Lavender Lip Balm

It was so hot this weekend.  It was around 95 every day but according to the weather websites it “felt like 104”.  I can tell you that it actually felt like being slowly roasted alive.  I don’t know how anyone goes outside of their air conditioned houses further to the south.  My parents live on a little cottage on a lake in the summer which is great and relaxing.  The one downside is that the cottage lacks air conditioning (or heat).  When the outside temperature hits 90 degrees I turn into a blob.  A whiny, irritable blob.  I needed to be productive this weekend and I just could not bring myself to do anything.

Luckily when we went back to our air conditioned house I was recharged enough to finally make some lavender lip balm for the June Give Away!  A bit late I know!  I made this recipe slightly differently from the last batch of lavender honey lip balm.  The problem with the version I made last time is that the honey eventually separated from the lip balm emulsion and became a weird liquidy mess.  It smelled nice, but was not very pleasantly textured and actually kind of grainy on your lips.  This version is just beeswax and oil based, with none of the honey.

Months ago I had refined some beeswax taken during several of my hive visits.  To refine the wax I simply wash the comb gently in water, then put it in a metal coffee can or glass canning jar in a water bath.  I bring the water to a gentle simmer and let the wax melt.  After it is completely melted I let it cool slightly then pour the wax through cheesecloth into a clean plastic container.  When cooled you can pop the wax out of the container much like you do ice cubes in an ice tray.

Finished lip balm

Lavender Beeswax Lip Balm

What you need:

• 1/2 oz of beeswax
• 4 Tbsp sweet almond oil (or any other cooking oil such as coconut, olive or )
• vitamin e oil (a couple drops)
• lavender essential oil (a few drops)
• clean glass jar (I use an old jar from pasta sauce)
• 8 .25 oz lip balm containers (sanitized and dry)
  

  Ingredients

1.  Weight .5 oz of beeswax into a container.  If you are using a block of beeswax you will have to gently shave this into the container until you reach .5 oz.
   

   Weight .5 oz of beeswax

2. Add the beeswax and 4 Tbsp of almond oil to your clean glass jar.  Place in a pot of water and slowly bring water to a boil.
   

   Mix beeswax and almond oil in a jar in hot water bath

3. Swish oil and beeswax around in the jar until melted.  (You should probably use gloves for this, I just have teflon hands.)
   

   Swish oil and wax until melted.

4. Remove from heat and take a clean teaspoon to remove a teaspoons worth of liquid.
   

   Test lip gloss consistency. This looks and feels great.

5. Let cool and test for consistency.  If it is too liquidy, melt in more beeswax; if it is too firm add more oil.
6. When you have reached the desired consistency (I did not make any additions) remove the jar from heat and swirl in 2 drops of vitamin e oil and 4 drops lavender oil.  Note that you can use ANY type of essential oil you desire.  I just happen to like lavender…
7. Pour liquid into your clean lip balm containers and let cool completely.
   

   Wait for lip balm to cool before capping jars.

8. Cap and give away to your friends!
   

   Finished lip balm