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I talk a lot about creating and purchasing healthier, safer, more eco-friendly makeup options. But no topic is as crucial as lip products, including lip tints. Products used on your mouth can create nearly 10x the health risk as other makeup for two primary reasons.
- Your lipstick/tint/gloss will be ingested
- Makeup products on the mouth are often reapplied throughout the day and not fully removed until up to 12 hours.
Research held by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the FDA led to the discovery of lead and several other toxic metals being used in a majority of the lip products tested. It goes without saying that the consequences of lead consumption are pretty catastrophic considering it’s in the name of lip color. Exposure to lead has been linked to neurotoxicity resulting in learning, language, and behavioral problems, reduced fertility in both men and women, and hormonal changes and menstrual irregularities.
[Read: Lipsticks Without Lead : Do They Really Exist?]
BUT I’m not here to scare you into making your own lip tints but to empower you to control exactly what you’re putting on your face. You can recreate some of your favorite pinks, deepest reds, and a full spectrum of maroon-colored lip tints right from your kitchen and avoid risky ingredients all together.
Benefits of Making Your Own Lip Tints
Like many other DIY makeup hacks, making your own lip tints has a ton of benefits.
Money saver. Making your own lip tint requires very few ingredients. I’ve included a recipe that calls for only two items! You also save money by making a big batch in one sitting, you don’t have to pay for a brand name, and they make for great homemade gifts.
Protect your health. Lead is not the only concern in lip products. A study by University of California researchers found nine toxic heavy metals, including chromium, cadmium, aluminum, and manganese. A little coconut oil and beet powder sound a whole lot more appealing.
Reclaim your health by slowly removing toxins from your life. Making your own lip tints is just the start. My hope is that you’re inspired to get creative and smart about the beauty product you use in order to eliminate risks and optimize your well-being.
It’s fun! Yeah, I said it. Making your own lip tints is perfect for a night-in DIY session or weekend activity with your besties.
Now, it’s time to get your hands dirty.
Play With Your Food!
It’s time to taste the rainbow and no, I’m not talking about skittles.
Brightly colored foods are an easy, instant, and safe way to tint your lips. Nature provides every color you can imagine in the form of fruits, veggies, and flowers. Later, we’re going to get fancy with nature-based ingredients like alkanet root powder and madder root powder. But for a quick lip color that’s toxin-free here’s a few hacks and recipes.
Berry Blast Lip Stain
Choose some of your favorite berries or use whatever is in your fridge. A combination of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries produce plenty of pigment. Smash the berries, strain, and take a clean lip brush and apply to lips. Let the color sit and stain your lips for a few minutes then lick away the excess.
Store the berry juice in the fridge to be used for up to 5-7 days. You can add other staining foods like beet juice or espresso to deepen or brighten the tint shade.
It may sound silly to smash a bunch of fruit and put it on your face but the results are a natural blush to your lips, plus your mouth will smell delicious and you’ll get a small dose of antioxidants in the meantime. Don’t knock it til you try it!
Homemade Moisturizing Lip Tint
For this recipe, you’ll use ancient natural ingredients but with a modern twist that helps smooth lips.
Alkanet and Madder are roots or herbs originating from India and Pakistan and are commonly used as dying agents for wool. Consumption is safe but it’s not recommended to use on broken skin so if your lips are cracked perhaps stick with the berries until they heal or check out the next recipe for a moisturizing tint. What these root powders will do, however, is provide a depth of color you’d not expect in homemade makeup.
First, choose your color base:
- For a Maroon Shade: 1½ teaspoons alkanet root powder and 3 ounces sweet almond oil.
- For a Deep Red Shade: 1 teaspoon madder root powder, ½ tsp alkanet root powder, and 3 ounces of sweet almond oil.
- For Brownish Pink: 1½ tsp madder root powder and 3 ounces sweet almond
The base for balm:
- 1½ ounces infused Sweet Almond Oil (however much called for in your color selection)
- ½ ounce beeswax pastilles
- 1-ounce cocoa butter
- lip tint tubes or tins
Instructions:
- Melt beeswax and cocoa butter in a double boiler. (Or use a glass bowl and pot)
- Add the infused sweet almond oil to the melted mixture.
- Stir well.
- Carefully remove from heat.
- Pour into lip balm tins or tubes.
- Allow to cool completely and then cap
Get the tint you desire with the added boost of moisturizer from the cocoa butter. Apply to your lips with fingers or tiny applicator as needed.
Two-Ingredient Lip Tint
As if playing with your fruit isn’t easy enough, this two-ingredient lip stain may just take the cake. Using only vegetable glycerin and peeled beets this lip tint only takes a few minutes to make and has a natural, glossy finish.
Peel and chop beets and let steep in a double boiler with vegetable glycerin, let cool, pour into an applicator and voila! You can’t BEET that!
Conclusion
Protect your health and wallet by making your own lip tint at home with food-grade ingredients. Don’t be afraid to venture out with your DIY lip tint and try applying some to your cheeks for a subtle blush or even your eyelids for a pop of color. Unlike standard makeup products, when you make your favorite cosmetics at home they are safe and versatile.
You can use these recipes as guidelines, don’t be afraid to get in the kitchen and see what else might make for a natural alternative. As for now, grab some berries and pucker up!
Have you ever make your own lip tints? Let us know what recipes you love to use! And if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below, we love to help 🙂
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