Natural Homemade Calendula Lip Balm

Made using a few natural ingredients, this calendula lip balm has great anti-inflammatory properties as well as wonderful healing and protective properties, keeping your lips soft and lush.

Calendula

There are many different varieties of calendula in the Asteraceae family. The most common one that is used in health and beauty products is Calendula officinalis. You may also know it as pot marigold or English marigold.

Calendula is a lovely plant to have in the garden with its lovely colourful flowers, but did you know that it makes an excellent companion plant, helping to repel pests, as well as being pollinator-friendly, attracting bees and butterflies.

The flowers of this plant are used as the medicinal part of the plant is located in the green base of the flower heads. It is important to use bright yellow or orange flowers as this is a great indication of the freshness and quality of the flowers.

If you enjoy gardening, you can grow your own calendula, dry it and use it to make infused oil for recipes such as this one.

Calendula Lip Balm

Calendula is used in many natural skin care products with its ability to help in aiding with the easing and healing of many skin conditions such as rashes, acne, wounds, scrapes, and eczema. With its natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties, it works to help with repairing cells.

It is also gentle enough to use on babies, helping in the treatment of cradle cap, diaper rash and other skin irritations.

This lip balm can help repair the damage to lips that is caused by the cold weather, the wind or sun exposure.

Plus, being able to make it yourself, you know exactly what has gone into it and had fun making it too!

Calendula Oil

Calendula oil is simply oil that has been infused with dried calendula flowers. Whole dry flower heads or just the petals can be used, but it is important that they are dried before using them, as too much moisture can make the oil go rancid. Once steeped, the oil can be either used on its own or made into natural salves, ointments and creams. If you steep with an inedible oil such as jojoba, then you would not be able to use as a salad dressing.

Carrier Oils

When making a salve, choosing the correct carrier oil can improve the impact of the salve as each carrier oil has its own set of distinct properties. Blending a couple of carrier oils can also help maximise their benefits. 

With this salve recipe, there are multiple carrier oils that could be used including:

• Avocado Oil
• Sweet Almond Oil
• Argan Oil
• Rosehip Oil
• Hemp Oil
• Safflower Oil
• Sunflower Oil
• Coconut Oil

You can learn more about carrier oils here.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are potent, and need to be diluted. Make sure to do your research first and use with extreme care. As this spray is being used near your body and face, you will need to use essential oils that are gentle enough to be applied to your skin – and use in the correct quantities. Be careful to avoid sensitive areas like your eyes. Also, make sure to use oils that are safe for kids if using this spray on your kids.

Be careful when using some essential oils such as lemon. This is a photosensitive oil, which means that you can have a reaction if you go out in the sun within a few hours of using it. For this reason, when using Lemon essential oil in body care products, I use this Steam-Distilled Lemon Essential Oil from Plant Therapy as it is not phototoxic, which means you don’t have to worry about phototoxicity.

Before Using this Lip Balm

Before using this rub, you will need to understand a few things.

• Test on small area of skin before using.  If there’s any irritation, dilute with more carrier oils.
• Wash hands well after using.

Lip Balm Tips and Tricks

• This recipe can be used with a number of different infused oil
• Essential oils are optional. If you want to add some, try using bergamot, orange, peppermint, spearmint or cinnamon.
• A small amount of honey could be added for extra healing properties
• I live in a hot climate, so this is made with adding extra beeswax to stop it from melting during hot summers, thus making this a harder lip balm. You may want to decrease/increase the beeswax to suit your climate. You can test the consistency of your lip balm by placing a small amount of mixture into the freezer for 2 minutes. Then take it out and let it come to room temperature before testing its hardness. If it is too soft, add a little more beeswax, if too hard, add a little more oil.
• You can substitute carnauba wax for beeswax, though it is harder than beeswax, so you will probably need to decrease the amount slightly. 
• Vitamin E is optional, and is often added to beauty products as an antioxidant to prevent rancidity, as well as for its amazing skin-healing properties.

Using Calendula Lip Balm

Use the lip balm to moisturise and soothe dry, chapped or cracked lips.  

Keep a tube in your bag, around the house or at work and use as needed.

Storing Lip Balm

Store in a dry place our of direct heat and sunlight.

Once set properly, this lip balm should last for up to 12 months.

Ingredients for Lip Balm

To make around 8 x 0.15oz sticks of lip balm, you will need:

• Calendula flowers and a carrier oil (such as sweet almond oil, olive oil, jojoba oil) for infused oil
• 10 drops essential oils, optional
• 6 TBSP infused oil
• 3 TBSP beeswax
• 1 TBSP cacao butter or shea butter
• ¼ teaspoon Vitamin E – optional
• Lip Balm Containers

Calendula- Calendula is best known for its healing properties, with its high oleanolic acid content, it also has anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties.

Beeswax- One of the primary reasons it is used in salves is to bind all the ingredients and help them to emulsify but when combined with the other ingredients it is also hydrating and creates a protective barrier.

Vitamin E – Acts as a preservative to extend the shelf life of your salve but also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to benefit you.

Making Calendula Infused Oil

To make calendula infused oil, you will need:

• Dried, organic calendula petals
• Carrier oil such as Olive oil, Almond and avocado oil

Place the dry petals in a large clean, dry glass jar. 

Pour in the carrier oil so that the petals are covered with 1 inch of oil as the petals will expand as they soak in the liquid and they need to stay covered the whole time. You will find that the petals will float, so an easy way is to make sure there is about 1 inch of oil clear at the bottom of the jar.

Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and give it a good shake. Place the jar dark, cool place. 

Infuse for 4 – 6 weeks, shaking every couple of days when you walk past. Then strain out the petals using a cheesecloth and pour the oil into a clean, glass jar. Store in a cool, dark place while using.

To learn more about herb infused oils, check this out!

More Calendula Resources

• How to Grow, Harvest and Dry Calendula
• How to Make Calendula Oil
• How to Make Healing Calendula Salve
• Calendula and Chamomile Bath Bombs
• Homemade Calendula Soap
• Calendula Bath Bombs
• Make a Herb Infused Oil
• Calendula Fizzing Bath Powder
•  

Making Calendula Lip Balm

To make lip balm, first make the calendula infused oil.

Once that is ready, add the infused oil, the beeswax and the cacao butter to a microwavable jug.

Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir, then heat for additional 30 second increments, until fully melted, stirring well between each heating session. A double boiler can also be used to melt these ingredients together.

Add essential oils and vitamin E oil, if using.

Pour into lip balm containers.

Allow to sit for several hours until set.

Add lids and labels and store.

Use as needed.

Notes

• If you are picking fresh flowers to use in this lip balm, make sure to harvest them from a pesticide free area.
• Harvest only when you are 100% positive you have the correct plant as there are many lookalikes which are inedible or poisonous.
• Infused oils are not essential oils, they are very different and I don’t recommend internal use for essential oils.
• Calendula oil is also not recommended for internal use during pregnancy and breastfeeding or when taking any type of sedative drugs.
• Those who are allergic to ragweed/chamomile/Asteraceae/Compositae family may also find that they may be sensitive to calendula, so please be careful when using. Stop use immediately if signs of a rash occur.
• Also, it is advised to not apply oils to fresh burns, fungal infections and leaky skin conditions, a water-based poultice would be better in this situation.
• This recipe can be easily adapted to make smaller or larger batches.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on this website.