• What oil should I use? Stick to Sweet Almond Oil or Sunflower Oil because they are odourless & colourless, so won't interfere with your flavourings, yet they're both moisturising and packed full of vitamins. Add some Calendula oil for sore, chapped lips. They say Castor oil makes a glossier lip balm, but to be honest we couldn't see any difference in the lip balm - it is more ideal for use in lip gloss (see below). The only thing we know is that the more of any oil you use, the glossier the lip balm. But steer clear of Extra Virgin Olive Oil - it turns the lip balm green and tastes horrible!

• What butter should I use? Stick to Organic, unrefined Shea butter and Organic, unrefined Cocoa butter for the best texture and flavour. The better quality butter, the better the lip balm. We used a white, refined Shea butter at first when experimenting, and wondered why the balms came out lumpy! The Shea butter we use now - the one we sell on this site - is of optimum quality; soft, pure, Organic and unrefined. It makes the lip balm so smooth. Plus, the more unrefined your ingredients are, the longer your lip balm will last. Avoid Mango butter like the plague - it makes the lip balm lumpy too. 

• What wax should I use? The only wax that we've ever used is beeswax. We're completely happy with that, but if you're a vegan you can use another natural vegetable wax called Candelilla wax.

• What preservatives should I use? If you use all our ingredients, which are Organic and unrefined, then the lip balm should last at least 18 months on its own. So, if you will keep your lip balm for longer than this, then add a capsule or two of Vitamin E to the mixture to preserve it. (As lip balm is all fat and no water, it doesn't need preserving like creams do).

•  What quantities should I use? Generally speaking, you need to use roughly 1 part wax to 3-4 parts oil and 2-3 parts butter. The more butter you use, the thicker or 'sturdier' your lip balm will be. This is good if you want your lip balm to stay on for quite a while. It will also be 'creamier', which is how we like it! However, add more oil for a 'glossier' lip balm - though it doesn't cling to your lips as much so you'll have to re-apply more often.

• Is a tube or a pot best? Tubes are much less messy than pots and less lip balm is wasted seeing as it's not having to go through your fingers first. Tubes are also more handy for when out and about when you don't know how clean your fingers are! But lip balms always look cuter in pots, and will make better looking presents.

• How do I flavour the lip balms? If you want a gorgeous natural flavour, don't use synthetic flavour oils! Use pure essential oils, or Organic Aromas for the best flavours you will find. Don't forget though, to only use a maximum of 2 drops of essential oil per 5ml lip balm. That's all you need! Or use 4 drops of an Organic Aroma per 5ml of lip balm. The aromas won't mix in as easily as the essential oils (as they're water-based, not oil-based), but we've found that a small whisk will integrate them fully.
  
  The essential oils suitable for use in lip balms we would say are: Orange, Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Peppermint, Mandarin, Geranium, Lavender & Roman Chamomile. You could also try flavouring your lip balms with runny honey, real chocolate, vanilla pods or coffee. Or, for a tinted lip balm, try melting some of your favourite lipstick into the mixture. Be experimental - it's fun!

• How do I add natural colour to the lip balms? Our completely natural colours are ideal for not only colouring the lip balm but also your lips. You can choose between our sweet, pearlescent Mica-based Strawberry Shimmer Colour, which turns your lips a vibrant pink colour - and also gives a glamorous shimmer effect. Or our Sienna Red Pigment Colour packs a powerful, copper red punch!

• Alternatively, you can try using beetroot juice, or just a bottle of  'Natural Colour' which you can get at the baking section of most supermarkets, where the essences are. However, these won't colour your lips like our colours. And as they're water-based, they won't integrate into the mixture fully unless you use a whisk and add the colour gradually.

• Do I need to certify my products before I sell them? If you buy and sell our products as they are without altering them, for example if you buy our ready-made lip balm bases, then no, as this will be covered under our certificate. But if you are making your own products, or if you add anything to our products, then you need to get them safety-tested yourself. But please remember, it is your responsibility to make sure you are fully compliant with the law before you sell your products.

• What about making lip gloss? Just make the recipe below but with roughly 7 times as much oil. Our Organic Castor Oil is ideal for use in lip gloss as it is thicker than sweet almond oil so will stay on your lips longer. Alternatively you can just use our Organic Lip Gloss Base.

 Jessica Smith 2008

  

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