Learn how to make lip gloss that is easy to make, only contains natural ingredients and cost pennies per tube! This homemade lip gloss is not only lip quenching, it will give you a hint of color and a glossy sheen!
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How to make lip gloss, that is the question. Apparently it’s a question on many people’s minds because it’s a hugely searched topic on Google! However, many online recipes call for petroleum jelly and since we like to keep it natural around here, that just won’t do. Making your own lip gloss isn’t hard, you just need a few instructions and tips and as you guessed, I’ve got you covered! DIY lip gloss is not only easy to make, it’s natural, healthy and looks great! All you need are a couple lip gloss tubes and a few simple ingredients. This homemade lip gloss recipe is a favorite diy project of mine and I’m excited for you to make it!
Why Make a DIY Lip Gloss?
Conventional lip gloss typically contains oil, wax and petroleum jelly. However, in non-natural lip glosses, thickeners, fillers and preservatives are added all of which are harmful to your health.
The ingredient that makes lip gloss glossy is polybutene.
Polybutene and microcrystalline wax are used in cosmetics as binders to increase the viscosity of a product. Both ingredients are classified in the Environment Canada Domestic Substance List as toxic or harmful with a medium human health priority in relation to organ system toxicity. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments have strong evidence that Polybutene is a human irritant for products used around the eyes, on the skin, or aerosolized. It is interesting to note that Polybutene is commonly used as an airplane adhesive.
A very well known study from researchers at U.C.Berkeley’s School of Public Health tested 32 lip sticks and lip glosses and detected lead, cadmium, chromium, aluminum and five other metals, some of which were found at levels that could raise potential health concerns. This study was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Lipstick and lip gloss are ingested or absorbed. According to the U.C. Berkeley study, the average women ingests 24 milligrams of lip makeup per day. Some women who reapply lip gloss or lipstick repeatedly could ingest as much as 87 milligrams ingested per day.
So you see-It is so important to make wise decisions when it comes to lip products.
Switching to Natural Products:
I used to use Tarte Cosmetics like it was going out of style, believing that it was a safe alternative to most toxin filled makeup brands. Sadly I realized I had fallen victim to “green washing” and realized that even though Tarte uses words like “high-performance naturals”, they are not as natural as I thought.
I made a switch in all my makeup to 100 Percent Pure and have been so thrilled at how the makeup looks and wears. Plus, the ingredients are actually natural this time, I promise. That being said, I replaced all my makeup except lip gloss!
I’m over spending money on makeup for now so I decided to make a tinted DIY Lip Gloss with beet root powder! Since I have been experimenting on Candelilla wax for THIS post, I decided to incorporate it in this DIY along with a few other natural ingredients.
The final product of this DIY lip gloss are amazing-I couldn’t be happier!
DIY Lip Gloss Ingredients:
DIY lip gloss is tricky. You don’t want it too thick or it won’t come out of your lip gloss container. If it’s too thin, it won’t stay on your lips for long. Getting the consistency right has been a bit of a chore.
I knew we needed a combination of natural oils that were thick, shiny oils and just the right amount of candelilla wax (our vegan alternative to beeswax). Plus a hint of color would be nice too.
It was quite the tall order but after 3 lip glosses in the trash, I finally found the right oils and proportions for a store bought worthy lip balm! And it is 100% plant based to boot! Now that’s something you can feel good about!
I chose castor oil for 2 reasons. One, it is a shiny oil. Two, it is a thick oil.
Vitamin E oil is also very thick as well as anti aging and nourishing. It also helps keep products fresh longer.
I chose two of my favorite essential oils for my DIY lip gloss recipe. However, you can use whatever essential oils you like. Peppermint and rosemary give a cooling sensation. I think they bring a bit of plumpness by encouraging blood flow.
Ingredient Alternatives:
If you don’t have my suggested oils many other oils will work fine. Fractionated coconut oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil etc. are not as thick as castor oil but they are every bit as nourishing.
Carnauba wax is another vegan wax you could use instead of candellia.
If you’re interested, I’ve written a post on vegan waxes and how you make more vegan skincare products.
If you’d like to use beeswax instead of candellia wax I would add a heaping 1/4 tsp. rather than a strict 1/4 tsp. I’m finding there isn’t a ton of difference between the two waxes but there is enough that it will make your lip gloss too thin if you keep the recipe exactly the same.
You might be wondering about butters like cocoa butter and shea butter. They are a common ingredient in most diy lip balm. These are fantastic ingredient options for the lips but I have found that butters and waxes make the lip gloss mixture too thick
You can also play around with different flavors like I did in my DIY Bubblegum Lip Oil recipe. You can buy flavor oils for candy and add a few drops into your lip gloss instead of essential oils to give different scents/flavors like cherry, cotton candy, apple, pink lemonade and strawberry! Don’t forget though, a little goes a long way!
How to Make Lip Gloss:
- Small Pot
- Glass Pyrex Measuring Cup
- Lip Gloss Tube
- Small Funnel
- 1/2 TBSP. Castor Oil
- 1/2 TBSP. Vitamin E Oil
- 1/4 tsp. Candelilla Wax
- 1/4 tsp. Beetroot Powder
- 2 drops Peppermint Essential Oil (optional)
- 1 drop of Rosemary Essential Oil (optional)
How to Make Lip Gloss w/ Beet Root Powder
Learn how to make lip gloss in this easy recipe. Plus, instead of using beeswax, I've decided to make this recipe vegan and use candelilla wax and tint with beet root powder.
Materials
- 1/2 TBSP. Castor Oil
- 1/2 TBSP. Vitamin E Oil
- 1/4 tsp. Candelilla Wax
- 1/4 tsp. Beetroot Powder
- 2 drops Peppermint Essential Oil (optional)
- 1 drop of Rosemary Essential Oil (optional)
Tools
- 1 Lip Glass Tool
- Small Funnel
Instructions
How to Make Lip Gloss:
- First you must make a double boiler by filling a small pot half way full with water and place on stove top.
- Place an empty glass pyrex measuring cup with a spout in the water.
- Add castor oil, vitamin E, candelilla wax and beet root powder to the pyrex cup and stir.
- Turn on medium heat.
- Allow all ingredients to fully melt.
- Remove from stove top and add essential oils.
- Stir again, making sure the beet root powder is well integrated into the oils.
- Funnel mixture into a lip gloss container. (these are the tiny funnels I use)
Notes
**Since this can be a tricky recipe and many of you are using your own ingredients that might not be the ones I have linked, after you make your lip gloss, you may want to keep it in your glass measuring cup or bowl and let it set for at least a few hours. Figure out if it's the right consistency before adding it to your lip gloss tube. Once it's in the tube it will be time consuming and nearly impossible to get it out and start over. This way if your gloss is too thin you can add a tiny bit more candelilla wax. If it is too thick, dilute with a few drops of either castor oil or vitamin E oil. Once you have the consistency that feels right, reheat and then transfer to your tubes.**
This lip gloss should last 3-6 mos and makes a little bit more then 1 lip gloss tube.
Working with Beet Root Powder:
There is a good chance your beet root powder will look like mine-clumpy. An easy solution is to put a small amount of powder in a coffee grinder. This pureed the powder and got rid of any lumps in seconds. I suppose a blender or even a mortar and pestle would work but a coffee grinder really does the trick and it is very easy to clean afterwards.
One of the biggest issues with beet root powder is that it is water soluble so mixing it in an oil mixture could give you a grainy texture. Only adding 1/4 tsp. to my recipe, did not give this recipe a grainy texture. I’m afraid if you are looking for more color and decide to add more beet root powder you will have more of a lip exfoliant then a gloss!
Also, beet root powder stinks-at least I think so but I also ate a whole bag of beet chips in one setting when I was pregnant and nearly barf every time I think about it! I had to disguise the smell with peppermint and rosemary oil but you don’t have to. I must say, I love the cooling effect both of these oils have in the gloss. You could also add cinnamon essential oil and turn this into a lip plumper-only add 1-2 drops though!
In the future, I’m thinking of adding beet root powder to a tea bag and trying to infuse the colors into the oil like I did in my Blood Orange Hibiscus Face Mist.
The lip gloss tube pictured is one I’ve had for a while. I found it to be messy. I’m not sure if it’s due to my recipe or the nature of the tube but too much lip gloss comes out on the wand and it was hard to screw it shut without lip gloss being on the cap. THIS lip gloss tube might be better. HERE is a tube with a similar silver cap that also might be better.
For smoother, softer lips, check out my Homemade Lip Scrub recipe. Exfoliating your lips will make this lip gloss look even better! Plus, overnight relief for dry lips, try one of my homemade lip balm recipes!
This natural lip gloss was fun to make. It makes several tubes of lip gloss and would be a great gift! I’m excited about the outcome! My oldest daughter uses it everyday on the way to school and it’s a gloss I can feel good about her wearing! Like the picture shows, there isn’t a ton of color with beet root powder. If you’re after more color, cosmetic grade mica powder is a better option. I have a lip balm recipe using mica if you’re interested. I also have a cream blush/lip stain recipe you might like as well!
Now that you know how to make lip gloss, be sure to share your results in the comments!
xx, Jenni
PIN IT!!!
Yes, I experimented with beet root powder in lip balms and was surprised that the color was so subdued compared to how it looked. I didn’t really notice any smell. I love this idea and actually have all the ingredients (using beeswax). I just don’t see myself having the patience to get it in the little tube with a tiny little funnel.
Elizabeth! Hi! It’s not that bad-I just like to be really upfront with anything that didn’t go super smoothly. Plus, the lip gloss tubes hold very little so it didn’t take long, just had to reheat to get enough of the melted gloss. It’s worth it, but you could just add more beeswax so it’s a bit thicker and put it in a tin? That would make a great balm!
Hi Jenni!
Super excited to try this recipe!
At your suggestion, I checked out 100% Pure. Absolutely love their shampoo and conditioner! Right now they are offering a gift set (bb cream, mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss) with a $69 purchase. I took advantage so I could try out these products at no additional cost!
Kristi
Kristi! Hi! I’m so glad! You’re going to love 100% Pure and hopefully the lip gloss!
This looks great! Do you think the consistency will work on a roller vial? Not sure if it might be too thick..
Hana-It’s too thick but I think if you omitted the beeswax it could work. Without beeswax it won’t have much staying power though.
Was just curious if the vitamin E oil is essential, and how you managed to get the beettroot powder dissolved in the oils? I knows its polar thus is not oil soluble, oi I’m a little stuck on how to get a nice consistency. I have tried with 0 luck :/
Hannah-Vitamin E isn’t essential to this recipe. I did not have any issue getting the beet root to disperse. I do think a bit of stirring with the wand is required for each use though. Good luck!
Hello Hannah!
I know you wrote this comment over a year ago, but just in case you get this message, I’m going to share with you the best way to get a great consistency/color. Add equal parts fine beet root powder and vegetable glycerin (I use 1 tsp) to dissolve the beet root powder. Make sure to mix it until it has a glass-like or super smooth consistency. Add it into your melted oils/butters/beeswax mixture after it has cooled a bit and mix until you achieve a homogeneous mixture. I hope this helps!
However, vitamin E oil is a bit of a preservative, so even if you have some as a capsule, add it.
Hi Jenni! Love your blog. Question-I made a lip gloss and noticed that when I put the final liquid in the tube, that the colored part moved to the bottom of the tube, and the clear oil sits on top. I also tried quickly closing the cap with the wand price and shaking before the formula hardens, however still have no luck having all of the color show throughout the tube, mixed into the entire formula in the tube. Not sure if that makes sense, and if you have found a solution for that? Thanks so much!
Shira-This is very common-I did not have great luck keeping the beet root dispersed. I am able to redistribute my beet root each time I use by shaking and swirling the wand. This DIY is very tricky-you want to get just the right consistency so that the powder will suspend but that can be tricky with this type of wax. Next time you might add just a tiny bit more wax. If you aren’t vegan, you might try it with beeswax, you can get a creamy consistency. Hope this makes sense.
Hello Jenni,
Your lip gloss color looks so sweet and gorgeous for me. I was looking for this coral shade.
1. Is your beet powder color same as the one posted in your blog. (sorry for my naive question). Mine is also organic but it is dark burgandy color.
2. Did you try the glycerine tip given by one of the blog visitors?
3. Do you think the funny taste is from castor oil rather than beetroot itself? For me I tasted the beetroot powder and was okay with it. I dint have essential oils to alter the smell/flavor. So I used vanilla essence.
Thanks,
Dhatri-Hi! Thank you!
1. Yes, it’s exactly what I used.
2. I have not remade this and tried glycerin. It sounds like a great addition though.
3. Castor doesn’t seem to have a taste. It’s definitely beet root. I think beet root stinks. I hate beets though.
Hope this helps!!
Hi Jenni, Would you consider making beetroot gloss to purchase? If so I would understand any price you would want to charge because of labor.
Thanks!
Alison-Hi! Thank you for your request but I don’t have the ingredients to make it any more! So sorry!
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Hi, thanks for your detailed share. I found your post looking for information how to dissolve the beet root powder in the oil. Mine turned into clumps and won’t release the color. How did you do it? This is my second attempt. I used coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, vitamin E, lavender and orange essential oils. I also tried dissolving a tiny amount of beet root powder in cold castor oil but the effect was the same. The grains stand on their own and the oil remains uncolored.
Jackie-Beet root powder tends to stay clumpy-a cheesecloth does help to strain out the clumps. I’ve never had a beet root not release it’s color! I get mine on Amazon and have it linked in the post. Maybe it’s the brand you have? Perhaps heat is needed? Do you add it when you are melting your coconut, shea butter and beeswax?