Beeswax is the most common hydrating agent used in lip balms, but it is not considered a vegan ingredient. To make vegan lip balm, there are several alternatives to beeswax, and for this recipe, I will be using candelilla wax as the substitute.
What is Candelilla Wax?
Candelilla Wax is a completely plant-derived wax that why it is considered vegan and has no natural scent. And because of this it often is used to substitute for beeswax. However, Candelilla Wax is harder than beeswax and has a higher melting point with a melting point around 70C compared to beeswax’s 63C. As the wax itself, candelilla wax may not absorb into the skin on its own, but balms made with it tend to absorb faster than made with beeswax. It also has excellent oil binding properties, gives a glossy look to lip products.
In this formulation, I have included 100% vegetable red dye to tint the lip balm to bring pink colour to the lip balm to it gives a subtle “grenadine” effect. The colour is transparent and does not provide any coverage. So it is optional, and you can exclude the dye from the formula. I get it from Aroma Zone.
This vegan lip balm harnesses the calming, revitalizing power of lavender & geranium oil and the moisturizing benefits of jojoba, sunflower oil, and vitamin E.
Vegan Lavender Geranium Lip Balm
Ingredients
Heated Phase
- 5.7 g shea butter | 28.5%
- 5.6 g Candelilla Wax | 28%
- 5 g Sunflower Oil | 25%
- 3 g jojoba oil | 15%
Cool Down Phase
- 0.2 g vitamine E | 1%
- 0.05 g lavender essential oil | 0.25%
- 0.05 g geranium essential oil | 0.25%
- 0.4 g Natural Colour - Rouge Grenadine
Instructions
- Prepare a water bath by bringing about 3cm/1″ of water to a bare simmer over low to medium-low heat in a small saucepan.
- Weigh the wax, oils, and butter in a small heat-resistant beaker. Place the beaker in your prepared water bath to melt everything through. If you do not have a glass beaker, use an aluminium bowl placed in a pan filled with warm water.
- Once everything has melted, mix well with a spoon, a tiny wired whisk or a flexible silicone spatula.
- Remove the water bath from the heat, remove the beaker from the water bath
- Add the vitamin E, vegetable dye, and essential oil, and stir to incorporate.
- Pour the lip balm into tubes or tins
- Let it cool down and solidify before capping
- Make sure you wipe down the tubes or tins with some paper towel to peel away any oil on your tubes.
- This recipe will fill 3-4 standard lip balm tubes
Notes
- Because this lip balm is 100% oil-based, it does not require a broad-spectrum preservative (broad spectrum preservatives ward off microbial growth, and microbes require water to live—no water, no microbes!).
- A formula should be written in the percentage of ingredients as well as grams. Our popular formulation calculator can be used to convert from percentages to weight easily. It also gives you warning alert if any of the category ingredients are out of recommended range to make sure the ratios between the ingredients are as desired.
- The shelf life of this vegan lip balm is about 1 year, depending on the shelf life of the oils and butters you have used. It does not need to be refrigerated, keep in reasonably cool and dry. If you notice it starts to smell like old nuts, that is a sign that the oils have begun to oxidize; dispose it and make a fresh batch.
- Alternative or substitute for beeswax will be carnauba wax.
- You may also switch to other carrier oils in your formulation. However, it is important to keep the carrier oils within 30-40%.
- The vegetable dye and essential oils are optional.
Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon.
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