Do Your Lips a Service
The lips are a very unique - and very busy - part of your
body. Nourish them naturally with these easy, effective homemade products. ~ by
Janice Cox
From The Herb Companion ~ March 2006 Issue
Lip care products were some of the first cosmetic products used.
Lip paints made by the Mesopotamians date back to 3500 B.C. In New England,
Puritan women frowned on the use of cosmetics in general. However, they made lip
balm recipes out of crushed rose petals to soothe and color their lips.
Lipstick, as we know it today, was first introduced in Paris in 1910. It is now
the most commonly used and purchased cosmetic product in the world.
Lip glosses and balms are a vital part of your beauty
collection. They are also a cinch to create. The majority are made by simply
melting together two or three ingredients. I like to use lip glosses under and
over lipstick, as many lipsticks can be slightly drying. Lip glosses and balms
have a long shelf life and will last for at least a year. The products here
require general care and storage guidelines.
(After gloss recipes, see "Easy Tips For Luscious
Lips" below)
Aloe Vera Lip Gloss (Yield: 1/2 oz.)
Aloe vera makes a soothing lip gloss with a very high moisture content. I
like to use this gloss in the summer after I have spent time in the sun.
1 tsp aloe vera gel
1/2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp petroleum jelly (optional)
Mix ingredients in a shallow dish or cup using the back of a teaspoon. Gently
heat mixture until coconut oil has melted. Pour melted mixture into a lip gloss
container or clean pillbox (both available at drugstores).
Cool completely, until mixture is cool to the touch and solid, 10 to 20
minutes. You can speed cooling time by putting the gloss in the refrigerator.
Rub into your lips and enjoy.
Almond and Cocoa Butter Lip Gloss (Yield: 1/2 oz.)
This lip gloss is good by itself or under lipstick. Cocoa butter conditions
and protects the lips and has a mild chocolate scent. I like to use this gloss
over lipstick for extra shine.
1/2 tsp grated beeswax
1 tsp cocoa butter (grate if using solid cocoa
butter)
1 tsp almond oil
Melt wax, cocoa butter and oil using the water-bath technique (see below).
Pour the melted mixture into a lip gloss container or clean pillbox.
Cool completely, until cool to the touch and solid in form. You may
refrigerate to speed up cooling time.
Rub into your lips and enjoy.
Vanilla Lip Gloss (Yield 1 1/2 oz.)
Pure vanilla extract gives this lip gloss a lovely scent and
caramel color, not to mention a delicious flavor. Coconut oil, beeswax and
vitamin E oil preserve lips by providing a protective layer that conditions and
locks in moisture.
1 Tbsp grated beeswax
1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/8 tsp vitamin E oil
1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
Place beeswax, coconut oil and vitamin E oil in an ovenproof
container. Heat gently until wax and oils are melted. Stir in vanilla extract
and mix well. Pour mixture into a clean container and cool completely. Rub onto
lips with a clean finger or lip brush.
Chocolate Lip Gloss (Yield 1/2 oz.)
From the colorful fruits of the cacao tree come the raw ingredients for
chocolate. The two main substances obtained from the wrinkly pods are cocoa
butter and unsweetened chocolate (sold as baking chocolate). This lip gloss,
made from blending together cocoa butter and chocolate, is an excellent lip
conditioner with a mildly sweet taste.
1 1/2 tsp grated cocoa butter
1/2 tsp coconut oil
1/8 tsp vitamin E oil
1/4 tsp grated chocolate or 3 small chocolate chips of your choice
Using a water bath, heat cocoa butter, coconut oil and vitamin E oil gently
until melted. Stir in chocolate and keep stirring until melted and well blended.
Pour into a small lip gloss container and allow to cool completely.
Spread on lips with a clean fingertip or lip brush.
Overnight Chapped Lip Cure (Yield 1/2 oz.)
1/2 tsp glycerin or honey
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp castor oil
Mix together all ingredients. Spread the mixture on your lips
and leave on overnight. In the morning, awake to smooth, soothed lips. Store
leftover mixture in the refrigerator.
Using the Water-Bath Technique
The water-bath technique is a simple way to gently heat
ingredients. To use, simply place the ingredients you want to melt in a
heat-proof glass measuring cup or bowl. Then, put your glass dish inside a
larger pot. Add enough water to the large pot to submerge your glass dish about
halfway. Boil the water in the pot to melt the ingredients inside the glass
dish.
Easy Tips For Luscious Lips
Lips are a unique part of our body in both appearance and construction. They
have no sweat glands, few sebaceous oil glands, and their only protection from
the outside world is saliva -- which isn't all that helpful. Keep yours looking
and feeling their best with these simple tips.
Natural Health Hut
