How To Make Lip Gloss? The Simple Ways to Try!

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that you may already have almost all the ingredients you need to make lip gloss at home. Well, surprise, surprise! You don’t need much to make one by yourself. Forget spending, albeit a few bucks, on buying those sparkly gloss sticks and instead, make yourself one at home. Here’s how to make lip gloss to keep your dry lips hydrated and lustrous!

Make Your Own Lip Gloss At Home!

If you have been buying those pricey yet glossy lip glosses from Sephora, you may have been, dare I say it, wasting your money. Especially at the rate, you are going at it —(4 or 5 lip glosses hardly lasting a few months?). If you have the option to make your own lip gloss, why should you splurge unnecessarily on overpriced ones at the stores? 

The cherry on the top? You need only 30 minutes tops to make lip gloss, not one, but a bunch of them.

Not to mention, when you are making your lip gloss, you can choose your favorite color and favorite scent, and even add sparkle with glitters. It all comes down to your choice. Most importantly, the ingredients are natural instead of artificial flavors and synthetic ingredients. But it is also important to ensure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients you use to make lip gloss, especially the fragrances and flavorings as they are allergens(1). 

If you feel apprehensive about ending up not liking it, you can always make smaller batches first. Use proportionally fewer ingredients and find out whether you want to make more of them or not. You can make variations in the measurements as well. Too thin? Not thick enough? Overpowering fragrance? Not glossy enough? You can make all of the modifications for the next batch! 

What Are Your Options?

You have three options to make lip gloss; lip gloss with Vaseline, coconut oil, or beeswax. If you want to get things done quickly with less mess and fewer ingredients, you can go for DIY lip gloss with Vaseline as it is an effortless 2-ingredient mix but if your concern is more about boosting hydration of your lips since they are too dry or chapped, lip gloss with coconut oil is your choice as it is an excellent hydrator and moisturizer. 

Using beeswax for DIY lip gloss is not often preferred because beeswax along with shea butter, cocoa butter, and paraffin(2) are used to solidify lip balms whose consistency is not what lip glosses aim for. It may not give you that sticky glossy consistency. So, if you want a firmer lipgloss, beeswax is the way to go.

Materials You Need for Making Lip Gloss at Home

The basic ingredients you need will change according to your choice of lip gloss. Homemade lip glosses are lighter and silkier than homemade lip balms. But if you know how to make lip balm, it will be easier for you to make lip glosses with slight variations in the ratio of ingredients. 

For 2 tubes of vaseline-based lip gloss

• Vaseline – 2 tablespoons (30 mL)
• Essential oil for aroma (optional)
• Natural extract or kool-aid for flavoring (optional)
• Beetroot powder or blush (optional)
• Scrapings of lipstick or lip safe mica powder for color (optional)
• Organic food coloring for color (optional)
• Glitter for sparkle (optional)
• Disposable spoons

To make lip gloss: 2-3 tubes of coconut oil lip gloss

• Coconut oil – 2 tablespoons (30 mL)
• Cocoa butter – 1 tablespoon (15 mL)
• Vitamin E capsules – 3
• Essential oil for aroma (optional)
• Natural extract or kool-aid for flavoring (optional)
• Beetroot powder or blush (optional)
• Scrapings of lipstick or lip safe mica powder for color (optional)
• Organic food coloring for color (optional)
• Glitter for sparkle (optional)
• Lidded tins
• Disposable spoons
• Scissors 

For 13 to 14 tubes of beeswax lip gloss

• Cosmetic beeswax – 2 tablespoons (30mL)
• Cocoa butter or shea butter – 2 tablespoons (30 mL)
• Caster oil – 2 tablespoons (30 mL)
• Grape-seed oil or olive oil – 4 tablespoons (59 mL)
• Vitamin E capsules – 3
• Essential oil for aroma (optional)
• Natural extract or kool-aid for flavoring (optional)
• Beetroot powder or blush (optional)
• Scrapings of lipstick or lip safe mica powder for color (optional)
• Organic food coloring for color (optional)
• Glitter for sparkle (optional)
• Grater
• Scissors
• Glass measuring cup
• Funnel or pipette (optional)
• Silicone spatula

Tools You Need 

• Lip gloss tins or small air-tight containers
• Microwave-proof container
• Microwave or double boiler for melting
• Stirring stick or spoons
• Measuring spoons
• Knife 

Now, let’s see what the three methods are of making DIY lip glosses. All three have the same steps with differences in ingredients and none of them take too much of your time. You can wear them over your favorite lipstick or alone to keep your dry lips hydrated. 

How to Make Lip Gloss with Vaseline?

Spoon Vaseline

 Add 2 tablespoons (or more, depending on how many tubes you plan on making) of Vaseline into a microwave-safe bowl. You can either choose to make multiple tubes in one single bowl or two different shades in two different bowls. If you don’t have Vaseline, use any other kind of petroleum jelly. 

Add lipstick

This is completely optional. But if you want to give color to your lip gloss, you can add 1 teaspoon of your favorite lipstick scrapings to the Vaseline. For a deeper shade, you can use more. But if you prefer to make lip gloss with just a tint of color, use fewer lipstick scrapings.

All you have to do is use a knife to cut a small piece from your lipstick and as an alternative, you can use blush, eyeshadow, or any lip safe mica powder of your choice, beetroot powder, or organic food coloring. Additionally, you can add 1 to 2 drops of any essential oil to add aroma and a bit of flavor. And a pinch of glitter to the mix. This step is though optional the same in all three methods. 

Microwave

Put the bowl into the microwave for 10 to 30 seconds to melt the mixture. You can also use a double boiler to make lip gloss if you don’t have a microwave. If it hasn’t melted after the set time, melt for 10 to 20 seconds more. The bowl may be too hot to touch, so be careful. 

Stir the mixture

Once you take the bowl from the microwave, stir the mixture well for 10 seconds to ensure there are no bumps. You can use a disposable spoon or regular spoon to do the stirring.

Transfer

After you mix it, transfer the mixture to the small lip gloss tins, tubes, or whatever is that you plan to use with a lid since a warm mixture is always easier to work with. 

Cool

Leave the lip gloss tins in the fridge for 20 minutes for them to cool before using. Ensure that all tubes are cool with the right consistency to avoid ending up with runny or thick lip gloss. 

How To Make Lip Gloss with Coconut Oil?

If you want to make lip gloss without Vaseline, the hydrating carrier oil you are familiar with is the next best choice. 

Microwave and melt

Spoon 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of cocoa butter into a small microwave-safe bowl. Then, heat mixture in the microwave (or double boilers on the stove) for 10 to 20 seconds to get the liquid lip gloss consistency. 

Add Vitamin E capsules

Once the mixture is melted, squeeze 3 Vitamin E capsules(3) into the mixture. Only the oil inside, not the capsule itself. 

Add lipstick

As mentioned with the Vaseline method, you can choose to add any aforementioned coloring elements like your lipstick to get colored lip gloss. If you wish to make lip gloss with scent, add one or two drops of your favorite essential oils.

Stir the mixture

Right after you add other ingredients, stir the mixture for about 10 seconds when the mixture is still warm. Make sure even the sides of the bowl is scraped down. You can use disposable spoons to avoid cleaning up the mess. 

Transfer and let them cool

Since coconut oil has a really low melting point, you can transfer the mixture into small lidded tins (which you can buy online) instead of actual lip balm tubes. Once transferred, let them cool for 20 minutes on the counter or in the fridge. After that, use one lip gloss and feel how hydrating the gloss is for your lips.

How To Make Lip Gloss With Beeswax?

Beeswax can keep your lips hydrated along with softening fine lines. But it is not a well-liked choice for lip gloss. Because the more beeswax you use, the firmer your lip gloss will be. The recipe below gives a perfect consistency. Also, the recipe below is for 13 to 14 tubes of lip gloss. If you don’t want to make that many, cut the recipe in half for a much smaller batch.

Grate beeswax

Beeswax can be bought as pastilles and as small squares. Unlike pastilles, you need to grate small squares (2 tablespoons) to help them melt faster and combine them with other ingredients. 

Measure and add carrier oils

Measure out 2 tablespoons of cocoa butter or shea butter, 2 tablespoons of castor oil, 4 tablespoons of grape-seed oil or olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of grated beeswax and into this mix. Then, cut and squeeze the oil from 3 Vitamin E capsules. Make lip gloss with the perfect healthy ingredients.

Microwave

Warm the mix of oils in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds. Stir the mixture each time you take the bowl out to check. 

Stir the mixture

Once the mixture is melted all together, use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl or measure the cup. Make sure to stir the mixture periodically until the mixture is smooth without any lumps. 

Transfer and let them cool

After quickly stirring the mixture, transfer to small lip gloss containers when it’s still warm. You might find it difficult to get the gloss into the tubes, for that you can use a funnel or pipette. Then, leave them for 20 minutes to cool before using. 

And that’s how you make a lip gloss. Make your sticks and stash a bunch of them at your office, gym bag, handbags, and even your purse! You will be thankful to yourself later when your lips are dry and chapped especially during winters. If you have made too many tubes, you can always give them to your friends and family. I mean, who is going to turn down a lip gloss?

Carrier oils

Castor oil with coconut oil, jojoba, almond, sesame, olive, sunflower, etc, or a combination of these. Each of these carries its bag of benefits your lips will be thankful for. Always keep in mind when you make lip gloss with beeswax or paraffin that castor oil cannot be substituted.

Because when castor oil partially dissolves the beeswax in the base, it will give a wet and shiny glow to the gloss. You don’t want to lose the shine, right?

Essential oils

Lavender, cinnamon, lemon, rose, peppermint, orange, grapefruit —these essential oils will give your lip gloss both aroma and flavor you will love. You can have those scented lip glosses that taste good!

Vitamin E

When you make lip gloss on your own, you get to give your lips the rejuvenating treatment it deserves if you add Vitamin E as an ingredient to your lip gloss recipe. It can promote cell turnover and bring new cells to the surface much faster. Moreover, you get to keep your lips hydrated as well.

Lip safe mica

When natural mica mineral is ground into a fine powder, you get mica powder with metallic or shimmery powder with fine glitter. Lip safe mica comes in different colors, so you can try from dark and exotic colors to light and almost-transparent colors or you can even add leftover lip gloss to give the exact shade you want.

Glitters

Cosmetic-grade glitter is not harmful to the skin, not even if accidentally ingested. You can add glitter to make lip gloss for that sparkly finish to the gloss. Start by adding half a teaspoon (2 grams) to the melted gloss before transferring it to the containers. But be careful of adding too much glitter to avoid making the gloss grainy. 

Now that you know how to make lip gloss so easily, do you still want to buy those expensive ones? Try any of these three methods and see for yourself if you want to ditch the ones you normally buy. You can have loads of lip glosses within half an hour that you can stash anywhere. Unless you are adamant about spending on those tubes with synthetic ingredients, why wouldn’t you give this a try?