First thoughts on making lip-gloss AND Final Review on lip-gloss

CLICK HERE to see where I got my recipe inspiration!

FIRST THOUGHTS:
Parts and Price
Organic Lanolin: $7.99
Organic Vegetable Glycerin: $3.99
Organic Castor Oil: $3.99
Organic Vitamin E Oil: $5.99
Honey: $2.99
Total: $25 (approx. prices vary dramatically depending on size and brand)


Here is how I decided to make it:
1 TBL LANOLIN
1 TBL CASTOR OIL
1 TSP VEGETABLE GLYCERIN
1 TSP HONEY
A FEW DROPS OF VITAMIN E OIL

Whoops, forgot to picture the honey!

The Process: Super easy, just mix everything in a hot water bath (boil water in a larger bowl, then place a smaller bowl inside that bowl for mixing. Just make sure no water from the larger bowl gets in your mixing bowl!)


Complaints: If you don't have any of these ingredients at your house already, this lip-gloss is an investment. I decided to bite the bullet and spring for all of the ingredients that I didn't have already because they all have multiple uses (I have been wanting to get some Vitamin E oil to add to my moisturizers, the lanolin will be used when I breastfeed, and the castor oil I already use for my face-wash... the OCM).


Compliments: Easy to make and ingredients were easy to find. Also, as I said, I was excited about purchasing most of these because I had been wanting them for other projects.

My Final Thoughts:
Cons- Yet another smell complaint. The lip-gloss definitely doesn't smell bad, it just doesn't have that nice smell  of other lip glosses/chapsticks I have grown accustomed to. It smells "raw" if that makes sense... it basically smells like the ingredients I added, with lanolin being the most significant. My suggestion would be to add an essential oil of your choice, or some vanilla to give it a little pinch of yummy smell :) Also, if you are wanting a tinted lip gloss, it takes some practice. Berries seem to be the most natural way to color the gloss (smash and strain them before adding) but this takes some knowledge of what berries produce what color... well, knowledge or trial and error, that's why I decided to skip a tint this time. If you keep the gloss colorless, it will apply as a clear coating.


Pros- Easy to make, it REALLY works... and if you go the unscented/non-colored route, your Man can use it too!  It feels really good on your lips, not gloopy or globby.


Overall- This product is a great example of what an investment choosing a more "natural" lifestyle can be. Other than the time investment it takes to make your own products, it is also a financial investment at times. I think the majority of products I have made generally cost less or equal to their store-bought counter part- although they generally seem to work better. Occasionally I will come across products like these that really make me evaluate what's "worth it." Once I start researching the ingredients, I typically get so excited about their multiple benefits/uses that I can justify just about any purchase. Also, I know once I get the goods to make a more expensive product initially, I will have enough to make that product a ton of times over. Each person has to decide where they draw the line. For me, the investments I have been making seem to be paying off. I choose to make products that I will use frequently (normally daily) so that I feel I am getting my "money's worth" out of them. I also feel like these small changes of daily use items will make the greatest impact in my family's life down the line. I now have a little cupboard full of my left-overs from previous projects and as it grows, the amount I have to spend on newer projects shrinks. 


Bottom line, this lip-gloss/chapstick really, really works and LASTS. It is a lot softer and smoother than I anticipated, not waxy or hard at all. 

Finished lip balm. I was going to post a picture of how the balm looks once applied, but I figured a close up picture of my lips would be uncomfortable for everyone involved ;)

*If you will be making this, my two tips would be: add something (fresh berries smashed and strained/vanilla/essential oil) for scent. Also, this mixture can easily be poured into an old chapstick/lip gloss applicator you are using now. Whether it's a wand, or stick, just boil the applicator to clean it and pour this liquid inside. Once you've poured the mixture in, place it in the fridge/freezer and it will solidify. I did this with an old soft lips and it works great! Once it solidifies, it will stay solid. No need to keep it in fridge or freezer*


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