Making a beeswax lip balm: the ratio, the method, and why it goes grainy

A lip balm is wax, oil and butter, and the ratio decides everything. This is the craft the Van Kush Family business has always worked in, and it is the easiest handmade beauty product to get right. The ratio, by weight Weigh, do not measure by volume. A good starting point: - 1 part beeswax - 1 part butter (shea or cocoa) - 2 parts liquid oil (sweet almond, jojoba, olive, sunflower) More wax gives a firmer stick for tubes; more oil gives a softer balm for tins. Change one variable at a time, a few percent at a time. Method 1. Melt the beeswax and butter together in a double boiler (a heatproof jug in a pan of simmering water). Wax melts at about 62 to 64 °C. 2. Add the oil and stir until completely clear. 3. Take it off the heat. If you add vitamin E or a flavour oil, add it now, at around 0.5 to 1% for vitamin E. 4. Pour into tubes or tins while still liquid, and leave them undisturbed to set. Testing before you pour the batch Put a spoon in the freezer. Drip a little balm on it, wait a minute, and test it on your lip or the back of your hand. Too hard, add oil; too soft, add wax. This takes thirty seconds and saves a whole batch. Why it goes grainy Shea butter that is melted and then cooled slowly forms crystals of different fats, which feel like grit. The fix is to melt the shea fully and hold it hot for 15 to 20 minutes, then cool quickly (pour, then into the fridge). Grainy balm can be remelted and fixed. Safety - Essential oils that irritate (cinnamon, clove) or sensitise skin do not belong on lips at strong concentrations. Peppermint is common, at low percentages. - Patch test if you are giving them to others, and label the ingredients. Wiki: https://wiki.soapbox.community/wiki/Edible_Waxes_Hive_Foods_and_Aromatic_Resins https://wiki.soapbox.community/wiki/Egyptian_Wax_Headcones https://wiki.soapbox.community/wiki/Van_Kush_Family