better and not melt, run, or soften. I use the backside of my fingernail to scoop a little out for my lips. Because it has a higher amount of beeswax I also find that I don’t need to use quite as much to protect my lips.
It’s the perfect coverage to protect lips from harsh winter winds or bright sunny days.
Choosing Lip Safe Essential Oils
My original lip balm recipe features peppermint essential oil, which gives lips a refreshing tingle. I wanted to come up with something that was different and reminded me of the holiday season. Most essential oils that fit that category though aren’t safe to put on the lips.
In the winter I’ll often diffuse oil blends with ingredients like clove and cinnamon and it reminds me of Christmas. These types of oils may smell great, but they’re also skin sensitizers and should be used sparingly (if at all) on the skin. Tisserand recommends a max of .07% for cinnamon bark oil, and that doesn’t account for more delicate areas like the lips.
Thankfully there’s an easy solution!
I’ve opted for orange essential oil here with a touch of cinnamon leaf. Cassia cinnamon and cinnamon bark essential oil are much harsher on the skin, but cinnamon leaf is safe to use when properly diluted. The IFRA (international fragrance association) lists the safe amount for lips at .5%. That’s point 5, not 5! This recipe uses it at .25% or half that amount.
If you don’t have any cinnamon leaf on hand, then it can be omitted. You can also replace the orange essential oil with another lip safe oil, like peppermint, if you prefer.
Choosing a Locket Necklace
Most craft stores have affordable lockets in the jewelry section, or you can get one online. I wanted something that was nice, but not expensive jewelry that could get damaged. Something like this locket looks a little like sterling silver but for way less. While it was minimalist, the inside cavity wasn’t as deep as I wanted so it didn’t hold very much lip balm.
I found another, much larger locket that holds plenty of lip balm here. It comes in several different floral designs, but that might not appeal to everyone. Whatever you choose, larger locket necklaces with a deeper inside cavity are the better option.
Leftover Lip Balm
Depending on how big the lockets are and how many you’re making, there will likely be leftover lip balm. The extra can be poured into a lip balm tube or jar. These can be used as is or saved for refills when the locket runs out of lip balm.
These moisturizing lip balm necklaces are a great gift idea for daughters, moms, grandmas, etc. But don’t forget to make one for yourself too!
DIY Lip Balm Locket
Equipment
- Painter's tape (scotch tape or invisible tape will also work)
Materials
- 1 Tablespoon beeswax pellets
- 1 Tablespoon shea butter
- 2 tsp jojoba oil
- 15 drops orange essential oil
- 2 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil (NOT cinnamon bark or cassia cinnamon)
Instructions
- Add the shea butter, beeswax, and jojoba oil to the top of the double boiler. Heat, stirring occasionally until completely melted. If you don't have a double boiler, a heat-safe glass bowl on top of a small pot also works well.
- While the oils are melting, get the locket ready. If yours doesn't lay open flat then use painter's tape or scotch tape to tape the edges down to the table. Be sure the opening in the middle isn't covered.
- Once the oils are melted, turn off the heat and add the essential oils.
- Use a small metal teaspoon to carefully pour the lip balm mixture into the inside of the locket. This will harden very quickly! Pour carefully so it doesn't overflow out of the space and onto the rim of the locket.
- Allow the lip balm to fully harden on that side, about 10 minutes. Then do the same to the other side of the locket.
Notes
Have you ever made homemade lip balm before? What are your favorite scents? Leave a comment and let me know!
Leave a Reply