Lip oils have recently become common thanks to their popularity on social platforms like TikTok and Instagram. They provide a rich, glossy finish that hydrates and softens lips. Many formulas also contain a color that bridges the gap between lip care and lip color.
Commercial lip oils are often made with synthetic emollients such as mineral oils and silicones. But creating a lip oil from botanical oils provides lips with the natural properties of skin-loving oils, as well as long-lasting moisture with a glossy shine.
On our blog, we have several simple lip formulas that you can try:
How to make a berry tinted lip balm
How to make a delicious lip serum
How to make a whipped lip scrub
How to make an Amazonian lip balm
Lip oil, serum and balm: how are they different?
You might be wondering what is the difference between lip oil, lip serum and lip balm. Often in the world of cosmetics, descriptions vary for the same or similar types of products. A serum can be formulated as an anhydrous water-based formulation or an emulsion containing high-potency plant extracts. We explore different types of serum formulations in our post:
5 types of organic face serum formulations
Lip balms are heat-processed formulations that require wax and some harder butters to create a solid texture. Balms can be made into a stick form similar to a lipstick or poured into a small pot and applied with fingers or a small spatula. Formulations vary the amounts of waxes, butters and oils in order to provide the right stability and firmness for each type of product.
Our lip oil formula consists of just five essential oils and a wax, which means it’s really easy to make. It is less thick than a balm, but thicker than an oil. You can add a few more actives to the formula, like oil-soluble hyaluronic acid, to turn that oil into a serum.
The skin on our lips is very thin and has only 3-5 layers which makes them sensitive to extreme heat and cold as well as dry winds. Our lips can easily become chapped and can even become painfully cracked if they are too dry. Lip care is all about keeping their delicate skin in optimal condition through hydration and hydration. Our serum formulation coats lips with a light, occlusive layer of lipids to prevent water loss, which keeps lips moisturized and hydrated. If you want to know more about how hydration and hydration work together, check out our article:
Moisturizer vs Hydration: What’s the Difference?
Lip oil: our essential ingredients
Cera bellina
Cera bellina is a unique ingredient often used in natural lip oil formulations to help improve their texture and firmness. It is a modified form of beeswax in which the free fatty acids have been converted into polyglycerol esters. This produces a wax that has gelling properties and creates textures that are thicker and silkier than traditional beeswax and don’t feel “pully” on the skin.
In our natural lip oil, cera bellina helps to thicken the formula and create a smooth, creamy texture that glides easily on the lips. It also provides a protective barrier on the lips, helping to lock in moisture and prevent dryness. Unlike traditional waxes, cera bellina can help stabilize the texture of a formula, preventing separation or graining over time. Overall, cera bellina can be a valuable addition to natural lip oil formulations, helping to improve their performance and provide a luxurious feel.
Raspberry oil
Blueberry oil is a cold-pressed oil extracted from the seeds of the blueberry fruit. It is a very popular ingredient for recycled beauty products as the seeds are a waste by-product of the food industry left over from the production of juices and jams. The extra ground seeds are also used as exfoliants in skin care products.
When it comes to lip care, raspberry seed oil has many benefits. First, it is high in essential fatty acids, which can help restore the lips’ natural lipid barrier and keep them hydrated by reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL). In addition, raspberry oil contains ellagic acid, a powerful antioxidant that can help protect lips from free radical damage and can protect lips from collagen degradation. Overall, raspberry seed oil is an extremely effective ingredient for keeping your lips soft, smooth, and plump.
Marula oil
Marula oil is a nutrient-rich oil derived from the kernels of the fruit of the marula tree. When it comes to lip care, marula oil has many benefits. First and foremost, it’s deeply moisturizing, which makes it an ideal ingredient for treating dry, chapped or chapped lips. Additionally, marula oil is packed with antioxidants, which can help protect lips from environmental stressors and reduce dryness.
Marula oil also contains high levels of oleic acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties and can help soothe and calm irritated skin. Overall, marula oil is a powerful and nourishing ingredient that can help keep your lips healthy, moisturized, and protected. You can learn more about African-derived plant oils like marula in our article on 10 natural African skin care ingredients.
Our formula: golden marula lip oil
This formula creates a thick oil and thanks to cera bellina, it glides on smoothly and creates a soft, non-sticky barrier on the lips. Try applying it to damp skin or layer on a lip serum containing hyaluronic acid for ultimate hydration.
It does: recommended test batch size: 50 g – 5 tubes.
Wording: a warm process.
Time Required: 15 minutes.
Level: entry-level composition for personalization and customization.
| ONE | castor oil | Ricinus communis seed oil | 20.00 |
| ONE | Golden jojoba oil | Simmondsia chinensis seed oil | 16.25 |
| ONE | Cera bellina wax | Polyglycerol-3 beeswax | 2.50 |
| ONE | Marula oil | Sclerocarya birrea seed oil | 5.00 |
| si | Raspberry seed oil | Rubus idaeus seed oil | 5.00 |
| si | CO2 raspberry extract | Rubus idaeus seed extract, Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract | 1.00 |
| do | Tocopherol | Tocopherol | 0.25 |
| Total: 50.00 |
Equipment:
- Libra
- Heated water bath and cold water bath
- Glass glasses, glass rods and some spatulas
- Thermometer
- Mini wire
- Suitable container
Method of Construction
- Friday
Sanitize your utensils and work area and wear appropriate PPE according to GMP.
- Weigh phase A
Begin by weighing the castor oil, jojoba oil, marula oil, and cera bellina wax into a glass beaker.
- Melting
Place the glass in a hot water bath of hot (but not boiling) water. Wax melts between 63°C – 73°C, so this is the temperature you are aiming for.
- Weigh phase B – heat sensitive oils
While your oils are heating, weigh out the raspberry oil and extract it into a separate small glass and stir.
- Cooling and mixing
Once the wax has completely melted, remove the beaker from the water bath and stir the contents well. Now you need to cool the mixture to 40°C. The texture is best achieved if the formula cools evenly, so we recommend using a bowl of cool (not cold) tap water to cool the mixture down to a trace. Keep stirring constantly to make sure it cools evenly. You are looking for the liquid to be thick, but still mobile.
- Add phase B oils
Once the mixture is cool enough, stir in the raspberry oil mixture until fully combined. There should be no lumps or separation. If your mixture has become too cold, you can briefly place the beaker back into the hot water bath on very low heat for a few minutes or until fully mixed.
- Add vitamin E
Once everything is mixed well and the product is below 40°C, add the vitamin E and mix well.
- Transfusion and label
Pour or use a syringe to pour the mixture into lip gloss tubes. Label your lip oil with name, date and batch number.
Formulation notes
- Feel free to explore other oils to personalize your lip oil.
- You may also want to add an oil-soluble active ingredient that can be safely used on the lips.
Recommended suppliers
Many of the suppliers below ship internationally. We indicate their country or regional base.
Aromatazone (EU).
Aromatics (UK)
Alexmo Cosmetics (EU)
Manske (EU)
Soap (UK)
Elementary (EU)
Lotioncrafter (USA)
Essential Wholesale (USA)
Go Native (New Zealand)
Naturally Balmy (UK)
O&3 – The Oil Family (UK, EU)
Soap & More (Canada)
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