Copycat Recipe Series: Burt's Bees Peppermint Lip Balm & Lush Dream Cream

I'm back from 9 days in Colorado where I spent time cleaning out my late parents' house.  It was a good trip, other than it rained and snowed 4 out of the 9. That made for some fresh-nessssss given that I only packed 1 pair of pants and 8 pairs of shorts.  I'm a habitual bad packer.

My sister Sally (say that 10 times fast) has a beautiful home and I get to bunk in her guest room with this heavenly view.

The drive up there from Albuquerque isn't bad either.  Here's a pic that I snapped along the roadside. How's this for some nesssss?

Now that I'm back in my own kitchen, I thought I'd share some copy cat recipes that mimic some of my favorite products.  Making your own toothpaste, lip balm and lotion products sounds complicated, but it's not.  There is a basic set of ingredients that you can purchase that will make many household health and beauty products.  (I'll cover this in a super helpful future post.) Over the next week, I'll be sharing several copycat recipes including:  Burt's Bees Peppermint Lip Balm (below), Earth Paste toothpaste (coming later this week) and Lush Dream Cream (also below). To make sure you don't miss a post, subscribe by email above on the right.

First things first. I purchase most of my ingredients from local places here in Albuquerque like La Montanita Coop.

The staff is friendly, they know their stuff and if you don't find something in stock, they will special order for you.  How's that for local outstanding customer service? (Talk to Willy if you're on the westside. I call him Mr. Saaavy.) Plus, they have locations in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Gallup.

Shopping local is the way to go and it's always my first choice because I form relationships with local retailers who I know I can trust.  If you live in a rural area or an area without a health nut store, you can purchase many basic items through online reputable companies.  If you want to use therapeutic grade essential oils, I do not recommend purchasing them online through an unknown source for the same reasons you wouldn't purchase your medications online through an unknown source.  Safety is super important.  While you can sometimes find essential oils in grocery stores, they're usually watered down or blended.  That means less effective.  You get what you pay for.

DIY Burt's Bees-inspired Peppermint Lip Balm
(Let's call our version The Bees Knees Lip Balm for the sake of violating any patent or trademark laws.)
Makes Approximately 20 Tubes of Lip Balm
Takes 10-15 minutes plus 30 minutes of set time

You'll Need:
4 Tablespoons of Beeswax (La Montanita Coop in Albuquerque or on Amazon here)
1.5 Tablespoons of Pure Unrefined Shea Butter (on Amazon here)
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (La Montanita or Amazon here)
1 Tablespoon of Cocoa Butter (La Montanita or Amazon here)
12 Drops of doTERRA Peppermint Essential Oil (Buy it from yours truly here)
8 Drops of doTERRA Rosemary Essential Oil (Buy it from yours truly here)
Liquid Peppermint (or plain) Stevia (La Montanita)
20 Lip Balm Tubes (on Amazon here)
Piece of Wax Paper to work on
2 nestable pots/pans (or double boiler) (or 1 pyrex measuring cup and one small pot big enough to fit the measuring cup in)
2-3 Plastic disposable pipette syringes (this item is optional) (On Amazon here)

Make it like this:
1.  Remove the caps from the tubes and make sure the wind mechanism is lowered fully in each.
2.  Melt the first four ingredients in a double boiler in your stove.
3.  Remove the melted mixture from the burner and add Stevia to taste.

4.  Stir in 12 Drops of doTERRA Peppermint Oil if you used plain liquid Stevia (or 8 if you used Peppermint Stevia)
5.  Add 8 Drops of doTERRA Rosemary Oil.
6.  Using your pipette or syringe (or by pouring with a steady hand - this is where the Pyrex measuring cup method works great because of the pour spout), pour your Bees Knees lip balm mixture into the tubes and let sit for at least 30 minutes to harden/set.

TIP:  For Easy clean up, slightly remelt any wax residue in your pot and wipe out with a paper towel before washing with water.


DIY Lush-inspired Dream(y) Cream
(Let's call our version Dreamy Cream for the sake of violating any patent or trademark laws.)

You'll Need:

1/8 Cup Raw Cocoa Butter (La Montanita or Amazon here) (You can also use shea, avocado or mango butter.)
1/8 Cup Olive Oil (La Montanita )
1 Tablespoon Glycerine (La Montanita )
1/4 Cup Oat Milk  (La Montanita  or see make-it-yourself instructions below)
1/8 Cup Rose Water, Cooled Boiled Water OR Distilled Water (Find Rose Water at La Montanita)
1/2 Tablespoon of Vitamin E Oil (La Montanita)
2 Drops of doTERRA Melaleuca Oil (Buy it from yours truly here)
2 Drops of doTERRA Roman Chamomile (optional) (Buy it from yours truly here)
2 Drops of doTERRA Lavender (Buy it from yours truly here)
6 oz. Glass lidded container (La Montanita or at Target or on Amazon)

Make it like this:
1.  Melt your butta.
2.  Stir in your olive oil and your vitamin E oil.
3.  In a separate bowl, mix your oat milk and water togetha.
4. Add your water/milk mixture to the butta/oil mixture.*

* Here's a great way to get your oils and water/milk to mix:
- Turn the heat off underneath your double boiler and let your container with your oat milk and water mixture warm in the water in the pan for 3-5 minutes so it heats up a smidge.  (Make sure it's in a heat safe measuring cup or other container).
- Slowly add your oat milk and water mixture to your oil/butter mixture bit by bit. Keep on mixing while you keep adding gulps of oat milk.
- Blend until it looks fairly smooth.

Now where were we?  Oh.  Right.

5.  Add the glycerine.
6.  Add your doTERRA oils and mix the whole batch of stuff really well.
7.  Grab a Dove Chocolate Bar and the latest issue of People Magazine.
8.  Put your mixture in the fridge uncovered for about 10-15 minutes.
9.  Remove your cream from the fridge.  It should appear thicker.  Beat with an electric hand mixture for a few minutes to whip it up into thicker dreamy goodness. (Be patient.  This step takes time.  Sometimes you'll need to whip for 7-10 minutes or more.)

10.  Transfer your Dreamy Cream to the jar.
11.  Indulge by rubbing the cream all over your body and then eating another Dove bar.  (I do not recommend rubbing the Dove Bar all over your body and eating the Dreamy Cream. It can cause unnecessary and embarrassing concern by spouses or neighbors.)

I hope you enjoyed this post.  For more information about healthier home and family with doTERRA oils, contact me here.  I'd love to send you some free samples to see if doTERRA is right for you.  (Plus, there are usually some great incentives involving freebies for new wholesale account holders. Just ask me.)

~Charlene Shaulis

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