It's the Balm!

Today I did my test batches of my "Family First Aid Balm" and "Emergency Chocolate Sweet Lips." I was going to do a trial run of the clear batch as well, but I think I'll save that for tomorrow.

I thought the emergency chocolate lip balm would be clear but hello! It's brown! I put cocoa powder in it, so I'm not sure how I thought it would be clear! (all of my lip balms look mostly clear on the lips) I poured this one in tubes but I was thinking of having it in round tins if I decide to keep it in the line. I haven't applied it yet but it smells great, like a batch of brownies!

The first aid balm has manuka oil and lavender as the active ingredients and has some comfrey leaf and organic spirulina to add color and soothing properties.

So--after the clear is done and after I finalize the texture on the lip balms and finish the labels then they will be all ready for sale!! I am going to make all of them in tiny batches to ensure freshness (the vitamin e acts as a natural preservative so they will be good for at least 6 months after opening, probably longer) and make them on demand once they are up for sale on Etsy.

Gorgeous: Third Time's the Charm?

I made the third "flavor" lip balm today, Gorgeous which is tinted red and has a rose fragrance. This is the last tinted balm in my line, then I will make one or two clear. The rose was tricky because it is in a jojoba base (pure rose is very expensive) so it was hard to get it as "rosy" as I would like.

I have been trying to figure out the clear balm option. I feel like I need to throw at least a touch of mint in there somewhere. Super minty balms are not my favorite, but I seem to be in the minority there. I also wanted to have at least one that was unisex and maybe one that is chocolate (chocolate-mint?) so I can use cocoa butter as well as shea butter for a creamier balm. I'm going to make some test batches and see what happens.

I'm working on the labels now so I'm hoping to have it all finished sometime in July.

This has been so much fun!

Lovely: The Second Batch of Lipbalm

Today I made the second "flavor" of lipbalm in my humble line. It is scented with neroli and is tinted a soft, neutral nude color. (those are my "temporary" labels!)

I had to scrap the idea of using bergamot because it is photoactive meaning it could cause the skin to be easily burned in the sun. (ouch!) but luckily neroli does not do that.

The color isn't as apparent on the lips as the pink is in the Amazing balm, but it is much shinier thanks to the addition of castor oil. I may tone it down a bit for Gorgeous (red rose) I'm still playing with the formulations. I like the idea of a bit of shine, especially with the tinted balms but I want it to still have substance and staying power on the lips.

A thinner consistency will also disappear faster in the tube and be less economical. Although most people tend to lose their lipbalm before finishing it completely anyway!

What do you think? Do you prefer a richer lipbalm or a slicker, shinier, glossy balm?

Lipbalm--Maiden Voyage

Yesterday I made my first batch of lip balm. I tried out the recipe I had recently created using elements I liked from all my favorites. (and believe me there have been MANY I have tried, loved and hated)

I didn't add color or pour into tubes, I just wanted to get a feel for the texture and try out fragrances.

I was pretty excited about it, it turned out nice and hard (important if it will be in a tube in someones hot pocket or purse all summer) yet creamy. I wasn't 100% sure about the texture, though, I was afraid it was a bit too waxy. (although I like a balm with some staying power, like you could take a shower and still have some on your lips when you get out) I decided to try again today, perhaps keeping the original formulation for use as a cuticle cream.

Today I modified the recipe adding less beeswax, more shea butter and more agave nectar and tinted it a soft rosy pink.

I was afraid to get too excited about it, but I had a tube in my pocket that I applied as the day wore on and I have to say I'm pretty pleased. It is creamy, stays on well and gives just a touch of color.

I love the agave nectar, it does make it slightly sweet without being sticky. I am using a lot of floral essential oils and really, they don't taste great.

Here are the final picks:

1. Serene: vanilla/agave/lavender--clear

2. Gorgeous: rose/agave--touch of red

3. Amazing: geranium/agave--touch of pink

4 . Lovely: orange blossom/agave--touch of nude

Thanks so much to all who offered feedback.

These will all be for sale in my Etsy shop as soon as I build up some inventory. I'll keep you posted on when I'll be open for business. In the meantime, if you are dying to buy one send me an email (jen@skinrhythm.com) and I'll make you a custom tube. I just have to design the labels and I'm all set.

Holistic Kisses,
Jen

Opinions, please!!

Hi, all!

I am experimenting with making my own line of yummy lip balm. I have always been into DIY beauty products, when I worked at Elephant Pharmacy I taught a Do-It-Yourself Spa Products class and it was a blast!

I have a few ideas and wanted to get some feedback before I continued. They will all be in a beeswax/shea butter base (sorry vegans!! If I get a lot of interest I will do a vegan coconut oil/shea butter blend) so there will be a natural sun protection of about spf 4.

I have six names and "flavors" in mind although I may not do all at once. I may start with a few and add to the line later. I'm mostly making these for gifts and to sell on Etsy.

1. Sublime--bergamot/agave nectar (natural sweetener) This is in tribute to my favorite morning tea--Earl Gray with LOTS of agave! My only concern is that the bergamot may increase sun sensitivity.

2. Delectable--vanilla/agave

3. Gorgeous--rose/no agave? Should this one be colored? Red?

4. Serene--lavender/no agave? Is lavender too overdone? Should I put agave in all of them? Do you lick your lips enough to where you would like for them all to be slightly sweet?

5. Amazing--geranium/no agave? Geranium has always been one of my favorite essential oils along with neroli, AKA #6. Should this one be colored? Pink?

6. Lovely--orange blossom/no agave? Should this one be colored? Nude?

Thanks in advance! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated and I will draw three names at random to receive a tube once they are ready to go! State your preference for "flavor!"