I get it. There are a million ways to make homemade lip balm. But honestly, some really are better than others. Like this Pine and Honey Moisturizing Lip Balm. It’s perfect for dry winter lips, and with that fresh-from-the-forest-scent, it’s perfect for gift giving. And it’s more than that; it really is the best moisturizing lip balm!
Pine is Great For Skin Care
Because pine is astringent, it reduces pore size and fine wrinkles. And pine is a powerful antioxidant which means that it may help to prevent premature aging, and may even help to reverse skin damage. (Source)
In addition, pine is high in carotenoids which are converted to Vitamin A which help to reduce fine lines and keep your skin firm and young looking. Vitamin A is effective when applied topically but its benefits do diminish when application is stopped. (Source)
And the high Vitamin C content in pine speeds healing. When used externally, Vitamin C gives the skin a youthful glow, evens out skin tone, promotes collagen production, and both protects against and heals sun damage. (Source)
And who doesn’t love that uplifting woodsy scent? Can you feel your body relax just thinking about it? Then you probably want to also try my stress relieving Pine Bath Salts.
Pine Identification
Pine trees are, of course, evergreens and so the needles are available year round. All evergreens, however, are not necessarily pines. Pine can easily be identified by their needles, which always grow in clusters of 2 to 5 depending on the species. The needles of no other evergreen grow in clusters.
If you’re looking for more info on identifying pine, use this tree identification site.
Raw Honey MoisturizerÂ
Honey is a humectant. What that means is that it attracts and retains moisture. Exactly what you want in a lip balm for dry, chapped winter lips. In addition, raw honey softens the skin and helps to prevent wrinkles.
Like pine, raw honey is an antioxidant which protects and repairs the skin.
(Source)
The Other Beneficial Ingredients
Castor Oil – castor oil moisturizes and heals chapped lips. And it makes your lips shine, something I love in a lip balm! (Source) Purchase organic castor oil here.Â
Cocoa Butter -besides its amazing aroma, cocoa butter moisturizes the skin because of its high fat content. (Source) Purchase organic unrefined cocoa butter here.
Olive Oil – a vitamin-rich oil which protects skin from ultra-violet rays, olive oil is also moisturizing and an anti-oxidant. (Source) Purchase organic extra virgin olive oil here.Â
Beeswax – beeswax is used in this moisturizing lip balm because of its ability to thicken the other ingredients so that they can easily be spread on your skin. In addition, it acts as a barrier protecting your skin from moisture loss without clogging pores. (Source) Purchase organic beeswax pellets here.
What You Need to Know About Honey in Lip Balm
As wonderful as honey is in lip balm, it does present a problem in that it will separate from the rest of the ingredients after a short time. You’ll find it at the bottom of your lip balm container.
But not to worry; there’s a simple solution. The trick to keeping the honey mixed in is a rapid cooling time after heating all the ingredients together. That is accomplished by placing the bowl of lip balm ingredients in a bowl of ice water and stirring constantly while the balm cools.
Are you ready to give this moisturizing lip balm recipe a try?
More Great Posts You’ll Love
Pine Bath Salts for Natural Stress Relief
How to Harvest Pine Resin and Use it to Make a Salve
Pine Needle and Raspberry Soda Fermented with Wild Yeast
Pine and Honey Moisturizing Lip Balm
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons chopped pine needles
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cocoa butter
- 1 teaspoon castor oil
- 2 tablespoons beeswax
- 5 - 10 drops pine essential oil
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
- bowl of ice water with several ice cubes
Instructions
- Place the chopped pine needles into a 1 cup mason jar.
- Cover the pine needles with the olive oil.
- Allow to infuse for 3 - 4 weeks at room temperature in a dark cabinet. Alternately, use one of the methods in my post Five Ways to Make an Herb Infused Oil to speed up the process.
- Once the olive oil is infused with the pine, strain the needles from the oil.
- Mix 3 tablespoons of the pine infused oil, the cocoa butter, the castor oil and the beeswax in a heat proof 1 cup mason jar, or a small metal bowl.
- Line the bottom of a pan with canning rings and fill with about 2" of water. Place on low heat and place the mason jar or metal bowl on top of the canning rings to form a simple double boiler.
- Heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the beeswax has melted.
- Carefully remove the jar from the pan and allow to cool for a minute.
- Add essential oils and raw honey, stirring thoroughly.
- Place the canning jar or metal bowl into a larger bowl which contains cold water and ice.
- Mix constantly while the lip gloss cools until it is thickened. This cooling and mixing is the secret to the honey not separating in your lip balm.
- Spoon the oil mixture into cosmetic jars or tins with lids. Be sure the mixture is thoroughly cool before placing the lid on the jar.
Notes
Thank you for visiting Learning And Yearning. May "the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Num 6:24-26
Charleen says
I would like to make some for tubes as well. Have you done this and how much more bees wax would I add?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Charleen, I’ve never made lip balm in tubes, but here’s what I would do. I would start by adding an extra teaspoon of beeswax and let it harden. If it’s too soft, remelt and add another teaspoon. Continue until you get the consistency you want. It’s ok to keep remelting as long as the heat is gentle.
Donna Hughes says
What is the shelf life of this lip balm?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Donna! That’s a complicated question to answer, although it’s a great question. The recipe doesn’t contain any preservative, so it certainly won’t last as long as many store-bought products. Temperature will affect how long it lasts with it lasting longer in cooler temperatures. Another factor that will affect it is whether you use your fingers or something like a q-tip to dispense the lip balm. Your fingers (or lips) can introduce bacteria which may cause it to go bad. It certainly will last several months at room temperature, but here is what I do with all my salves and balms to make them last. I keep them in the refrigerator, and use a clean spoon to remove the small amount I need to use. I have kept balms in good condition for several years this way. With something like lip balm, which I may be using frequently, I keep a small amount in a container on my dresser and I do use my finger to apply. When that amount is gone, I clean the container thoroughly, and add more from my stash in the frig. I hope that helps!
Charlotte Anderson says
This is a lovely idea and I think it would be useful for times when my lips are really chapped. I will give it a try. Thanks
Susan Vinskofski says
Thanks for stopping by , Charlotte!
Krizzy says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Im using flaxseed oil for me to have good skin. I wanna try this recipe for a change.
Tessa says
Pine AND honey – two of my favorite things! This is the perfect winter lip balm – can’t wait to make it.
Margrett says
Hi, this recipe seems amazing. I’m planning on adding lip flavor oils, how much drop should I add?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Margrett, I don’t use flavored oils because of the ingredients, so I’m afraid I have no experience to help.
Margrett says
Hi Susan, thanks for the feedback! Can I change the pine essential oil with other oils though to change the scent?
Margrett says
*Like change the pine essential oil with other essential oils such as lavender or peppermint essential oils maybe?
Susan Vinskofski says
Yes, absolutely!
Daniel says
Hello Susan
This recipe seems very interesting to me (as do many others on your blog)!
I’ve been looking at the ingredients and their quantities and I have 2 questions.
Talk about two tablespoons of beeswax. Could you convert this into grams?
And what do you think of the idea of adding some calendula oil?
Thanks!!
Susan Vinskofski says
According to google, 2 tablespoons is 28.3 grams. Rather than add calendula oil which would change the consistency of the lip balm, I would use it to replace some of the pine oil. 🙂
Daniel says
Ok, thank you!
Teija Beverly Nelson says
Susan , I have a question. Should I use fresh, green pine needles? Or dry brown ?
Susan Vinskofski says
I like to harvest fresh needles, chop them, and then let them sit for a day or two so that some moisture will evaporate. They will be stronger than fully dried and brown, but if that is all you have that will work.