Summertime Balms ~ LA PENSINE MUTINE (EN)

Just renewed my stock of summertime homemade cosmetics: one new lavender blemish concealer, some vibrant pink-coloured lipsticks plus my essential shikakai solid shampoo and cardamom shower bar (previous recipes of which I'm afraid are still unavailable in English at the moment), and a couple of moisturising body and lip balms which I shall explain how to make. Why spend a fortune on toxic commercial brands when you can make your own cost effective and healthy cosmetics at home? This is also a great way to help preserve our environment and stop tacitly endorsing cruel animal testing.

Coconut/Cocoa Lip Balm

Ingredients

1 g bee wax
0,7 g candelilla wax
0,7 g coconut oil
0,7 g shea butter
0,7 g cocoa butter
1 g castor oil
0,8 g avocado oil
0,7 g rice bran oil
2 drops vitamin E (optional)
3 drops vanilla oily extract (optional)
5 drops red or pink natural colouring dye (optional)

Instructions

Melt waxes and butters in a double boiler. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well and transfer immediately into an old recycled clean and disinfected empty lipstick or lip balm tube (you may use a small jar instead but it won't be as easy to apply, so I suggest you drop the candelilla and only use one third of the bee wax). Let it stand for 30 minutes in the fridge to harden.

NOTE: Although bright pink (obtained with red-root gromwell extract), my lip balm pictured above won't colour your lips. Since men may also want to use it, you can skip the colour stuff. But young girls should love it! You may also use natural carmine or organic beet juice instead. All vegetable oils may be replaced with equivalent ones such as wheatgerm, apricot kernel, raspberry, cherry... anything you have provided quantities are respected. If you don't have any cocoa butter, you may used double shea butter but your balm might be less smooth. You may skip the fragrance too.

Coconut/Orange Body Balm

This one is actually an enhanced raw product — a great favourite of mine I use for cooking as well as for homemade cosmetics. Yet I dislike the smell of it so I've tried to add a few drops of citrus oils which leave a subtle but absolutely divine scent on your skin. Yummy!

Ingredients

50 g coconut oil
20 drops orange (or lime) essential oil
2 drops vitamin E (optional)

Instructions

You must use hardened coconut oil (though not too hard). So if it's too hot and it's all fluid, let it stand 20-30 minutes in the fridge. Add essential oil and vitamin E and whisk well into a thick whipped cream you'll keep refrigerated during heat spells. Whisking it will create air bubbles and lighten the texture for better skin absorption. And of course, for the fun of it!