Updated date:

Mar 16, 2021

Best DIY Lip Oil Recipe

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I love coming up with homemade, all-natural skincare recipes and sharing them with others.

Learn how to make this rejuvenating lip oil and give your chapped lips some relief.
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Lip Oil for Dry Lips

My lips are perpetually dry and cracked—my skin generally is, too. Even though I know lip balm doesn’t help, I always carry it with me. If I don’t have it, we’re going to have a problem—it literally gets to the point where I can’t focus if my lips are chapped. I’m an addict.

Usually, winter and cold weather make it much worse, but year-round my skin and lips can struggle to hold moisture. Chapstick and other brands just don't work for me, and I know I’m not the only one! I started looking into the ingredients in typical lip balms that actually make your lips even drier! Can you believe the nerve?!

I decided to strip it all back and make my own recipe, with pure oils and without all of the other nonsense. The one thing that has really helped me keep my lips moisturized has been this simple recipe I can make at home.

I've been using balm, and then gloss, and then balm again with no success. The champion is my DIY lip oil, pictured in the center amongst its fallen comrades.
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How Do You Make Lip Oil?

There are many different oils that are beneficial for your lips. Pick a handful of your favorites, and go crazy refining your personal recipe! It’s really very simple and just requires blending your choice of oils in a container.

Types of Oils and Their Benefits

As I mentioned, you can choose from a pretty large variety of oils, all with different properties. I will share a giant list of great oils to use and then go into the specific blend I used for my results. Buying tons of pure oils can get pricey, so don’t worry if you can’t afford all of them, a blend of three to four oils will do just fine, and some of these will likely be around your house already!

Vitamin E Oil: This is my favorite oil to add, and it even works great on its own for repairing dry and cracked skin! It is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and conditions the skin. There are many great oils to use, but Vitamin E is surely the best oil for hydrating dry lips.
Jojoba Oil: This oil is botanical and very similar to the natural oil (sebum) that your body already produces. It’s great for combating dry skin, dandruff, and acne.
Avocado Oil: Another oil beneficial for its antioxidant properties, avocado oil can also protect against UV damage from the sun.
Frankincense Oil: This oil is typically used for wound-healing because it helps with cell regeneration. My lips are incredibly dry and cracked, so I added some Frankincense to my mix.
Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is a wonderful, natural moisturizer that is commonly used in cases of dry, cracked skin. It will help your lips to retain moisture and is also antibacterial. Coconut oil is commonly used in wrinkle treatment.
Almond Oil: This is another oil that helps protect from the UV rays of the sun. Almond oil removes dead skin cells, evens the skin tone, and with vitamins E, K, and A, it helps keep the skin looking young and healthy.
Castor Oil: This oil contains ricinoleic acid, which helps your lips to retain moisture. Some people can have an allergic reaction to castor oil, so it is recommended that you speak with your dermatologist or test out a small patch on your arm before using it on your lips.
Olive Oil: Here’s an ingredient that you probably already have around the house. Olive oil is an incredible moisturizer containing natural vitamin E.
Rose Oil: Not only does rose oil smell great, it’s also anti-inflammatory like many other oils listed. It helps heal scars and promotes circulation.

These are the oils I used in my mixture, and the container I put them in is on the right.
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DIY All Natural Lip Oil Recipe

Before you start mixing anything, you’ll first need a container to store your concoction in. Empty eyedropper containers are available for purchase at most beauty stores, or you can do what I did and recycle an old makeup bottle. The bottle I used previously held a facial serum, so I washed it out to use for my new lip oil! You could also consider using an old lip gloss container.

Some oils come with eyedroppers; some do not. So, for this, there is no exact science, and if you don’t get the formula perfect, it’s no big deal. All of the ingredients are good for your lips, so feel free to experiment!

Ingredients

3 mL of Vitamin E oil
3 mL of Jojoba oil
3 mL of Avocado oil
10 drops of Frankincense oil

Instructions

Clean out the container you intend to use with soap and water.
Add desired oils to the container until full.
Shake the container to mix the oils together.
Apply the mixture to lips daily.

*Some oils may need to be warmed in the microwave for a few seconds to become liquid if they are solid at room temperature. Be careful not to overheat them.

This Recipe Works Fast!

As mentioned above, you can really get to experimenting with lip oil combos. I loved this one because it worked almost immediately. I wasn’t expecting such a fast turnaround! I figured, for the purpose of instructional photos, I would take pictures every day for a week and show the progress of this particular recipe. As you can see, on the first day my lips were terrible. It was actually painful how dry and cracked they were (don’t judge me, it’s winter as I’m writing this!).

I used the lip oil concoction all day, making sure to reapply as needed. To my shock, by the very next day, much of the dryness and cracking was gone. My lips were back to normal overnight! I have since been using lip oil at least once a day to maintain moisture. You can also add sugar to your oil mix to create a DIY exfoliating lip scrub!

Quick reference DIY Lip Oil recipe.
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Variations of the Recipe

All of the ingredients above have their own benefits! So I say, grab what you already have or whatever is easiest for you to find and start mixing. Now, if you want to add some tint to your lip oil, read further!

How to Make a Tinted Oil

There are a few safe options you can use to tint your lip oil. If you already have a lipstick or liquid lip color that you like, add a scraping or a few drops to your lip oil mixture. To make sure the color blends evenly in, heat your oil mixture for a few seconds in the microwave (be very careful with hot oil). Add the coloring and blend it together evenly! For an unlimited amount of color combinations, you can also use eyeshadow or mica powder to create pigmented oil.

Why Choose Lip Oil?

Well, let’s look at what lip oil does. It will help your lips retain moisture, shed dead skin cells, and keep them from drying and cracking. It’s a safe, natural alternative to lip balms and other lip products that actively dry out your lips with additives like alcohol.

Lip Oil vs. Lip Gloss vs. Lip Balm

Many lip balms create a layer of moisture on your lips that admittedly offers relief, but only temporarily. That layer of protective moisture eventually evaporates and leaves your lips even more dry than they were to begin with! I am a repeat victim of this process, to the point where I can’t focus when I don’t have lip balm. Think of lip balm like this—it will prevent your lips from getting chapped because it creates a layer that sits on top of them. However, it will not repair your lips once the chapping has already occurred. You need oil for that.

Lip gloss isn’t even on the same spectrum. It’s truly just for cosmetic purposes. It only adds luster, sparkle, or shine. It might make your chapped lips feel better to have something glossy on them, but as with balm, it’s not actually working to solve the problem.

Lip oil is the champion here because if you continue using it enough, you won’t find yourself desperately saying, “I need to find some chapstick!” Your lips will no longer feel like garbage.

How and When Should I Apply Lip Oil?

Lip oil is honestly perfect any time. You can apply it when your lips are dry to help repair them, or you can use it when your lips are feeling moisturized as a preventative measure. You really can’t go wrong.

Use an applicator or your finger to apply the lip oil. I like to use mine daily in the place of any other products. If you want to moisturize but still have some color, apply the oil mixture while putting on the rest of your makeup. Allow it to soak in, and then wipe it off before putting on your lipstick!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.