Before dabbling in natural beauty recipes, I wasn’t truly aware of all the different ways you can care for your lips. Each time I make homemade lip balm I discover a new ingredient or technique that makes my lips feel super soft. Because this is definitely the time of year I find myself reaching for lip balm more often. (In fact, I just had to go put some on. Okay, I'm back.)
Here are 5 DIY remedies for dry, chapped lips, including a recipe for one of my favorite DIY lip balms. Because you want them soft and kissable for summer, right?
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1. Exfoliate with a honey lip scrub
This healing lip balm breaks down all the ways honey nourishes your lips. But if you're looking for the Cliff's Notes version, just know that honey is a natural humectant that draws moisture into skin and it has proven wound healing, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties that can help heal dry, split lips.
Supplies needed:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Rub it into your lips with your finger - but be especially gentle with super dry lips. There's no reason to rinse it off, just keep the honey on your lips. (Or eat it if you want, we won't judge.)
You can even add a few drops of essential oil, such as lavender, chamomile or carrot seed, for added nourishment.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Reapply every few days as needed to keep flakes at bay.
2. Make a homemade lip balm
Honey lip balm is my fave, and this one is a dupe of Lush's Honey Trap lip balm. It uses a whole host of moisturizers: shea butter, honey, almond oil and olive oil.
And white chocolate! Could it get any yummier? Plus the beeswax will create a layer of protection on your lips to seal in moisture.
Supplies needed:
- 1 tablespoon shea butter
- 1 teaspoon each: honey, almond oil and olive oil
- 1 teaspoon grated beeswax
- 5 white chocolate chips
- 3-4 drops vanilla extract
- Lip balm container
Note: I also included a pinch of ground oatmeal and dry whole milk hoping for a slightly grainy texture so it would gently exfoliate with each application. But the effect on the texture was pretty minimal.
Combine the oils in a small bowl and add the vanilla extract (or other essential oil of your choice). Melt the beeswax in a microwave safe bowl in short bursts until almost melted.
Add the chocolate chips and heat again until both are fully melted. Combine the beeswax and chocolate mixture with the oils and stir to combine.
Quickly transfer to a clean container and wait for it to solidify (stick it in the freezer to speed this up). Use within 2-3 months.
3. Heal lips overnight with coconut oil
Every night I slather my kids' lips with coconut oil. It sinks in faster than they can wipe it off! It's probably the world's easiest way to make your own homemade lip balm. You can combine this with a little honey and essential oils too, and your lips will be noticeably softer by morning.
Supplies needed:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 2-3 drops lavender or chamomile essential oil
Place the coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat for 10-15 seconds until barely melted. Add the honey and essential oils and stir well.
Continue stirring until the oil has solidified and honey is well-mixed, then transfer to a lip balm container. Use within 2-3 months.
4. For cracked lips, try vitamin E
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to both protect skin from free radical damage as well as improve wound healing.
Try applying vitamin E directly to those super painful cracks in the corner of your mouth. Just pierce a capsule and apply with a clean finger. Layer over homemade lip balm or coconut oil to heal overnight.
Repeat 1-2 times a day as needed to heal lips.
5. What not to do
Some lip care ingredients will actually make chapped lips worse so avoid menthol, camphor and even cinnamon. Stick with natural oils that won't suck the moisture from your lips. And avoid licking your lips as much as possible.
When the saliva disappears, your lips will feel drier than before. It's better to keep applying a natural balm so don't worry about becoming 'addicted.'
Lip Balm FAQ
Any solid-at-room-temperature plant butter should work. We love coconut butter, mango butter or capuacu butter. That being said, shea and cocoa butter are typically the easiest to find and the cheapest, but use whatever works for you.
Our homemade lip balm recipe uses vanilla extract but you can use vanilla essential oil if you have it on hand. I'd recommend 2-3 drops at most.
Beeswax gives the lip balm a firmer consistency. You can leave it out entirely, but expect a much softer, creamier butter blend.
We love using candelilla wax in place of the beeswax for vegan recipes. Or check out this vegan lip balm recipe for a soothing alternative.
If your oils are hot, the honey will naturally sink to the bottom and stay there as the mixture cools. I recommend only heating your oils until they're just barely melted. Then adding your honey and stirring until everything cools completely.
You can also use an emulsifying wax to hold everything together, but you'll still need to stir the oil + honey mixture until cool or the emulsifying wax won't do much good.
Related
Looking for more ways to take care of your lips? How about one of these recipes?
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Haley, a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in medical, cosmetic and surgical dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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