Delicious Chocolate Chapstick Honey Balm

Delicious Chocolate Chapstick Honey Balm
I used to wait till my kids were sleeping to slather vaseline over their chapped lips because they hated any kind of moisturizer. So I invented this recipe to tempt them into voluntarily using chapstick, but it's so tasty and moisturizes so well I now make it for myself. The kids love it too.
 
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Step 1What you'll need

What you\
Beeswax
The first time I made this I used an old candle, but for this batch I bought 2 oz from the farmer's market for $1.75 -- definitely get the fresh wax if you can, the difference in flavor is stunning!

Cocoa butter
This can be found in any pharmacy. I've seen it at Rite Aid, Duane Read, etc, usually near moisturizers. This 1oz stick was $1.29

Almond oil
You could probably try other types of oil, but I would steer away from ones with heavy smells or flavors like olive oil -- you don't want to dissimulate the honey and chocolate flavor.

Vegetable glycerin
You can find this in health stores, but I've also seen it in craft stores. This ingredient is what makes this chapstick more of a lip balm. Glycerin will absorb humidity from the air to moisturize your lips.

Vitamin E
This is also an oil, with the thickness of fingernail polish when it's pure. The oil helps moisturize, but the main purpose here is as a natural preservative. This can also be found in any pharmacy, but read the label carefully: the quantity named in this recipe is for PURE vitamin E, and sometimes it is sold mixed with glycerin. You can still use it if it's been cut, but you'll have to adjust the amounts: more vitamin E, less glycerin. If you don't feel like doing any math, just get the pure bottle. This bottle cost around $10 but you need so little it will last forever. You can also decide to skip it altogether if you think you'll be using the chapstick within 6 months to a year.

Cocoa
Dark unsweetened cocoa will give you the best flavor

Honey
Any kind is fine

Containers
The first time I made this I used plastic bottle tops and covered them with plastic wrap -- but since I made this batch as gifts, I bought empty chapstick tubes on ebay ($7.45 for 25 tubes, including shipping). Little tins would also work nicely and can be reused.
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75 comments
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Feb 1, 2012. 1:43 PMemmaazing says:
I am so excited to try this recipe. I found it almost impossible to find little containers to put it in so i ordered some on www.mountainroseherbs.com. its an amazing website and you dont have to buy anything in bulk!

im going to try something crazy when i do this, and im going to add a little bit of cinnamon so it has warming properties and promotes big luscious plump red lips! i hope it works out and i will let you know!
Dec 7, 2008. 2:22 AMGlamour_Girl says:
I just need kind of like good options for other oils to use. My Fiance is allergic to nuts so using Almond Oil would be a bad choice. Any suggestions?
Aug 29, 2011. 11:01 PMkmiller14 says:
Grape seed oil?
Dec 22, 2010. 5:28 AMdarrenchittick says:
Grapeseed oil is another good one. :) And sesame seed oil but you'll want cold-pressed, not toasted. Otherwise he'll smell like Chinese food.
Jul 5, 2009. 6:50 PMqwertyzzz18 says:
mineral oil
Dec 8, 2008. 11:46 AMGlamour_Girl says:
Thank you all so much for your suggestions! This is making me really excited to go home for the holidays. I hate college :(
Apr 20, 2009. 10:20 AMmonkeyman123 says:
you could use pumpkin oil.
Dec 7, 2008. 7:52 PMMikey D says:
Maybe mineral oil. It is non animal based for or vegan friends, is relatively tasteless, food grade, and has an (I believe) indefinite shelf life. Good work! P.S. I'm still waiting for chocolate tooth paste!
Mar 19, 2009. 4:39 PMfrogmama says:
My kids would always get the 1 Tb. eyedroppers when they got prescriptions. I use the old ones for drawing with pancake batter, basting, etc. I bet they would work well with this too. I bet using two and alternating them in a glass of hot water when one starts to clog would do the trick. Thanks belsey for posting this neat idea! I might have to try - I'm a chapstick addict and spend a LOT of money on them!
Jun 10, 2011. 9:09 AMsmuser says:
I'm a Chapstick addict as well xD maybe this versions are better because u actually know what is inside them :)
Dec 22, 2009. 11:01 AMwifeandmommy83 says:
 I was wondering if this recipe colors your lips in any way, or if it is pretty sheer? Do you have any suggestions to add coloring? This is a great instructable. Thanks for the info!
May 23, 2010. 5:59 PMmacazor says:
You could try adding a little bit of lipstick (or shimmer! =D ) to the mix.
Dec 6, 2008. 7:18 PMChoko-Ale says:
I MUST do this :D I use two (sometimes more) chapsticks each month, this would save me a lot of money. How long do they last? Could I made enough for six months without the risk of getting poisoned?
Dec 29, 2009. 1:50 PMaperelta says:
On a related note, I'm typically more concerned with bacteria growing (especially with tubs instead of tubes).  I used Manuka Honey when I made mine, as it has natural antibiotic/antiviral properties.  It's a little bit pricey, but tastes amazing, and will keep it clean.
Dec 7, 2008. 7:40 AMChoko-Ale says:
Well, I'm a chemist and your theory sounds right. Cocoa butter and oil are unsaturated fats, which are susceptible to degrade and rot. The reaction takes electrons, so an antioxidant does prevent the degradation reaction effectively... so the vitamin E does act like a preservative. For how long? That's what I wanted to know :( but oh well, I'll make some tries :), and 6 months is enough for now. Thanks for your answer! (I hope that made some sense, it's difficult to explain chemistry when your first language isn't English)
Dec 22, 2010. 5:25 AMdarrenchittick says:
All that chemistry talk and you're asking us lowly crafters? ;)

I've made lip balms with similar recipes for the past few years. They have been good for at least a year. You should also be able store the backups in the fridge without issue. I've only had one tube go rancid and it was in the car for most of the summer.

If you aren't making chocolate, there are essential oils that will help as well. I make mine often times with peppermint and rosemary oil. Rosemary oil is another antioxidant, so it helps the vitamin E oil out on that front.

Beyond all of that, rancid oil on your lips won't poison you. It will just make you want to wash your lips really well. Blech! I did, in a moment of dire need, use that rancid tube. No bueno!
Jul 11, 2009. 2:42 AMcherishedpotato says:
wow wow wow!!!! this is a beautiful recipe. i just made it with certified organic beeswax (from south australia, available for about $15 for half a kilo on ebay to most aussies), organic creamed honey, organic unrefined coconut oil (in place of the almond oil), cocoa butter, and vitamin e oil. i was impatient to try this recipe and couldn't wait to find glycerin, and proceeded without, to no apparent detriment. the balm is beautiful! it smells AMAZING, feels lovely gliding on, and stays glossy for ages. is also great as an intensive hand treatment (mush it in and give yourself a nice, relaxing hand massage!)
Jul 11, 2009. 4:32 PMcherishedpotato says:
the honey has separated to the bottom overnight, not sure how to correct that. i might leave it out next time as i don't need a sweet flavour as much as a sweet smell (given by the other ingredients).
Jul 11, 2009. 2:44 AMcherishedpotato says:
it's also natural and super cheap: sure, buying all the ingredients (especially high-quality ones) makes the initial outlay more significant than even a nice burt's bees balm: i spent about $45 altogether, but the amount of ingredients i now have could make about $1,680 worth of squeal-aboutable lip product (no kidding: my calculations indicate that with these ingredients i can make 280 pots (blistex-size tubs, 7g) of balm, for which i could easily pay about $6 for)
Jul 11, 2009. 2:44 AMcherishedpotato says:
if instead i laze out on the whole operation, or my friends get sick of receiving this as gifts (i dare you to find someone unhappy with receiving homemade organic lip balm!), i can use most of the stuff for other crafts. but that's unlikely :D :D ***** ible D)
Jul 7, 2009. 4:41 PMgorillaspace says:
where can i get the chapstick containers? i live in canada.
Jul 8, 2009. 6:11 PMsockeye101 says:
just get a chapstick and use it up, or cut it off, there not that expensive
May 24, 2009. 3:07 PMsum10elz says:
I don't have the cocoa butter......but, I have vaseline. Will or can this do the same? I am new at this and was given different products to do this project with children and wasn't given a recipe. I found this recipe and have purchased Vit. E and Veggie Glycerine.
Apr 7, 2009. 9:12 PMtalty says:
This is lovely :) I want to make it too!
Mar 22, 2009. 8:16 PMmonkey666 says:
those kinda remind me of shotgun shells, which you should not lick.
Dec 5, 2008. 8:16 PMAzureEyes says:
i like this, although i think i've read this in a book. I do have a question though, is there a difference in glycerin ( the kind that I've seen in the constipation aisle and "vegetable glycerin" if so where can you find vegetable glycerin.
Jan 27, 2009. 11:45 AMhomebrewer says:
Glycerin and Glycerol are the same -they can be obtained from any Pharmacy. I do not know what "vegetable glycerin is" and would not use it.
Jan 8, 2009. 7:19 PMpebbles1 says:
thanks for the info on were to get the tubes from........
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Author:belsey
I am trying to work on an overly ambitious tome, MAKE ANYTHING, a handbook for saving money, living green and having fun with trash. Trouble is, I keep getting distracted by pop-ups -- the cards, not ...
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