DIY Monoi de Tahiti lip balm

Monoi de Tahiti is made my macerating virgin coconut oil with Tahitian gardenias. The resulting oil feels like coconut oil and has all of its rich moisturising properties and additionally has the strong exotic scent of gardenias. In combination with coco butter it forms a lovely tropical scent.

By combining these ingredients with evening primrose oil (very rich in omega-6 fatty acids, including linoleic acid and gamma linoleic acid as well as in antioxidants) you can make your own rich moisturising and protecting tropical scented lip balm. The beeswax is added as a thickener but also because of its skin protecting properties. We sometimes forget but beeswax is naturally nourishing as well as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. It locks in moisture, fosters skin cells and protects skin from damaging environmental factors. It also softens skin and creates a long-lasting protective coating. Therefore it is used as much more than a thickener in this DIY recipe.

Ingredients:

5g beeswax

5g coco butter

10g Monoi de Tahiti

1 Tbsp evening primrose oil

1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

6 drops vitamin E oil

Weigh off the appropriate amounts of all the ingredients. Combine all of them (except the vitamin E oil) is a Pyrex glass measuring cup or other glass container. Place in a double boiler or small sauce pain and heat until everything is melted. Remove the mixture from the heat and wait a few minutes before adding the vitamin E oil. But don't way too long as the mixture will start to solidify.
Pour into containers of your choice and leave to cool completely before putting on the lids.

These lip balms can be stored for 6 months without losing their tropical scent or skin nourishing properties. They will be a great reminder of summer on cold winter days.