Easy (and Delicious) DIY Natural Lip Balm

Have you ever considered about making your own beauty products but stopped short because you thought it would be too difficult? Well, I'm hear to tell you that with a little time and a touch of motivation, you can make some pretty awesome stuff. A little recipe that I have tried (and really love) is one for a natural lip balm. I especially love this recipe because it can be tweaked to suit your taste and scent desires because using essential oils and extracts, you make little adjustments here and there. If you are an online savvy shopper, you can find all your ingredients on the nets but be sure to make sure you are purchasing from a reputable site, since this business is going on your sweet bod. 

What You Will Need:

·    1/8 cup Coconut Oil 

·    1/4 cup Beeswax 

·    1/8 cup Shea Butter 

·    1 tsp Coconut Extract (you can use Vanilla or Almond too)

·    1/4 cup fresh or dried herbs of your choice, rose petals works too!(I used fresh spearmint from my herb garden)

·    1 tsp Sweet Almond Oil 

·    Optional: a drop or two of  your favorite essential oil (I added two drops of spearmint essential oil)

*This concoction makes enough for about 6 small containers

Put it all together:

1. Measure all of the ingredients  into a small saucepan. I would suggest using something that you're OK not cooking food in again. I use an old sauce pan for this + my candle making.
2. Heat on low until everything is melted. Do not be tempted to crank up the heat. Patience is a virtue and since we're using so many oils, things will start sizzlin' at high heat.
3. Strain out the biggest pieces of your herbs. You can leave them in for added sumpin' if you want. Totally your choice!
4. Pour into sanitized containers that you want to use to store.
5. Let cool completely (only a couple of hours) and they’re ready to use and share with your friends who will be completely impressed that you made your own lip balm!

Have you ever made your own beauty products?

Sponsored Video: Burt's Bees Natural Lip Tips

You've got to know that me here at Prim and Propah loves a good lip stick, gloss or tint. Beauty stuff is in my top 5 favorite things to use and collect. No one knows color better than nature's hues, and nobody knows natural lip color better than Burt's Bees. They have your every lip coverage, sheer and full, under control so that you can choose which intensity fits your needs on any given day. Don't know which shade is best for you? Don't fret,  I took a short and fun quiz to find the perfect shade of Burt's Bees lip color for whatever coverage that I was looking for. You can find your perfect shade of Burt's Bees here and consult the ultimate beauty expert: nature. ;-)

I've used Burt's Bees products before, mostly of the lip balm nature in order to alleviate the annoyance of chapped lips but I am excited to try out the colors and coverages that our friends at BB's have to offer. Now that I have the know how, I have the tools needed to grab a lip shine that fits my complexion and needs without regret. Why not give it a shot and if you've never tried Burt's Bees products? Well, you're missing out... seriously.

Have you checked out Burt's Bees line of lip products? If so, what is your favorite?

* This post is sponsored by Burt's Bees, but concerns my own opinion

Studio Gear Cosmetics

I was recently able to try some makeup from Studio Gear Cosmetics, a line I actually found through Twitter. I am always on the lookout for new makeup, much to the dismay of my man, but nevertheless, the next best makeup is yet to be tried. I have my favorites that are staples in my rotation but I have yet to nail down my favorite glosses, shadows and eye liners. I am always pretty excited about makeup but am often left feeling a little "meh" when the product doesn't live up to the hype or my expectations or is just plain expensive. I have to say that I think I found my new favorite lipgloss in the Studio Gear Cosmetics Luscious Lip Shine in Halo. It's an almost Nude color and is a perfect addition to a makeup look where you want to rock a smoky/dramatic eye. When you want something on your lips that doesn't detract from your look or makes you look like a hooker, this is the BEST option: goes on smooth, has a sweet smell and stays put for a good amount of time. Hey, and it's also good for a natural daytime look. I 100% love this lipshine. Love.

My Honeymoon Beauty Regimen or Lack Thereof

Whilst packing for our dream vacation to a tropical island in the sun, I imagined all manner of nice dinner that we would go to, thinking of the new dress or two I would wear, and the bronzed, kissable face I would have with the touch of sun I got that day along with the splash of makeup I would wear over it... and so on and so forth. But what really happened was the ultimate in makeup free liberation! For one whole week, I did not use foundation or blush or mascara OH MY despite me bringing it along with us! I actually forgot my brush and gasp! didn't use one for a week. Of course my hair was a nest when I got back into the states but I still managed to look lovely and effortless with some of the bare necessities. Want to see what I actually did use on my vacation? Check it.

• Neutrogena Sport Face Lotion SPF 70+, $9.99, An awesome way to keep your face burn free and also keep those pores unclogged. I may or may not have been guilty of using this on my chest and arms as well since I wanted to keep everything baby soft and pale.   
• Olay Active Hydrating Beauty Fluid, $11.99 This is what I used in the evening after being in the sun all day. Yes, I wore sunblock but even some UV rays will get in and I didn't want my skin drying out. This came in a super convenient travel size from Target. 
• Chapstick Classic, Cherry, $1.99, sunblock is to face what chapstick is to lips. end scene  
• Colgate Extra Clean Toothbrush, $7.34 (3 pack) Umm duh, with which to brush my teeth, like I said, bare necessities.  
• DenTek Comfort Clean Easy Angle Floss, $2.99, again a necessity.
• Gimme Basics Bobby Pins, $3.99, the nest needed to be kept in place as long as possible, although I am sure there are some bobby pins swimming in the Atlantic Ocean somewhere near Ambergris Caye at this point.   
• Dove Clear Tone Anti- Perspirant Deodorant, $3.99, This is by far my favorite deodorant and really did bring it's A game so close to the Equator.  
• Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes, $5.99, ever the popular purse partner, these wipes came in handy on the honeymoon as well as in any grimy situation you may be in (ie Lollapalooza in 100 degree heat). These are perfect to feel refreshed in an instant.  
• Goody Ouchless Hair Elastics, $4.79, where better to bring those multi color hair elastics that you only dare wear to the gym and bed, than to a foreign country where you'll never see anyone again. Me and an orange hair elastic had a grand ol' time snorkeling together... a time I'll never forget, sniffle sniffle.

What do you think of my non-existent beauty regimen? I thought it was rather freeing to not feel pressure to make it up for a full week, though I am glad to be back to my normal routine.