What You Need
 

Ingredients

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (you can also use almond oil, apricot oil, sunflower seed oil, etc)

• 1/4 cup calendula petals

• 1/4 cup lemon balm leaves

• ¼ cup of Saint John’s Wort flowers & leaves

• 1 tsp of vitamin E oil

• 1/4 cup grated beeswax (grating it works much nicer than hacking at it with a knife and it melts faster when grated)

• 1 tsp liquid honey (Buy quality honey when possible)

• 1/4 tsp peppermint essential oil (You can use any essential oil scent that appeals to you.)

Tools

• Cheesecloth (you can purchase this at your local grocery store)

• Stainless steel strainer

• Stainless steel spoon

• Small containers to put your finished product in.

There is the quick way and the longer way depending on if you have lots of time or are hoping to have your balm sooner than later.

Long Directions
 

Step 1: Cut up your plant petals & leaves fairly small and put in a glass jar. Cover with oil so that you have at least an inch of oil above the herbs. Leave the jar to sit in a sunny window for 4-6 weeks. Then, move to Step 3 below.

Quick Directions
 

Step 1: Lightly crush the lemon balm and calendula with your fingers or cut up the leaves and petals with scissors or a knife and put them in a double boiler pot. Cover with the oil and mix. If you do not have at least an inch of oil above the herbs, add more.
 

Step 2: Simmer the infused oil over very low heat for at least one hour taking care not to boil the herbs. Stir occasionally.
 

Step 3: Remove from heat and strain the herbs out through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Squeeze out all the oil from the plant material and then toss the herbs into your compost. (Don’t burn your hands if you used the quick method; be sure to let everything cool a little before handling it.)
 

Step 4: Put one cup of the oil infusion in the pot over low heat and add the beeswax. Stir until melted. Let the mixture cool a bit before adding the peppermint oil and honey. Then add the vitamin E oil, which acts as a natural preservative. Stir once or twice only as to not evaporate the highly volatile essential oil.

Step 5: Pour immediately into lip balm jars. Let cool and cap.

Step 6: Label Them! There are lots of options at your local craft & business supply store for labels.

You now have your own stock of lip balm and lots to give out for extra special handmade with Love Christmas & Yule gifts!