I know that I've been posting a lot lately about last year's Christmas craft.  (This is the last one, I promise!).   I can't help it because there's soooo much making goodness that happens around Christmas time.  I didn't post this last year because some of the readers of the blog were getting lip balms in their Christmas stockings.   

This recipe comes from Soulemama - she's a heroine of mine.  Blogger, crafter, homesteader, editor and mama to five children and she still finds the time to make the things she needs.  Like me, she's big on the Christmas crafts and giving of handmade gifts.

I love this recipe.  It's all natural and super easy to make.  I like to use organic ingredients for this - it makes the gift extra special.  My daughters give this gift to their friends and I suspect rather a lot of it gets eaten off the little ones' lips.  It's tasty!  Knowing that it's organic and natural means I don't have to worry about how much they're eating and how much is actually being used as lip balm!

You can get the organic coconut oil and organic honey from the supermarket.  I use New Directions Australia for the organic peppermint oil, beeswax beads and aluminium tins.  They have everything you could possibly need for making your own beauty products.  You've been warned - their site is very tempting and dangerous!

You can make this recipe with kids but you have to be careful as it involves boiling water and hot liquids.  My girls helped me to wash the tins and very carefully stir the melting mixture on the stove.  They also helped with writing and putting on the labels.

Organic Peppermint Lip Balm

8 tbsp organic coconut oil

 tbsp organic honey

3 tsbp beeswax

20 drops organic peppermint essential oil

Bring a saucepan of water with lid on to the boil.

While the water is coming to a boil put the coconut oil, honey and beeswax in a glass jug.

When the water has boiled, put the glass jug in the steamer.  Put the steamer on top of the boiling water.

Be patient while your mixture melts.  You can put the lid on the double boiler to speed things up but everything ends up coated in beeswax which is tricky to clean off.  Best to be patient.*

Once it has melted, take the jug off the heat.  

Stir in your essential oil.

Pour into your tins.  

Once cooled, put on the lids.

Note:  I've found when making this recipe that I end up with a lot of honey in the last couple of tins I pour out.  Not sure why.  If you know, please send me an email!

*Like me, if you weren't patient and need to clean your saucepan, just heat it gently again when empty and wipe off the softened beeswax with a paper towel.