Lip gloss is a must-have in the fall (or anytime, for that matter). It’s pretty much the only makeup I can muster most days because it glides on in a jiff. It can even double as blush in a pinch. And this DIY lip gloss is absolutely perfect for daily wear.
It gives your lips a sheer red wine hue, inspired by the Marsala color of the year, and it doesn’t contain any iffy (toxic) ingredients. Made with jojoba and castor oil, this lip gloss will moisturize and give plenty of shine.
How to Make DIY Lip Gloss
The last time I made DIY lip gloss, I used old lipstick and petroleum jelly, a product I’ve since stopped using around the house. I think the word petroleum tipped me off that this might not be a natural ingredient I want to be putting on my lips and ingesting all day.
For this DIY lip gloss, I originally used cosmetic-grade ingredients snagged from Bramble Berry, a company that specializes in homemade bath and body ingredients. The deep red color comes from Merlot Sparkle mica, a safe ingredient for making lipstick and eye shadows.
The lip gloss itself is a combination of natural oils and Cera Bellina wax, a derivative of beeswax. Regular beeswax is great for making lip balm, where you want a more solid product, but it’s too thick for making gloss. The Cera Bellina wax keeps the gloss semi-solid in the lip pot but then instantly melts into a gloss when you apply it.
I have had fun experimenting with other cosmetic-grade ingredients over time. If you can’t find Cera Bellina wax, a pinch of beeswax or emulsifying wax will work. If you’re not a fan of castor or jojoba oils, you can substitute sweet almond, olive, or grapeseed oils.
And if you can’t get your hands on Merlot Sparkle mica, you can make your own shade by mixing red and blue micas—that’s actually what I did for these photos!
Since a little mica goes a long way, just blend the micas together in very small quantities and add them to your melted oils to see how they look. Keep adjusting the ratio of red to blue mica until you get the color of your dreams.
And if you want to get super creative, don’t stick to red and blue. You can use any combination of red, pink, orange, and blue shades you prefer.
All that is to say, you don’t need to shell out for the expensive ingredients if you don’t want to. Any oil/wax/mica combination will make lip gloss. You just need to experiment to find a combination of ingredients that you like.
To make your DIY lip gloss, combine your oils and wax in a microwave-safe bowl (a measuring cup works great), and pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Once melted, add your mica and give it a good stir.
For a deeper color, add more mica. Add less for a sheer color. Pour it into your containers and let it cool for 1 to 2 hours.
The recipe below fills about 6 to 7 small lip pots or 3 small jars, but you’re free to adjust the recipe accordingly.
DIY Marsala Lip Gloss
Equipment
- small microwave-safe bowl
- Lip gloss pots or clean empty jars
Materials
- 3 tablespoons castor oil
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
- 1.25 teaspoons Cera Bellina wax
- 2.5 teaspoons Merlot Sparkle mica
- 3 mL flavoring oil (I used the honey flavor.)
Instructions
- Combine castor and jojoba oils and Cera Bellina wax in a small microwave-safe container. Heat for 15 seconds and stir. Keep heating in short bursts until the wax is melted.
- Add honey flavor oil (if using) and stir.
- Add the Merlot Sparkle mica and stir until thoroughly mixed in.
- Pour the lip gloss mixture into the pots.
- Allow to fully cool and place the caps on.
Notes
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified physician with more than 20 years of practice experience. 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.
53
Could I put this in wand tubes ?? instead of tins
I’m curious as well?