• What oil should I use? You can use Sweet Almond Oil or Sunflower Oil or Apricot Kernel Oil if you would like no odour from the oil, but for a delightful coconut smell, use our Virgin Organic Coconut Oil. Add some Calendula oil for sore, chapped lips, or Rosehip oil has excellent rejuvenating properties and is ideal for anti-ageing balms. Castor oil is a thick, glossy oil so is ideal for use in lip gloss (see below). The more of any oil you use in a lip balm, the glossier the lip balm. But steer clear of Extra Virgin Olive Oil - it turns the lip balm green and tastes too savoury for our liking!

• What butter should I use? Stick to our top-quality Organic Shea butter and Organic Cocoa butter for the best texture and flavour. The better quality of the butter, the better the lip balm. We used a cheap Shea butter at first when experimenting, and wondered why the balms came out lumpy!

• What wax should I use? Our Organic Yellow Beeswax is a good one to use as a little goes a long way, however you can harness the emollient properties of Jojoba by using Jojoba wax, and this wax is, along with Almond wax and Candelilla wax, ideal for vegans. But bear in mind you will need to use more of these waxes than beeswax for a solid lip balm as they are softer.

• What preservatives should I use? If you use all our ingredients, which are Organic and unrefined, then the lip balm should last 12 - 18 months on its own. (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 15% wax to 35% butter and 50% oil. The more butter and wax 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. 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 better. You could also try flavouring your lip balms with honey, real chocolate, vanilla pods or coffee. Be experimental - it's fun!

• How do I add natural colour to the lip balms? Our natural colours are ideal for colouring both the lip balm and your lips. You can choose between our pearlescent Mica-based Shimmer Colours, which add a gorgeously subtle, shimmery sheen to your lips, or our Sienna Red Pigment Colour packs a powerful, copper red punch!

• Do I need to have my products safety tested before I sell them? If you buy and sell our ready-made as they are without any additions, then no, as this will be covered under our certificate. But if you are making your own products with our raw ingredients, or if you add anything to our bases, then you will need to get a safety assessment done. This process can be made much easier if you purchase our Safety Assessments, which all come with advice and information sheets about all legal aspects of selling skincare.

• 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 other oils so will stay on your lips longer. Alternatively you can just use our Organic Lip Gloss Base.

 Naturally Balmy 2008-2011