You Need to Make This Super Moisturizing 3-Ingredient DIY Lip Balm

Any other lip balm addicts in the house? You'd never find me without at least one balm within grabbing distance, as I like to apply whenever the mood strikes. Once I'm aware I need/want to slick it on, I can't focus on anything but the lip balm until I get it. I've chosen to not think of this as a problem, and instead think of it as being highly moisturized at all times. I like to be smooth!

As a certified fanatic, I've tested and tried make balms. My simple, go-to choice to keep in my purse is the classic Burt's Bees variety (no other iterations, please!). My slather-on-before-bed bestie is Nivea Lip Butter. At times I'll pop on a Vaseline Lip Therapy to really seal in that sweet, sweet moisture all night. I've done my research; I know my lips.

Once on a whim, I grabbed this locally-made, small batch lip balm at a little variety store. Just to see, you know? A true student of the game is never done learning.

Turns out it was the best lip balm of my damn life.

That should be great news, but reality struck when I realized it was not available online and was not stocked in any stores near me, as I'd picked it up on a vacation. The universe can be so cruel.

Fast forward to this balm running reeeeeal low, and me scrambling to try to DIY my own replica based on the ingredients listed on the package. I've finally found a formula that, while not an exact duplicate, is great enough to satisfy my lip balm addiction and keep me from weeping over what could have been.

Wanna try it too? Read on!

How to Make DIY Lip Balm

The three ingredients I used in my lip balm were:

Shea Butter
Cocoa Butter
Sweet Almond Oil

I also used an empty tin from an old Nivea Lip Butter that I cleaned out. You can buy empty tubes and tins for lip balm pretty cheaply online, but why not use what you have?

Okay, here's where we get into it! I ended up with a simple 3-2-1 measuring method:


3 Parts Sweet Almond Oil (I used 3 teaspoons)
2 Parts Cocoa Butter (2t)
1 Part Shea Butter (1t)

Bring an inch or two of water to a gentle boil in a small saucepan. Place your ingredients in a heat-resistant glass measuring cup inside the saucepan until all ingredients melt to a liquid.

Melting, melting, melting...

When you've got all liquid, pour the mixture into your tin or container and let it cool.

Once cooled, you'll have a soft, but solid lip balm full of natural and moisturizing ingredients. 
It looks pretty plain, but it gets the job done spectacularly.

Once it warms up it might be too soft or hard for your preference, but you can easily repeat the melting process to add more almond oil (to soften) or more cocoa butter or even skin safe beeswax (to harden). It comes together so quickly, it's really no problem to adjust as you'd like. Even pop it in the freezer to speed up the solidifying process!

Your lips will thank you. 😀 💋

What's your ride-or-die lip balm? Have you ever made your own?

BEAUTY: Summer Beauty Essentials

Awwww yeah - it's officially summer! Just like clothes, food and my general outlook, there are plenty of beauty products I change up just for summer. These picks work great year round, of course, but they keep me smoother, brighter and generally more glowy in these hot summer months. Here's my version of required summer reading, except without all the books and with a bunch of nail polish (but also you should totally read books all summer even though no one is making you write a last minute essay on them).

1. Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Flamingo Pose [$5.49 Here]

This shade just pops off your face! A very pink coral, this lipstick is creamy and opaque and stays put much longer than a lot of my other drugstore lipsticks. Milani knows what's up with lipstick. This color would work on so many skin tones and shines as the focal point of a summer makeup look.

2. Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stain in Smitten [$8.99 Here]

Has there been a better drugstore lip product in recent memory than Revlon balm stains? The answer is no. This shade, a deep raspberry pink, works for seriously anybody. It moisturizes and opaquely colors, while its light mint scent tingles and refreshes. The chubby pencil makes for easy application, even without a mirror, and the buildable color is perfect for someone just dipping their toes into the lipstick world.

3. Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen [$10.49 Here]

This light formula absorbs quickly with no greasy feeling.

SPF is not optional in summer (or really ever) and I like to use a separate one for my face since body sunscreens can be greasy and thick. This light formula sinks into my skin so quickly and doesn't leave an oily feeling or sunscreen scent. It feels more like moisturizer than sunscreen, but the SPF 55 will keep your fragile face protected even in the craziest of summer suns.

4. Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme [$9.00 Here]

This stuff is hardcore - it stays all thick and gooey for hours if you let it just absorb.

I am passionate about this stuff - yes, passionate. I sing its praises to all open ears because it is literally the only foot moisturizing product that has ever caused measurable improvement on my dry feet (Mmmm). I will never stray from this if I want to keep my feet in sandals all summer long. NEVER.

5. Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Barely Branded [$6.99 Here]

The hype is real, people! I fell in love with Color Tattoos recently and I fell hard. Application is simple (smush on with fingers!), the color is rich (opaque in one swipe!), and the wear is loooooong, like must-scrub-it-all-off-before-bed long. This shade is soft and shiny, perfect for a light summer 'barely wearing anything' makeup look, but it can also double as a highlighting product! Due to its champagne shade and creaminess, I'm calling this a dupe for Benefit Watt's Up, which is a HUGE compliment. Plus, these babies are waterproof for anyone who doesn't want to give up their beauty routine - even at the beach.

6. Sally Hansen Extreme Wear Nail Color in Lacey Lilac [$2.99 Here]

Pastels are a perennial summer hit and this poppy lavender shade is so pretty you'll want to douse your fingers and toes in it until the leaves start to change. It's somehow soft and pretty while also being bold and interesting. Hands Nails down, the perfect purple. {You can see me use this shade here}

7. Wet n Wild Nail Color in I Need a Refresh-Mint [$2.29 Here]

If I had to pick one polish color for the rest of my life it would be something like this shade. A great formula, wide salon brush, and an absurdly cheap price make this an essential summer polish. This bright turquoise cream works well with many other shades for summer nail art or on its own for an oceanic splash of color. Buy this! {You can see me use this shade here}

8. Sally Hansen Extreme Wear Nail Color in Coral Reef [$2.99 Here]

When I first bought this I was just looking for a coral polish, no big deal. When I applied it and wore it outside I saw that it was, in fact, a very big deal. This shade is SO pretty in the sunlight it almost makes me angry. It's distractingly pretty. Opaque in one coat, this is a very pink coral that's bright and cheery and just the perfect summer shade. I'm getting mad all over again!

9. Mr. Pumice Bar [$2.79 Here]

This goes hand in hand (foot in foot?) with the Burt's Bees foot cream to create the perfect cocktail of smooth, non-wintery feet. The softer side gently rubs off dry skin, while the coarser side hits your feet with fresh pedicure realness for baby feet-like results. The best pumice I've ever used, ever.

10. ELF Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal [$1.00 Here]

There's no better time to glow than summer and this cheap-o highlighter is a great way to get there. I dab a bit of this on my cheek bone with a small stipple brush (love the ELF one) for a shimmery summer look and it stays put all day. You only need a tiny amount to make a difference, and what a difference it makes!

11. Suave Dry Shampoo [$2.89 Here]

Dry shampoo would probably be in my holy beauty trinity if such a thing existed, and this very affordable and very effective Suave version has a permanent place on the top shelf in my bathroom. Top shelf, ladies. I reach for this a lot to spruce up my bangs or perk up my roots, and in summer - when sweaty foreheads and humidity blossom - this is essential to looking normal without having to shower multiple times a day. (Duh, not happening. I have makeup on.)

What are you favorite summer beauty products?

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BEAUTY: What's In My Makeup Bag

I've always had a bit of an obsession with makeup. Knowing I'll be trying a new mascara keeps me from hitting the snooze on my alarm, committing to an eyeshadow as my signature shade feels practically like a walk down the aisle and the never ending quest for the perfect shade of lipstick keeps me on my toes. I rarely find it a chore to apply (save for the occasional yoga pants-filled Sunday). While I have other stashes of occasionally worn products and a few eyeshadow palettes (including my Urban Decay Book of Shadows - thanks to my sister for "persuading" me to buy this!) here is a look at the products I keep in full reach everyday:

Face products (clockwise from top left):
CoverGirl Fresh Complexion concealer in Creamy Natural
ELF tinted moisturizer in Nude
NYC bronzer in Sunny
CoverGIrl loose powder in Translucent Light


I recently saw the light when it comes to tinted moisturizer. You guys, it's awesome! Duh. I know I'm like a lifetime late to this party, but it's moisturizing, it has SPF 15, it's light and it has a super sheer but somehow still covering and smoothing color. I tried the ELF one on a whim because it's just $3 (!) and I have definitely gotten my money's worth. I'm a convert, it's official. I always apply with a triangle sponge and I usually top it off with a sheer loose powder and a brush of bronzer across the apples of my cheeks and lightly along my jawline for definition.

Eyeshadows (clockwise from top left):

Revlon eyeshadow quad in Lavender Meadow

Revlon eyeshadow quad in Neutral Khakis

Maybelline eyeshadow quad in Emerald Smokes
CoverGirl eyeshadow quad in Dynamite Drama
Wet n Wild eyeshadow collection in Petal Pusher
Loreal eyeshadow quad in Blues
Loreal eyeshadow quad in Smokey Eyes
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Sephora eyeshadow in Aspin Summit


This might seem like kind of a lot of options for my everyday go-to makeup bag, but I can assure you that it's completely necessary. I kind of mentally set the tone for my day when I pick a look, but *spoiler alert* they all make me happy because I love color. I also occasionally use the UD primer which I find works well, but I don't usually care enough to take the time to use it regularly. Oops. This white shadow is the perfect shade and amount of pearlescent shimmer to brighten your peepers in the inner corner of your eye to hide that extra late night. This Wet n Wild purple palette is surprisingly good! I'd heard that from some reviews so I took the $3.99 gamble at Walgreen's and I kinda love it. The shadows are really smooth - almost creamy while still being power shadow. Ladies, revert back to elementary school and fall back in love with this drugstore staple for the young and cash strapped - you won't regret it!

Other Stuff (clockwise from top left):

Urband Decay 24/7 Glide On eye pencil in Lust, Bourbon & Zero

Revlon ColorStay crayon eyeliner in blackest black

Revlon ColorStay liquid eyeliner in blackest black

Sephora eyeshadow brush

Target crease brush

Wet n Wild kabuki brush

Revlon eyelash curler

ELF brozer brush

ELF eyeshadow brush

Sephora smudge eyeshadow brush

Burt's Bees lip balm

Lancome Juicy Tubes lip gloss in Pink Horizon

ELF all over face brush

Revlon Grow Luscious mascara in blackest black

CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara in very black

I've really come to love my super basic ELF eyeshadow brush ($1) and my Target crease brush ($2). I find that I reach for them more than my pricier Sephora brushes and I use them every day now, which is saying something for a girl who was all about applying makeup with my fingers up until very recently. If I've learned anything about brushes it's that there are really good ones to be found for really cheap if you look in the right places. I truly miss my Shu Uemura eyelash curler, but since they've stopped selling it in Sephora and it's a harder to get (I think you still have to buy it online in the US?) I've been trying to find a suitable comparison. Why did I have to try the holy grail of lash curlers only to have it removed from shelves in my country? I guess it's better to have loved and lost...

When it comes to lips I'm all about basic Burt's Bees lip balm with the occasional red lipstick or pinky gold lip gloss. For mascara I've been a Lash Blast addict for a while now, but I'm trying to branch out. I just bought the Grow Luscious tube and it's fine, but nothing more. 
If I have one iconic makeup element it's probably eyeliner. It's the first thing I ever experimented with and for most of my teen years I wore a lot of it (like, a lot) all around my inner eye at. all. times. I've since eased up on that but I pretty much never go a day without a full fledged liquid eyeliner cat eye. It's just fun. I've tried approximately one bajillion liquid eyeliners, always trying to decide what kind of tip I preferred (stiff or flexible? STIFF OR FLEXIBLE?!) but I was always waffling. I thought I loved the Urban Decay liquid liner, but when I tried the oh-so-simple and unassuming Revlon ColorStay liquid liner I finally found my cat eye soulmate. It's pretty cheap, the tip is short and stiff and the color is saturated (no watery gray-black here). And it stays put all day. For $5 I can't really ask for more. 

That's the detailed look inside my makeup bag and the thought process behind its curation. Thanks for taking the tour! 

I'm still in the market for the BEST in the following:

Eyelash curler (there has to be a good one out there, right?)

Classic red lip stain

Awesome mascaras

Any suggestions?