This healing lip balm breaks down all the ways honey nourishes your lips. But if you’re looking for the Cliff’s Notes version, just know that honey is a natural humectant that draws moisture into skin and it has proven wound healing, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties that can help heal dry, split lips. Read on for the recipe!
Before dabbling in natural beauty recipes, I was unaware of all the different ways you can care for your lips. Each time I make homemade lip balm, I discover a new ingredient or technique that makes my lips feel super soft.
And this is definitely the time of year I find myself reaching for lip balm more often. (In fact, I just had to go put some on—okay, I’m back.)
I love a copycat Lush recipe and this time I’m re-creating on of their best lip balms!
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Homemade Honey Lip Balm Recipe
Honey lip balm is my fave, and this one is a dupe of Lush’s Honey Trap lip balm. It uses a whole host of moisturizers: shea butter, honey, almond oil and olive oil.
And white chocolate! Could it get any yummier? Plus the beeswax will create a layer of protection on your lips to seal in moisture.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Melt the beeswax in a microwave safe bowl in short bursts until almost melted. Add the chocolate chips and heat again until both are fully melted.
- Add the oils to the beeswax and chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
- Quickly transfer to a clean container and continue stirring until the oil has solidified and the honey well mixed. Use within 2–3 months.
Will the honey separate and sink to the bottom?
Honey, which is water-based, tends to separate when used in oil-based homemade bath and body products. If your oils are hot, the honey will naturally sink to the bottom and stay there as the mixture cools. I’ve had this same problem with honey hand balm.
The cooler the oils are when you add the honey, the less separation should occur. So I recommend heating your oils only until they’re just barely melted and then adding your honey. Keep stirring until everything cools completely.
Or let the melted oil mixture cool to almost room temperature (you should see it starting to form a film on top) before adding your honey. Stir well then place it in the freezer for a few minutes to finish cooling.
You can also use an emulsifying wax to bind the honey and oil-based ingredients, but you’ll still need to keep stirring the oil and honey mixture until it cools.. Follow the instructions on the package to determine the amount of emulsifying wax required for this recipe.
Storage
This balm works better stored in little pots versus pouring it into a lip balm tube.
More Tasty Ways To Use Honey on Your Lips
1. Hydrate with honey lip oil
Coconut oil is probably the world’s easiest way to make your own homemade lip balm. You can also combine this with a little honey and essential oils, and your lips will be noticeably softer by morning.
Place the coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat for 10–15 seconds until barely melted. Add the honey and essential oils and stir well.
Continue stirring until the oil has solidified and honey is well-mixed, then transfer to a lip balm container. Use within 2-3 months.
2. Exfoliate with a honey lip scrub
Mix honey with granulated sugar to create a natural lip scrub. Honey is a natural humectant that draws moisture into skin, and it has proven wound healing, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties [source] that can help heal dry, split lips.
Combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Rub it into your lips with your finger—but be especially gentle with super dry lips. There’s no reason to rinse it off; just keep the honey on your lips.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Reapply every few days as needed to keep flakes at bay.
3. Heal overnight with aloe + honey lip mask
Make a hydrating lip mask by mixing ¼ teaspoon honey with ½ teaspoon aloe vera gel or glycerin and a drop of lavender essential oil. Apply the mask to your lips, leave it on for 10-15 minutes, then rinse off for deeply moisturized and rejuvenated lips.
4. Try honey + vitamin E for cracked lips
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to both protect skin from free radical damage as well as improve wound healing.
Mix honey with vitamin E and apply the mixture directly to those super painful cracks in the corner of your mouth. Just pierce a capsule, add honey, and apply with a clean finger.
Apply the mixture to your lips and leave it on for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off. Repeat 1-2 times a day as needed to heal lips.
5. Soften with honey lip massage
Warm a small amount of honey between your fingers and gently massage it onto your lips in circular motions. This will help to improve blood circulation, promote collagen production, and keep your lips plump and youthful-looking.
6. Plump with a honey lip mask
Sunflower (or safflower) oil contains linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid. Our bodies can’t manufacture this essential fatty acid, which moisturizes and helps restore and plump up the uppermost layer of skin, the lipid layer, that acts as a barrier.
Combine these ingredients in a small bowl. Apply the mixture all over and around your lips.
Cover with a small piece of plastic wrap. Leave it on for 5 minutes, then remove with warm water.
What NOT to do for chapped lips
Some lip care ingredients will actually make chapped lips worse so avoid menthol, camphor and even cinnamon. Stick with natural oils that won’t suck the moisture from your lips. And avoid licking your lips as much as possible.
When the saliva disappears, your lips will feel drier than before. It’s better to keep applying a natural balm so don’t worry about becoming ‘addicted.’
How do you keep your lips soft and smooth? Let us know your best chapped lip remedy!
FAQ
Yes, you can easily add honey to water-based or emulsified products that combine oil and water (like lotions). Just add it to hot distilled water and stir until it’s fully dissolved. For oil-based recipes, either add emulsifying wax or keep stirring until the mixture fully cools.
While honey does boast some antibacterial activity, it’s not a sufficient preservative and you’ll need to add a preservative like Optiphen to your recipe.
Any solid-at-room-temperature plant butter should work. We love coconut butter, mango butter, or capuacu butter. That being said, shea and cocoa butter are typically the easiest to find and the cheapest, but use whatever works for you.
Beeswax gives the lip balm a firmer consistency. You can leave it out entirely, but expect a much softer, creamier butter blend.
We love using candelilla wax in place of the beeswax for vegan recipes. Or check out this vegan lip balm recipe for a soothing alternative.
References
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Haley, a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in medical, cosmetic, and surgical dermatology. 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.
