Making your own lip balm is a fun summer project, but you have many choices when it comes to carrier oil. Carrier oil is the medium that holds the lip balm together, keeping the essential oils well distributed and providing the conditioning qualities of your lip balm. While the oil you use is truly a matter of personal preference, we want to give you an overview of the oils our customers have had success with.

Shea Butter

Shea butter comes from shea nuts, grown in Africa. The majority of its use is seen in the cosmetic industry, though food-grade shea butter is available. The oil is incredibly moisturizing and makes a fantastic base for lotions, salves, and lip balms. When added to lip balm, it will give your lips shine while it conditions your skin. Shea butter has higher melting point than other oils and butters, making it the perfect base for lip balm.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has one distinct benefit over shea butter: it’s far more affordable. Food grade coconut oil is readily available in most supermarkets and unlike shea butter, you’ll be able to use the extra oil in food preparation and even cleaning applications. Coconut oil has a lower melting point, which can be an issue if you keep your lip balm in your pocket.

Kokum Butter

Kokum butter is often used as a replacement for cocoa butter. Unlike coconut oil and shea butter, kokum butter is somewhat brittle and needs to be combined with other oils to make it spreadable. Though it is brittle, the conditioning properties of the oil are just as strong as shea butter.

At Lip Balm Now, we have a full line of custom containers to help you get your lip balm project started. Order your lip balm tubes today!