Lip Balm — Making your own out of simple ingredients that are easy to find.

Lip Balm is one of those things that seems difficult to make but is remarkably simple. It’s just a tedious and time-consuming project because you have to fine-tune your mix.

My ingredients:

4pk of Chapstick (blue moisturizing tube is what I prefer)
Shea Butter — About $6 to $8)
Coconut oil — A jar can be found in your grocery store in the organic section for around $6 to $8.
Vaseline — You probably already have that. I prefer the squirt tube.
Hydrocortisone Ointment — (optional) I always have it on hand for bug bites and allergic reactions. I can get a painful bump on my lip from Italian salad dressing. Costs a couple bucks in store brand.
Empty tubes— Bought on Amazon.com.

Twist up all the tubes of Chapstick into a microwavable measuring cup with a pour spout lip.

Using a small spoon, add some shea butter. Using another spoon (because you don’t want to get shea into the coconut oil and vice versa), add a little of the coconut oil. Squirt a couple inches of Vaseline in.

Melt in microwave about 45 seconds at a time until liquid. You don’t want to make it too hot. It’s just not necessary.

Stir with toothpicks. I use two toothpicks held together.

Then I add about two inches of hydrocortisone ointment and stir. It should remain warm enough to stay liquid as the hydrocortisone melts in.

Stir well. Pour carefully and slowly into one tube (I set it up on a flat plate) and put into the refrigerator. Take it out about half an hour later and test it. Keep it out and test it again about an hour later. If you like it, use it all day to see how well you like it at various times of the day.

If you don’t like it, is it too soft and liquid on contact with your lips? Or is it too stiff and won’t apply easily?

If too liquid, twist out your tester into the cup and add a little Shea butter.

If too hard, add a little more coconut oil or Vaseline, your choice. I find the coconut oil feels more liquid on the lips but the Vaseline makes it more creamy. I prefer creamy.

Whichever you add, melt and stir and pour your tester again and go through the day-long tester process.

When you are happy with the consistency, melt it and pour into all your tubes and make sure you always have plenty. You never need a lip balm until you realize you DON’T HAVE ONE! lol