How to make your own natural lip balm

All you need is moisturising shea butter and almond oil along with beeswax. For a bit of flavour, you can add peppermint or lemon essential oil – be careful, though, as compounds in lemon oil absorb light more intensely, possibly causing sunburn. Before adding oil to the mixture transfer a bit of the warm mix to a small container. Refrigerate about 10 minutes. If the chilled balm is still mushy, add 25g of beeswax to the large batch and heat until melted. If the mix has hardened nicely, you can move straight to adding the oil. The balm keeps for months.

Soothing Peppermint Lip Balm

Here's what you'll need:

• 60ml organic cold-pressed almond oil
• 60g organic shea butter
• 30g grated beeswax
• Water (about 1 cup)

Method:

1. Add organic cold-pressed almond oil, organic shea butter and grated beeswax to 1 litre Mason jar.
2. Fill a pot approximately ¼ full of water. Place jar in water and begin to melt ingredients over gentle heat. Cook, stirring, until ingredients have melted, then remove from heat.
3. Gently stir in 10 to 20 drops of peppermint essential oil. (If this is for kids or you have sensitive skin, use less oil or omit.)
4. Pour warm balm carefully into 20g tins or BPA-free plastic containers, which you can find at most craft stores or online. Leave tops off the containers until balm has cooled and hardened. Makes 25-28 small containers of balm.

Lip balm recipe by: Dr Tieraona Low Dog