What's In Your Lip Balm?
Lisa Maliga
The use of lip balm is often necessary due to the fact that our lips don’t produce any oil and are likely to become dry and chapped. You’ll probably notice this during the wintertime, especially if you spend time outdoors. However, many of us have chapped lips during regardless of the season. You live or vacation in a hot, dry climate, or a high altitude. In severe cases lips can become cracked and bleed due to the fact that they may be using commercial lip balms or relying on nothing at all. Licking one’s lips actually makes the problem worse.
A couple of summers ago I had unsightly chapped and dry lips for no apparent reason. My diet hadn’t changed, I wasn’t under too much stress, and I was still in the same location. For years I’d been using various brands of lip balms that I’d purchased from a health food store. I dutifully read the contents and noted they contained almond oil and other natural ingredients. On closer inspection I again read the label. The last word gave me the clue I needed: “active sunscreen - PABA”. The other brand contained all natural ingredients including lanolin, which is derived from sheep’s wool, but is a known sensitizer. One or both of these ingredients was responsible for irritating my lips.
Instead of using lip balm I switched to some solid cocoa butter I happened to have. Within 24 hours my lips began to soften and turn from flaky white back to natural pink. I began exploring ways to make my own lip balm that would of course contain skin-loving cocoa butter.
Cocoa butter was nice to use, but after a while I wanted to go back to using a stick or small pot of lip balm that I could carry around with me. I read several books and researched many recipes I found on the internet. For several months I experimented with the recipes until I was happy with the results. So delighted that I even gave away a few small pots of shea butter lip balm to testers, which had been sweetened with white chocolate. Only one problem occurred – after a week the lip balm turned grainy! This was disappointing to me, but I continued to try to make grain-free lip balms. Three months later I ordered some gently refined shea butter and after reformulating my recipe, and carefully adding the shea butter last, the problem was solved! The culprit had been the timing of the shea’s addition to the melting process, along with shea butter that wasn’t up to my usual ultra high standards. Since early 2004 I have successfully made numerous batches of luxurious shea butter lip balms and have expanded my line to include 15 lip smacking flavors. I’m very proud of my lippy creations and wish to share my carefully selected ingredients.
Please remember, that unlike commercial lip balms, mine contain NO preservatives, active sunscreens, paraffin, mineral oil, artificial coloring, saccharin, artificial sweetener or lanolin!
Meadowfoam Seed Oil ~ Moisturizing and revitalizing to dry, cracked lips. Grown in Oregon, this wildflower provides a lovely oil that is high in vitamin E and also has the ability to extend the life of the other oils and butters added to the lip balm.
Sesame Seed Oil [Refined] ~ Having been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, sesame oil is outstanding for keeping your lips soft and supple. The refined oil contains no nutty aroma or dark color. Sesame oil is said to contain a natural sunscreen.
Gently Refined Shea Butter ~ This naturally creamy texture is apparent in the finished product. Shea butter is an excellent skin conditioner and is high in vitamins A and E.
Cocoa Butter ~ A nut fat which is extracted from the cocoa bean, cocoa butter has been a main ingredient in many skin care products due to its skin softening and healing abilities. Cocoa butter adds a touch of firmness to the lip balms.
Unsweetened Chocolate [In Chocolate-Mint and Chocolate Lip Balms Only] Natural chocolate adds flavor and color to the lip balms. Your lips won’t turn brown though!
Beeswax ~ Naturally processed white beeswax holds these lovely lip soothing ingredients together and also acts as a moisturizer.
Vitamin E ~ This antioxidant helps prevent scarring and is good for all skin types.
Virgin Coconut Oil [In Luxurious Coconut Lip Balm Only] ~ Helps keep your lips soft and moisturized.
Certified Organic Agave Nectar ~ Similar to honey; yet from the Mexican agave [cactus] plant, this sweetener improves the flavor of all the lip balms.
Pure Essential Oils ~ Cosmetic grade scents for your lips.
Safe Flavor Oils ~ Cosmetic grade scents for your lips.
You only have one set of lips and can chose what goes on them—a synthetic stew of chemicals or an all natural product that will smooth and soothe them.
About the author: Everything Shea Aromatic Creations offers a fragrant selection of designer shea butter glycerin soap, luxurious lip balms, exclusive Whipped Shea Butter, & unique SoapCakes to personalize for gifts/promotions. http://www.everythingshea.com
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