Balmy

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Certainly the weather isn't balmy. The last time I checked it was eight degrees with a wind chill of negative two. Brrrrrrr.


Last Christmas I made some lip balm for friends and my family. Little pots and sticks of super good lip stuff, that doesn't dry out my lips or leave them sticky. I've never been one to use chapstick for those reasons, but this stuff is balmy -- soothing. The other night I made some more. I can fine all of the ingredients at my local natural food store, but you can buy them online too. Fair warning -- it's not cheap, but then neither is the expensive beeswax balm. And this stuff is waaay better.

The recipe is from Martha. The pots and sticks are from here. You can also buy the beeswax there, but I bought smaller quantities from the health food store -- just make certain it's food grade wax, not for candles. I use apricot kernel oil instead of almond, because of our nut allergies, and in this last batch I used part light-tasting olive oil because I ran out of apricot kernel oil. As long as it's pure, it's all good. I have read that you can use other butters, also, like cocoa butter or fruit butters. Some people don't like the smell of the shea butter, but it doesn't bother me. I've also read that you can tint the balm with some lipstick -- break off a piece and melt it with the other ingredients. I've never messed with it too much, but let me know if you do.

The quantity pictured is quadruple the recipe.

Lip Balm
Makes 4 tins, 1/2 ounce each

1 tablespoon beeswax pearls (also called pellets or pastilles)
1 tablespoon pure shea butter (or cocoa butter)
2 tablespoons sweet almond oil (or apricot kernel)
1/2 to 1 t. vitamin E
10-15 drops essential oils
(I use all peppermint, but you could add some vanilla or eucalyptus -- see below)

Melt beeswax, shea butter, and almond oil together in the top of a double boiler or in a heat-safe bowl set over a pot of simmering water*; stir continuously with a whisk. Once the ingredients are liquefied, remove them from heat. Whisk in essential oils. Working quickly, transfer the liquid to a measuring cup or a container with a pour spout and then divide it among four 1/2-ounce lip balm tins. Let balms cool completely until solid, about 20 minutes. Store in a cool, dry place.

Variation: Peppermint-Eucalyptus Lip Balm
Use 6 drops of peppermint essential oil and 4 drops of eucalyptus essential oil.

* The first time I made this I did it in a double boiler.
The other times I put the ingredients in a glass measuring cup
and heated it in the microwave on medium until melted.
It doesn't take long so keep an eye on it, and stir occasionally.

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