DIY Lip Balm Redux: Adding Color

I’m trying to have a lot of fun since returning from Florida and the debacle that was my winter/spring. Part of that is getting my creative juices flowing again and this time around, it’s about making cosmetics, shampoo, bubble bath and soap (the last time this happened I started a custom wedding cake business that kept me busy for about four years). Everything I make is either for personal use or for my friends and family, but it sure is rewarding and, as my younger brother refers to it, my “therapy.”

In this post, I showed you how to make your own lip balm. It’s sooo easy and a lot of fun! For pennies, you can have a much better lip balm that you’ll find in the store AND you can customize the ingredients you want to include. The next step for me was adding color to that lip balm and I did that a few evenings ago. Since getting involved in soap, I began noticing the colored pigments that are available from many of my cosmetic and soap suppliers. These are companies like TKB Trading, Nurture Soap Supplies, The Conservatorie, among others. I loaded up on samples as a means to test out different colorants so I had many to choose from when formulating five colors (four of which are shown above). The possibilities are endless but I’ll show you what I came up with. Just make sure that the pigments you use are safe for the lips---the package or website will tell you which ones will work.

First, please note that this can be messy work (as proof you should see the hot pink fingerprints that I left on the microwave, refrigerator, etc---but those prints are EASILY cleaned!). You’ll need some kind of grinder (I use a cheap coffee grinder that I use only for grinding pigments) and some measuring spoons (the smaller the better). I also used ziplock baggies to store my extra blended colors. For all of these shades, I blended 1/2 teaspoon of color with 1 Tablespoon of the lip balm base. You can use more or less color to achieve and more opaque (or sheer) look.

Color #1: My Lips But Better (MLBB)

This lovely berry tone was achieved by blending the following in the grinder and then adding 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture to 1 Tablespoon of melted lip balm:

* 2 parts Red Basics (TKB Trading)
* 1 part Cosmic Carolyn (TKB Trading)
* 1 part Purple Vibrance (Nurture Soap Supplies)

Color #2: A Warm Coral

This warm tone was also mixed using 1/2 teaspoon of the pigment mix with 1 Tablespoon of melted lip balm:

* 1 part Red Basics (TKB Trading)
* 3 parts Red Oxide 170 (TKB Trading)
* 3 parts Serecite Mica (TKB Trading)

Color #3: A Dark Coral

This pretty and pigmented coral uses 1/2 teaspoon of the pigment mix with 1 Tablespoon of melted lip balm:

* 1 part Muraski Violet (TKB Trading)
* 3 parts Serecite Mica (TKB Trading)
* 6 parts Red Oxide 170 (TKB Trading)

Color #4: Shimmering Coral Pink

* 1 part Red #6 (TKB Trading)
* 3.5 parts Pearl White Mica (TKB Trading)
* 1.5 parts Glitter Bordeaux Pigment (TKB Trading)

Color #5: Cherry Red

This color is very pigmented at 1/2 teaspoon of the blended color to 1 Tablespoon melted lip balm base. The pictures really don’t do it justice---it’s beautiful!!

* 4 parts Red #7 (TKB Trading)
* 2 parts titanium dioxide (I use the oil dispersible one from TKB Trading)
* 3 parts Cosmic Carolyn (TKB Trading)

Once you’ve gotten your color mixed and your lip balm base melted, pour it into your pot or tube as normal. Et Voila! Your own colored lip balm!!

This is a fun and inexpensive hobby that doesn’t take a lot of time. Be creative and have fun!!!