DIY Lip Balm without Beeswax – Easy Homemade Vegan Lip Balm

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How to make vegan lip balm at home with natural ingredients, including candelilla wax, shea butter and essential oils (with NO beeswax or coconut oil).

Lip balm is one of my favorite natural DIYs because it always turns out so wonderful! Yes, you can purchase natural and organic lip balm for inexpensive, but you can make it for even less and it’s perfect for small gifts for kids, teachers or stocking stuffers!

Plus, homemade lip balm can be customized however you like, so you can make the perfect tube (or tin) of amazing lip balm for you!

This vegan lip balm recipe is different than lots of others you’ll find on the WWW. I make my homemade lip balm WITHOUT coconut oil and since this recipe is vegan, it contains NO beeswax. 

Instead, I use a combination of candelillia wax, shea butter, cocoa butter, almond and jojoba oils. These are some seriously rich and nourishing oils, ya’ll that makes a fabulous homemade lip balm!

I love this combination of natural wax, butter, and oils because it makes a luxurious feeling balm that is not too heavy on the candelilla wax (read: not waxy and stiff). You will find you don’t need to apply all day every day because this lip balm works so well. A couple times a day tops, and your lips will be silky smooth.

Let’s recap: this is the best lip balm recipe without beeswax you will find, your lips will be nourished and soft AND it’s so great you could sell (or gift!) it.

Also check out my vegan clear lip gloss recipe, made with only 2 natural ingredients.

And since I know many of you are wondering…..

WHAT IS CANDELILLA WAX?

Candelilla wax is a pure vegetable wax found on the leaves of the candelilla shrub. It is a completely natural and vegan wax that makes a great substitute for beeswax. It is harder than beeswax but softer than carnauba wax (another vegan wax).

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF CANDELILLA WAX?

Carnauba wax is another vegan replacement for beeswax. It is harder than candelilla wax (and much harder than beeswax). I don’t love carnauba wax for lip balm because it has to be heated to very high temperatures to melt and sometimes can feel gritty.

That’s why you’ll find candelilla wax in this lip balm recipe ☺

SUPPLIES:

Lip balm tubes or lip balm tins

Double boiler (or makeshift one like I do)

Lip balm labels (optional, but so cute!) 

Mini whisk or spoon

Kitchen scale (optional, see note below on measuring)

INGREDIENTS:

Candelillia Wax

Shea butter

Cocoa butter*  (I buy organic, cold pressed and unrefined, and also use it in my favorite hot chocolate)

Almond oil

Jojoba oil

Vitamin E

Essential oil of choice

MEASURING BY WEIGHT VS VOLUME

I’ve mentioned this in my lotion bar recipe post previously, but I do prefer to measure by weight for recipes like this. When using solid ingredients (like beeswax, cocoa butter, and shea butter) it is difficult to achieve a consistent result when measuring by volume.

The chunks of cocoa butter I used may be bigger than yours, meaning the measurement by volume might be slightly different. When you measure by weight, that doesn’t matter and you get the exact right amount every time.

I understand many people are not able to measure by weight, so I’ve provided the recipe in both weight and volume measurements. Just know If you are measuring by volume (teaspoons), your results might vary slightly depending on your specific ingredients.

Luckily, this lip balm recipe is very forgiving and a slight variation will probably be unnoticeable.

WHAT ESSENTIAL OILS ARE GOOD FOR LIP BALM?

There are so many excellent choices for essential oils in lip balms! There are a couple of rules to follow when deciding on an essential oil for your lip balm.  

Steer clear of hot oils! Your lip skin is sensitive, and oils like cinnamon, eucalyptus or clove can cause a burning sensation. 

Be cautious when using citrus oils on your lips (or face, for that matter). Citrus oils (orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime) are photosensitive, meaning they magnify the effects of the sun. So if you liberally apply your homemade orange lip balm before you head to the beach for the day, you are likely coming home with rosy red lips. This doesn’t mean I think you should skip citrus oils all together! They are my favorite in homemade lip balm recipes. Just be cautious of when you use them and be aware of their sun magnifying effects.

My favorite essential oils for lip balm are:

Peppermint

Spearmint

Vanilla

Grapefruit

Orange

Check out my favorite book about essential oils.

HOW TO MAKE LIP BALM LABELS AT HOME

You can purchase blank lip balm labels and completely customize them yourself. Or you can purchase a variety of super cute, already printed labels that all you have to do is write in the type of lip balm it is.

I absolutely love these adorable lip balm labels! They are affordable and come in a bunch of different designs (like these colorful or these holiday labels). Talk about making your DIY lip balm gifts SO EASY. (I mean, who wouldn’t love to receive these adorable homemade lip balms as gifts??)

I also like these ‘handmade with love’ stickers that can be used for all types of DIY and handmade gifts. I bought a big package of the 1” stickers, and they will work for lotion bars, cuticle oil, essential oil roller balls, or lip scrub as well!

DIY LIP BALM KIT

Not so sure you’re feeling the total DIY-ness of homemade lip balm? I feel you. Sometimes you just need a shortcut. This DIY vegan lip balm kit makes 5 tubes and has everything you need all in one place. It is a simpler recipe than the one in this post and will not be as rich, but you can still customize it with your favorite essential oils and labels!

WHAT CAN I SUBSTITUTE FOR ALMOND/JOJOBA/SHEA IN THIS RECIPE?

I mentioned before this is a forgiving recipe, and I meant it! If you find yourself without one of the primary ingredients, fear not. You can still use this recipe as your guide to make amazing vegan lip balm.

Just keep the proportions of wax, butters and oils the same and you will be golden. 

Avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or hemp oil are all good replacements for the almond or jojoba. You can use any solid butter you like in this recipe with good results. If you don’t have shea butter, use all cocoa butter (it will be slightly more firm), or try mango butter or avocado butter. I really love mango butter in lip balm also!

WHAT CAN I USE TO FLAVOR LIP BALM?

I prefer natural ingredients to flavor homemade lip balm, and there are several you can try that will work in this recipe.

• Add a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup to the recipe above to give it a little sweetness. You’ll need to stir the sweetener well, as it has a tendency to separate from the oils.
• The raw, natural cocoa butter in this recipe gives the balm a hint of chocolate flavor. If you want more than a hint of chocolate, use double cocoa butter and skip the shea. (your balm will be slightly more firm, but still amazing!). Use my white chocolate peppermint lip balm recipe and replace the beeswax with candelilla wax for a heavenly white chocolate lip balm.
• Citrus essential oils are a lip balm favorite for me, and they will give a slight taste to your DIY lip balm. Try orange, grapefruit, or key lime.
• Try adding a few drops of vanilla or almond extract in place of essential oils. You’ll need to stir pretty vigorously since extracts are made of alcohol and that doesn’t mix well with oil. But if you stir, stir, stir and then pour your lip balm mixture right away, it should mix.

HOW LONG DOES DIY LIP BALM LAST?

You can expect your homemade lip balm to last for at least 6 months if stored properly. Make sure to keep your natural lip balm sealed and at room temperature.

Confession: I found some lip balms I made more than 3 years ago and decided to give them a try. They were still good! Maybe not quite as soft and definitely not as fragrant as when I first made them, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Like any homemade DIY products, your lip balm will be as good as the ingredients you put in it. So make sure your ingredients are fresh, and your lip balm will keep for a while.