How to Make All Natural Lip Gloss

A few weeks ago, I wrote about running out of facial powder and substituting organic corn starch - with great success.  I'm comfortable now that I'll never go back to buying commercial facial powder.  Inspired by this success, I decided to try my hand at creating other beauty products.  My criteria: they must be all natural, easy and quick to make, smell great, feel soothing, and be edible.  Yes, edible - that's my measure of safety, particularly for lip gloss.

Over the next few weeks, I will experiment with making a few different items, and I'll share my recipes here with you.  I hope you enjoy the health, savings, beauty and fragrance of these as much as I do!  Also note: they make great little gifts for the holidays!

Pink Lip Gloss

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons grated pure beeswax
8 teaspoons castor oil
4 drops vanilla extract
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon organic beet juice powder (be careful where you put this - it is a strong dye)
 -- you will also need a container to put it in - I bought a small Nalgene jar  (they are BPA free) at The Container Store for $0.99.

Directions:
1. Melt the beeswax and castor oil together in a small Pyrex dish in the microwave.  45 seconds ought to do it.  Mix well.  Add the vanilla, honey and beet juice powder.  Add more beet juice powder if the shade is not as dark a as you'd like.  Let it sit in the Pyrex dish until it cools enough so it won't melt your Nalgene jar.  Don't wait until it's fully set up to move it to the jar.
2. Pour it into your jar.  Let it sit 20 minutes before covering it.