DIY Organic Lip Balm (Burt’s Bees Dupe!)
Lip balm was one of the first DIY projects I ever made and it’s the one I seem to make over and over again. I love this DIY organic lip balm recipe because it’s so simple and so effective.
It doesn’t matter what season it is, my lips are always dry and I got through lip balms like it’s nobody’s business. My go-to for years was always Burt’s Bees.
Not too long ago, I learned that since Burt’s Bees was bought out by Clorox they’ve started adding canola and soybean oil to their lip balms. Both of which cannot be sourced naturally and are therefore a chemically treated compound. Sigh, why does this happen to all the good brands?
Not too mention that almost $4 price tag was a lot and the amount of plastic I was continuously tossing made me a little queasy.
I will say though, I have saved several Burt’s Bees tubes and reused them for my own recipe! So if you’ve got a lip balm tube that’s almost empty, consider saving it for this DIY!
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DIY Organic Lip Balm:
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp shea butter
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp beeswax
- 1 tsp jojoba/almond/vitamin e oil (optional but great for really dry or chapped lips)
- 15 drop of essential oils (Peppermint, lavender, sweet orange, and grapefruit are my favorites)
- Old lip balm tubes or lip balm tins
Method:
This post will be short and sweet because this recipe is literally so simple. Check out how easy it is to make:
- Combine all ingredients except the essential oil in a double boiler on the stove. You can make your own by placing a small pot in a larger pot filled with water.
- Melt all the ingredients until well combined, stirring frequently so the mixture doesn’t burn.
- Remove from heat and let stand for about a minute and then add in your essential oils. Mix well.
- Transfer mixture to tins or lip balm tubes and let cool completely. This may take a few hours.
- Your lip balm is ready to use when mixture is completely cooled!
These lip balms would make great add on gifts or even wedding favors!
This DIY organic lip balm is just as good as Burt’s Bees in my opinion! And I love knowing there are no compromises on ingredients and I’m saving on a ton of plastic waste!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
The ultimate list of zero-waste cleaning recipes
I hope you get the chance to try out this recipe and you love it! Please don’t forget to share this post and follow me on Instagram for more recipes and daily low waste living tips!

39 Comments
Elle
June 17, 2020 at 5:59 pm
Wow, this is easy,l can’t wait to try your method, l think you have the best methods by far.. and using the containers was I ingenious glad l came across this, good luck to your future endeavors!!!
Elle
June 17, 2020 at 6:03 pm
I meant to text your, usage of the containers was ingenious, they need an edit icon. Aw, great blog, what type of sweeteners do I add, to the lip balm?,l like my lip balm sweet.
Caity Rose
June 18, 2020 at 2:01 pm
Thank you! If you want to add a sweetener you could try a little bit of honey or stevia drops! 🙂
Grace
January 2, 2021 at 10:07 am
Would this recipe fill a 1/4oz tube?
Vanessa
September 10, 2022 at 3:54 pm
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Caity Rose
September 11, 2022 at 12:28 pm
Yes! It usually lasts me at least 6 months!
Vanessa
December 16, 2022 at 11:48 am
Thanks for sharing! Can I freeze it to make extras last longer?
Caity Rose
December 17, 2022 at 7:17 pm
I’ve never tried freezing it so I’m unsure! You’re welcome to try it..my only concern would be what the consistency would be like after it’s thawed.
Renee
December 17, 2022 at 1:16 pm
I used the regular lip balm containers and it made a total of 16.
Dori
February 20, 2023 at 7:25 am
Thanks for sharing. I will be trying this one soon.
Mel
April 6, 2023 at 4:41 am
Could you use cocoa butter instead of shea butter?
Also wondering with really hot summers day will this melt or can add little extra wax?
Thank and look forward to trying this.
Caity Rose
April 8, 2023 at 11:30 am
I’ve never tried cocoa butter but I don’t see why it couldn’t work! I’ve found that it doesn’t melt any more than a regular lip balm that’s left in the sun but if you’re worried about that you can try adding more wax! Just be careful not to add too much or it won’t apply as easily!
Vee
January 2, 2024 at 1:02 pm
I’ve had great success using cocoa butter in my lip balms but I have to admit the perfect combo for me is half shea butter and half cocoa butter.
Kelly
April 29, 2023 at 2:18 pm
Was that 1 tsp of all three oils??
Caity Rose
May 9, 2023 at 7:16 pm
No, just one tsp of your choice between those 3! Sorry if that wasn’t clear!
Vanessa
May 8, 2023 at 8:53 pm
Thanks for sharing! Can I make other flavors?
Caity Rose
May 9, 2023 at 7:14 pm
Sure! Just adjust what essential oils you’re using!
Vanessa
July 26, 2023 at 10:13 pm
Thanks for sharing! Can I make other colors?
Caity Rose
August 8, 2023 at 9:16 am
Sure! I would just use natural color like beet root powder for a different shade!
Sarah
September 6, 2023 at 6:10 pm
Excited to try this recipe!. Any tips on how to easily pour into the lip balm stick without wasting?
Caity Rose
September 7, 2023 at 9:40 am
I’ve always used a liquid measuring cup with a spout! I find this works best but a small funnel could also work.
Cynthia Parks
November 16, 2023 at 6:43 pm
I’d like to make a lot of this, how many .5 ounce tins will this recipe fill?
Geri Jean
November 19, 2023 at 5:55 pm
Just curious, you say that the jojoba oil… etc is *optional* … I am wondering if leaving it out will make a difference in the texture or consitency of the lip balm. My first time making lip balm and I really want this to work.
Caity Rose
November 20, 2023 at 9:56 am
Leaving it out shouldn’t affect the product! It truly is just another oil to add to the moisture content but will hold up fine without!
Geri Jean
November 19, 2023 at 7:27 pm
Also, wondering about why the *refined* coconut oil? I am thinking maybe because unrefined may have lumps in it? I had to use unrefined cause its all I had. Hopefully it works. They look like they are hardening up nicely 🙂
Caity Rose
November 20, 2023 at 9:57 am
It should work fine! Refined coconut oil can hold up better in heat but ultimately you should get similar results. Your lip balm may just be a little more prone to becoming soft.
Shelley
November 20, 2023 at 6:38 pm
I bought beeswax, unrefined cocoa butter, and shea butter from Hobby Lobby to make lotion bars. The beeswax says you can use it in lip balms, but the cocoa butter and shea butter says not for ingesting. Can they be used for the lip balm? And I have peppermint and wild orange essential oils from doTerra. Can they be used in the lip balms as well? One more question..can I use vitamin e oil from the drug store? Sorry for all the questions, I just want to know before I make it! Can’t wait to try if I have the right ingredients!! Thank you!!
blacksheepdesignsNC LLC
January 4, 2024 at 4:58 am
Hi Shelley, I saw your question of the Shea & Cocoa butters. Ingesting vs simply removing what was applied to your lips “should be” two totally different things. When you see a warning against ‘ingesting’ on those products, think “eating” when it comes to that type of application. As long as you’re not going to eat the entire batch of lip balm, you should be fine with the small amount of butters you will end up licking off.
This is a fantastic recipe though!
I’ve used one very very similar for several years, and the flavors she’s hand picked are some of my faves as well.
Marie Vanden Wymelenberg
January 23, 2024 at 10:31 pm
If I were to add honey, any idea how much honey would be the right amount?
Linda
January 30, 2024 at 10:43 am
I just made half a recipe of this, and it filled 7 tubes. I’m liking it so far, but I wish the recipe was printable.
V
April 14, 2024 at 12:59 pm
Can I use Mango butter instead of shea butter?
Caity Rose
May 6, 2024 at 9:02 am
Sure! 🙂
Lauren
October 30, 2024 at 10:41 am
Do you have to use any essential oils? I tend to not use any.
Caity Rose
November 3, 2024 at 4:12 pm
Nope you can totally omit essential oils if you wish! 🙂
Juliet Cullins
August 26, 2025 at 2:34 pm
This is a great recipe! I have made this several times and my family some friends and coworkers have all been gifted some. I have experimented with different essential oils, most recently using orange!
Thank you for sharing!
Donna Alfaro
November 7, 2025 at 1:01 pm
How do you like the orange?
Caity Rose
November 23, 2025 at 3:03 pm
Love! I find it a refreshing scent.
Beans
April 3, 2026 at 11:39 am
I found that if you add a little less beeswax, you end up with a lip balm that also makes a good hand cream
Jo B
July 19, 2026 at 12:30 pm
Is there a reason why you can’t just use a microwave rather than the faff of heating in a pan of water?