Tips For Luscious Lips - Part 2

Welcome Summer Solstice! To commemorate the day, at about 7am this morning, I went for a 2.5 mile speed walk along the dirt road that meanders through my woods. Simply glorious. At the ocean-view vista at the top of our hill, I paid homage to the summer sun and her warm energy that she sends coarsing through my body and the flowers, herbs, and veggies in my garden. Ahh . . . summer!

As promised in the last blog, I will be sharing some natural lip care recipes that you can make at home and customize to your liking and/or needs. There will be three recipes in total. I'll give you the first one today.

The colorless versions of these lip treatments can be worn alone or as a base or top coat with your favorite commercial lipstick. The colored versions contain no added drying chemicals or mica or fish scales for shimmer; nor do they have that metallic lipstick taste that can linger in your mouth for hours. These beeswax and honey formulas provide only a sheer wash of color.

Using these recipes, you can create a basic, nourishing lip balm or gloss that smells and tastes good, not synthetic or manufactured. Your children will enjoy these lip treats, too!


Healing & Cooling Lip Balm & Gloss

This lip treatment is rich, soothing, ultracooling, and especially good for lips that are weather-beaten or chapped and tender.

Ingredients:
4-5 tablespoons almond, jojoba, or castor base oil (castor oil is preferred if you want a super- shiny gloss)
1 tablespoon beeswax
2 teaspoons honey
20 drops peppermint or spearmint essential oil or tea tree essential oil (optional medicinal choice if you suffer from ultra-chapped or bleeding lips, or have fever blisters)
1/2 tube of your favorite natural, synthetic-free, colored lipstick (optional)

Directions:
In a very small saucepan, over low heat or double boiler, warm oil, beeswax, and honey until the wax is just melted. DO NOT allow this mixture to get too hot . . . no simmering allowed! Do not walk away from the pan. Use 5 tablespoons of oil for a softer consistency; use 4 tablespoons for a firmer balm.

Remove from heat. Add the essential oil (if desired) and colored lipstick (if desired) at this time, and stir until the lipstick is melted. Set the pan in a shallow ice-water bath. Using a tiny whisk or iced-tea spoon, stir rapidly for 30-60 seconds until the honey is completely incorporated and the formula is like thick frosting. If you don't stir rapidly enough, the honey (which is water-based) will tend to separate out of the formula and settle to the bottom. The final product will be a pale yellow color unless you've added colored lipstick.

Spoon the mixture into storage containers and cap. Let the mixture set for 2 hours before use. No refrigeration is required, but for maximum freshness and taste, please use within 1 year.

Important Recipe Information:
Recommended for: everyone
Use: as desired
Prep Time: approx. 30 minutes plus 2 hours for flavor & consistency to synergize & set
Blending Tools: small whisk or spoon
Store in: very small plastic or glass jars or tins
Yield: approx. 12 - 14, 1/4-ounce containers or 6-7 tablespoons


NOTE: This article was written by Stephanie Tourles and adapted from her book, "Organic Body Care Recipes", Storey Publishing, 2007. The information is true and complete to the best of the author's knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author. The author disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this information. It is for educational purposes only.