Making your own specialty Healing Herbal Lip Balms as thoughtful gifts for holidays, birthdays, or just to keep the winter wind’s damage at bay is surprisingly easy and inexpensive. They are soothing, fragrant, and healing when using fresh organic herbs, not to mention also being eye-appealing when packaged in small plastic containers that are available at most dollar stores. (For more herbal remedies– from cosmetics, hair treatments, bath preparations– to recipes and how-to-make cheeses (homemade Bourisin), mustards, spice blends, etc, please check the ‘category’ section of betweenclosefriends.com)
The leaves from aloe vera, comfrey, lavender and bee balm; the flowers from chamomile and calendula; and lemon zest/juice all make wonderfully scented and tasty healing lip balms.
To make your Healing Herbal Lip Balm, use:
1 oz shredded beeswax
1 oz aloe vera oil
1 lb jar of petroleum jelly
20 drops of liquid vitamin E (can use the oil squeezed from Vit E capsules)
2 T witch hazel
2 T dried herbs (your choice—see below)
cheesecloth small plastic lidded containers
Instructions:
- In a large lidded microwavable container, heat the petroleum jelly in your microwave until softened.
- Carefully remove the container from the microwave, and stir in the beeswax and your choice of herbs. (Only use a wooden spoon to stir your lip balm. A metal spoon will ruin it)
- Place the container back into the microwave, and heat on 50% power in 1 minute intervals, until all is melted together. (Carefully stir the contents between each heating.)
- When your Healing Herbal Lip Balm is completely melted together, remove it from the microwave.
- Slowly and carefully pour the hot liquid through 2 layers of cheesecloth into a bowl, to remove the crushed dried herb pieces from your lip balm.
- Remove the cheesecloth, allowing all the liquid to drain through.
- Stir in the aloe, vitamin E and witch hazel into the hot strained liquid.
- When completely mixed together and cooled slightly, carefully pour your Healing Herbal Lip Balm into small lidded containers.
- Allow to cool undisturbed, until completely solid.
- Package as gifts, or keep them handy for your own personal use.
This recipe for Healing Herbal Lip Balm produces enough to make several gifts which will be gratefully received during the harsh winter months, or summer’s drying heat. (Or keep them all yourself, and be well prepared for the whole year!)
Healing Properties of:
Lemon zest/juice– antiseptic; antibacterial; antioxidant properties
Bee Balm leaves– antiseptic; helps heal cold sores, chapped lips
Comfrey leaves– astringent; anti-inflammatory; helps heal chapped lips
Lavender leaves– antiseptic; antibacterial; stimulates blood flow to heal chapped lips
Tea Tree leaves– antiseptic; antibacterial; antiviral; immune stimulant; helps heal cold sores
Calendula flowers– anti-inflammatory; astringent; antiseptic; heals chapped lips, wounds, cuts, scrapes
Chamomile flowers– anti-inflammatory; antiallergenic; heals chapped lips