Homemade Beeswax Lip Balm (Homemade Pink Grapefruit Burt’s Bees!)
on Dec 02, 2015, Updated Jul 17, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Homemade Beeswax Lip Balm is a simple and easy homemade gift! Made with a few simple and healthy ingredients, it’s the perfect gift to make and share with friends.
It’s surprisingly easy to make Homemade Beeswax Lip Balm. All you need is some shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax pellets. Even better – you can customize the scent with the essential oil you add. I chose grapefruit but peppermint would be another great choice.
These lip balms pair well with DIY Bath Salts and Sugar Scrubs for a little gift. And, if you like making homemade items using beeswax, check out these Reusable Beeswax Wraps and Simple DIY Beeswax Candles.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Makes a great gift!
- All natural – there are no preservatives or harmful ingredients.
- It’s super easy to make from a few simple ingredients.
- Gluten-free and dairy-free!
Recipe Ingredients and Supplies
- Shea butter
- Coconut oil: You can use either virgin or extra virgin.
- Beeswax: Pellets work the best because they melt easily.
- Essential oils
- Containers: Little pots and traditional lip balm tubes both work well.
- Pipettes: Optional but help pour the melted lip balm into the containers.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Homemade Beeswax Lip Balm
- Step #1. Put 4 ounces each of shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax pellet in a Pyrex glass measuring cup.
- Step #2. Microwave the beeswax mixture on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, until everything is melted together – about 3 to 6 minutes.
- Step #3. Add the essential oil of your choice and then use a pipette to put the lip balm into the containers.
- Step #4. Let the lip balm set until firm without the lid on – about an hour. Once cool, add the lid onto the lip balm.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any essential oil that you like. I went with DoTerra’s Grapefruit essential oil because I wanted it to be like Burt’s Bees Grapefruit lip balm. Peppermint essential oil is another great option for lip balm.
I ended up with 40 tubes and 8 canisters of my lip balm. They are great to have on-hand to throw in a gift. Once I had the supplies together, it only took about 30 minutes to make all of these!
Homemade beeswax lip balm usually lasts one to two years because they don’t have preservatives in them. I usually try to give them away within six months because I have noticed that they smell a bit rancid when they have become too old.
Expert Tips
- It’s best to use high-quality essential oils for making homemade lip balm. (I have tried it with cheaper oils and they had a bitterness to them that wasn’t pleasant.)
- If you use a traditional lip balm tube, put them in something that will hold them upright as they cool. I like to turn an egg carton upside down and make a couple cuts in the shape of an X and then push a tube into each egg cup.
- To finish off these lip balms before you use them or give them away, add a sticker label with the scent and/or the ingredients.
- This is a good project to do with teens, but I wouldn’t recommend it for kids or little ones because of the hot ingredients.
What type of container should I put my Homemade Lip Balm in?
You have several options when it comes to containers for your homemade beeswax lip balm.
Stainless steel pots: With this kind of pot, you apply the lip balm with your finger. They also have lids that screw on and off, which is a nice feature.
Traditional lip balm tubes: They come in a variety of colors. I chose clear because I like that you can see how much product you have left in the tubes.
Little plastic pots: These are smaller than the stainless steel pots and work well, too, especially if you want to have more containers of lip balm.
More Homemade Gifts to Consider
Crafts & DIY
Minnie Mouse Birthday Party
Crafts & DIY
Painted Sharpie Mugs (that won’t wash off!)
Holiday Recipes
DIY Bath Salts and Sugar Scrubs (Great Homemade Gifts!)
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Homemade Beeswax Lip Balm (Homemade Pink Grapefruit Burt’s Bees!)
Ingredients
- Shea Butter
- Coconut Oil
- Beeswax, pellets work best
- Essential Oil
- Containers
- Pipettes, optional but handy
- Large microwave safe container, 4-cup glass Pyrex measuring cup is perfect
- Stirring spoon
Instructions
- Add equal parts of shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax to a microwave safe container. I used 4 ounces of each and that made 40 tubes plus 8 one-ounce containers. Feel free to use 2 ounces of each for a smaller batch.
- Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, until the oils are all melted. The beeswax will melt the slowest. This should take 3 to 6 minutes of microwaving total. You can also use a doubler boiler to melt your ingredients.
- Add the essential oil to your liking. I added 160 drops of grapefruit oil for mine. You will probably want to start with less if using a peppermint oil. Stir to combine and then test a little on your lips to see if it is to your liking (careful though, the beeswax mixture will be hot).
- Use the pipettes to put the lip balm into the containers.
- Let the beeswax mixture set until firm and then place the lids on the containers. Add labels as desired.
Notes
- The amount of essential oil you need is really going to vary depending on the brand and type that you use. You’ll want it to smell strongly after it has gone into the other oils/waxes. It’s easier to test a little before putting it in the containers than it is to change your mind after.
- As the lip balm mixture cools, it will get harder to pour into the containers so reheat it as needed.
- Clean up right away. If you don’t, you’ll probably have to boil some water and pour it over the container you made the lip balm in to get the lip balm mixture hot enough to dissolve off. Mine didn’t just wash out with a normal washing.
- If you want to make more than one scent, divide the melted lip balm into smaller containers and then add the essential oils of your choosing. Use a fresh pipette for each scent.
- Because of the hot beeswax mixture, I wouldn’t recommend making lip balm with little ones or kids but it would be a good project for teens.
I’m gonna use your recipe for a school project, I just need to know how long the lip balm will last?
I make mine at Christmas and use it all year, it lasts well, I’d day at least a year!
Can I use flavor oils in this recipe ? And if so about how much for a 1/2 batch would you recommend since I know flavor oils are very strong…thanks🙂
I’ve not worked with flavored oils, please let us know if you do and how it goes!
By 4 ounces of all ingredients do you mean volume as opposed to 4 ounces by weight?
I do weight for these since the volume can vary a lot depending on the product you bought.
Can you link all the ingredients you used?
I just made these and I love them! I used lavender essential oil and a lot of it. I cut the batch in half but probably used 3x the amount of lavender oil than what was suggested. The shea butter smell just kept coming through, and honestly the finished product still has a bit of that smell mixed in with the lavender. It’s not really bad because I added so much of the lavender, but for future reference.. Do you know how to avoid that overpowering smell? Should I just keep adding essential oil until I don’t smell it anymore or do you think I need to buy a different kind of shea butter?
Was the shea butter old? Is it possible it’s a bit rancid?
No I actually just bought it. The expiration date is in 2022.
Easy to follow instructions and a quick read. Recommend more complete description of ingredients (i.e. 76degree coconut oil and refined or unrefined Shea butter). Also Mango butter may be good alternative to Shea butter. Thank you much!
Hey how much Ingredients did you use? Making these for a farmers market. Did yours dip and how did u fix it if it did ?
I make these often for the farmer’s market and they always do well! 4 ounces each of the first ingredients will make about 40 tubes (the instructions state this, keep reading!) Good luck and have so much fun! And what do you mean “did yours dip” I’m not sure I understand the question.
What would you recommend doing for those who cannot use shea butter? Would just coconut oil and beeswax work? Could you substitute the shea butter for jojoba oil?
I’d sub something that has a similar texture to shea butter, maybe additional beeswax and some coconut oil?
Hey! Would you be able to provide links to the type of shea butter and coconut oil you use? Thanks!
I got organic food grade off of Amazon! Nothing special but I did go for organic since it’s right on your lips.
great blog post. Any chance you can send your recommendation link for Shea Butter?
so many options on amazon . i want to get the one that is tested, and base on recommendation.
I can not wait to make this!!! I’ve got all the ingredients, I’ll just have to get some containers! These would make perfect presents! I think lime sounds fabulous. I have a citrus oil blend (mostly orange/lemon) I might try that I think would be awesome.
The best I have ever had…….sagebrush. Love, love, love! Second best, Pinyon. After that, I am in love with all citrus. Since I am addicted to chap stick…..I’m gonna have to try this. Thanks!!