I started wearing lip gloss or a form of lipstick before I started shaving my armpits. My mother, a southern lady, told me that every girl needed just a little touch of color on her lips. This spiraled into a deep love of lipstick from an early age. Throughout junior high, I rocked black lipstick like it was going out of style. In fact, it was indeed already out of style in 1997, and it was that same loving, always accepting mother that helped me pick out a black lipstick that wouldn't get all over my grilled cheese sandwiches at lunch. Eventually, I moved onto deep reds and purples to enhance the "death" look I was so eager to fulfill. When I wanted even more lipstick to go with my outfits, my mother taught me a simple trick of blending a bright red and a black lipstick together and blotting my lips — it was as if Elvira had kissed me on the mouth and left a beautiful deep rouge lingering for all the goth boys to admire.
Lipstick is the main reason that I'll never be completely "natural" in my beauty routine: I want all of it. I want oranges, purples, magentas, and browns. I want my lips to mirror my mood, my soul, and my outfit. Needless to say, my love of lipstick runs pretty deep. That's why when National Lipstick Day rolled around earlier this week, I had to find a way to incorporate nature into a bomb, luscious lip balm that wouldn't stain my iced coffee straws — or my new boo.
There are many DIY lipsticks out there that involve super fun ingredients like crayon or using the end of a previous lipstick to give you color that pops. My motto is to choose nature first, then see if I need to call in additional man-made resources. This DIY lipstick right here though? Well, frankly, it takes some effort. This is for the true natural ladies that are willing to put some time into your pucker and reap some serious health benefits in the process.
You'll need the following:
- Beeswax
- Shea butter
- Coconut Oil
- Beet Juice
- Blueberry Juice
- Lavender Oil
As always, you can adjust this recipe to suit your fancy and the amount of lipstick you are going to make. Let's start by adding 2 ounces of beeswax and shea butter, and 1 ounce of coconut oil to a small mixing bowl. Some sources say to melt down your mixture, but I've found that these ingredients work best for lipstick if they are somewhat harden, especially if you are adding natural dyes. This recipe will get you a nice, soothing lip gloss for sun-damaged lips, but if you are trying to add some tint? Then you'll need some of nature's most trusty dyes!
Be sure to wear gloves during your beauty science project, not only does the beeswax take forever to come off of skin and utensils, but the natural dyes can and will dye your hands a violent red color.
Blend at least one beet (or use beet juice from canned or packaged beets) and a dozen blueberries. Apply the cool mixture to your thick concoction of beeswax, shea, and coconut oil. Then add an essential oil like lavender to add some extra health benefits and, of course, make your lips smell like they are dye-ing to be kissed.
You'll notice that when you add in the fresh juice, it will lay around your ingredients and not absorb immediately. Mix them with a spoon or a whisk, and then place in the fridge to cool, especially if you started your recipe with liquefied ingredients, you'll need them to harden slightly together in order to 1. get the right consistency and 2. allow the fresh juice to settle into the mixture.
Once your lipstick has reached the desired consistency, you can package it in a smaller portable container if you haven't already done so to take your lipstick on the go with you!
Images: Kristin Collins Jackson
