Add a pop of color to your handmade skin care line with this 100% natural, berry-kissed, super-trending alkanet tinted lip balm recipe!
The minimal-makeup look is here to stay, and this natural lip color tutorial will help you jump on the bandwagon AND provide a bit of variety to your online shop.
Coming in at only 18 cents of ingredients per tube, this is a high-profit, low-risk recipe that is sure to become a customer favorite!
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What is Alkanet Root?
Alkanet root (Alkanna tinctoria)* is a ground herb that is used as a 100% all-natural colorant for cosmetics, fabrics, and hair.
For our tutorial purposes today, we’ll be infusing alkanet root powder into a high-shine lip balm base to create a very sheer berry-kissed lip tint.
*Note: Ground plant materials must be labeled as ‘cosmetic grade’ or ‘food grade’ to be safely used in skin care and cosmetic recipes.
Alkanet Root vs. Beetroot Powders for Lip Tint:
If you have been making handmade skin care or cosmetics for a while, you have probably heard of beetroot lip tint as well.
Both alkanet root powder and beetroot powder are perfectly natural and either can be used in this recipe (and in the same measurements).
I personally prefer alkanet because:
- it has a more neutral scent
- it results in a deeper, vibrant red color versus the muted purple of beetroot in the tube…(both are very sheer when applied)
- its oil solubility helps the powder to infuse more evenly in the lip balm base
Try both and consider what your target market would prefer!
Alkanet Root Lip Tint vs. Mica Tinted Lip Balm
The popularity of natural and organic products is at an all-time high and only going up from here, as is the ‘no-makeup-makeup’ look.
Tinted lip balms are a fantastic way to bring both of these trends into your handmade skin care shop, and you have options in what you offer:
- Mica Tinted Lip Balms: Mica tinted balms (get the tutorial here) are a sheer lip color option that provides a wide range of ‘glittery’ tones (brown, pink, and red). However, some consumers don’t consider micas to be 100% natural or ethically sourced, depending on the vendor.
- Alkanet Tinted Lip Balms: If your audience is looking for THE most natural, mineral-free lip color possible, alkanet root lip tint is the answer with a shimmer-free, barely-there ‘gloss’.
Not sure of which way to go? Take the time to poll your current following on social media (or friends and family if they represent your future customer base!).
Can I Sell Handmade Alkanet Lip Tint Online?
Yes, you absolutely can sell your alkanet lip tint online! And I highly recommend it (I wouldn’t be writing this tutorial otherwise)!
It has a great profit margin and adds a nice splash of colorful interest to your product line.
Under the FD&C Act (FDA Cosmetic Laws and Regulations), cosmetics, including alkanet lip tint, do not require approval to be sold.
You do want to make sure that when creating your labels and writing your sales pages (aka product descriptions) on your website that you avoid words and phrases such as ‘lip treatment’ or ‘healing lip color’.
This type of verbiage would suggest that your lip tint has medical intentions, putting it in the ‘drug’ category (which would then need approval before selling).
In short, keep your sales language about appearance only and you’ll be good to go!
How Much Does It Cost to Make Alkanet Root Tinted Lip Balm?
The million-dollar question!
When you break it down by ingredients only, the average maker can expect to spend around 18 cents per tube for this particular alkanet tinted lip balm recipe.
Purchasing ingredients in bulk will bring that price down even more (which means a greater profit margin).
The ingredients, however, are only part of the story.
Your business branding and overhead, meaning the…
- lip balm containers
- product labels
- shipping and unboxing packaging
- online advertising
- website fees, shipping, office supplies, etc.
…will all play a part in the final cost of YOUR version of this product.
If you already have a handmade skin care business (or are well on your way) and don’t have a system for pricing your products, take this opportunity to stop and check out the inventory cost & pricing spreadsheet for handmade sellers by Paper + Spark.
The linked spreadsheet (and all of the daily hands-on help that comes with it) completely changed the way I handle the pricing and ‘everything numbers’ for my business – a must-have financial tool for any DIY entrepreneur!
Alkanet Lip Tint Recipe Supplies:
You’ll also want on-brand packaging for your lip tint (such as tubes or tins), but this will depend on your target market. See our lip balm packaging guide here.
Natural Alkanet Lip Tint Recipe Ingredients:
Alkanet Lip Tint Ingredient Explanation:
Beeswax (Cera alba): Used to harden the lip balm base, create a high melting point, and provide natural SPF.
Shea Butter (Vitellaria paradox): Known to alleviate dryness and is a great salve base. Used for sun-damaged skin and long-term skin health.
Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis): Highly penetrating and moisturizing; it does not go rancid and can extend the shelf life of other oils.
Sweet Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis): Easily absorbed and can be used on all skin types. Rich in Vitamin E and proteins.
Castor Oil (Ricinus communis): A well-known lubricant oil; helpful in lip products to add that ‘slip’ often associated with tints and glosses.
Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia): A soothing aroma that is familiar to most individuals; soft and flower, renowned for its ability to heal the skin.
Peppermint Essential Oil (Mentha x piperita): A fresh little hint of mint that feels slightly cool upon application, energizing and green.
Alkanet Root Powder (Alkanna tinctoria): Natural colorant
Handmade Alkanet Tinted Lip Balm Recipe:
1. Put 3 tsp alkanet root in a heat-sealable tea bag and press closed with an iron. Prepare liquid ingredients by measuring out the carrier oils (0.5 oz each of jojoba, sweet almond, and castor oil) with the ramekins and kitchen scale.
2. Fill saucepan with water and place the double boiler on top, partially submerged in water.
3. Add the tea bag and liquid oils to the double boiler, making sure the tea bag stays submerged. Put on low heat for two hours (for a heat infusion).
4. Stir well and remove from heat, but keep the bag in the liquid oils overnight (at least 8 hours). Cover with a towel to prevent contamination.
5. After the waiting period, stir generously. Put on a reusable rubber glove, remove tea bag from the double boiler, squeezing out any extra oil from the tea bag into the double boiler.
Discard the tea bag at this point and wash your gloves immediately to prevent stains.
6. Add 1 oz. of beeswax to the double boiler and put back onto low heat until melted.
7. Remove from heat, add 0.5 oz of shea butter, and stir until melted. If needed, you may place the double boiler back on low heat momentarily to fully melt.
8. Add 4 drops of vitamin E, 15 drops of lavender essential oil, and 15 drops of peppermint essential oil. Stir.
9. Once completely liquid, transfer the heated liquid to individual lip balm tubes with a plastic pipette. If at any point the lip tint starts to harden during transfer, simply reheat for a minute or two.
10. Allow to set for 15 minutes.
If your balms develop ‘sinkholes’ while hardening, you can go back over the top of them with a heat gun very lightly to smooth out the top.
11. Once completely set, you may cap/label/safety seal according to your business branding.
(Don’t have your skin care business branding nailed down yet? Keep scrolling for some inspiration and resources to help you appeal to your ideal customer!)
How To Sell Your Natural Alkanet Root Tinted Lip Balm Online
Let’s pretend 100 handmade skin care entrepreneurs create this alkanet tinted lip balm recipe to sell online. Seems like competition would be high, eh?
Not quite!
Every business has its own unique set of customers, mission statement, and resulting branding choices.
The packaging you choose, your fonts and color palettes, the voice and terminology that you use to describe and market your products…no two businesses will have the exact same ‘formula’, therefore appealing to different types of consumers.
To sell this lip tint effectively and consistently, you’ll want to put in the groundwork to develop a brand for your skin care business as a whole, and if you’ve already done that, you should be able to photo this lip tint and pop it up on your site easily.
If you still need to lay the groundwork for your skincare business, go through these foundational posts to get yourself started:
- How to Write a Mission Statement for Your Skincare Business
- Choosing Your Skincare Target Market
- Color Palette Guide for Skin Care Businesses
- How to Choose the Perfect Fonts for Your Skincare Busienss
Once you have those basics nailed down, take a look at the in-depth Lip Balm Packaging Guide for inspiration on all things from container choices to unboxing details.
Check out these additional posts for lip balm business tips:
Last but not least, when you’re ready to get your alkanet tint into the hands of your eager following, consider these effective ways to sell your lip balm!
More Ideas for Your Handmade Skincare Business
If you enjoyed this tutorial, you’ve just hit the tip of the iceberg on what’s available on this site (your business-building hub!) to help you create a thriving handmade skin care line.
Indie skin care is a fast-growing industry to dive into and the possibilities are endless.
Are you just getting started thinking about this as a side gig (or full-blown career)? Take a while to browse the natural skin care recipes on this site for some brainstorming and inspiration.
After that, head over to the Handmade Skincare Business Startup Checklist to see how easy it really is to start a product line from the comfort of your own home.
Everything you need is here, from vision to launch. Make sure to join our private Facebook Group to ask any questions and get the feedback you need while you build your dream skin care business! Can’t wait to see you on the other side!
Grow Your Skin Care Business!
Browse through the resources below to boost your handmade business visibility and profitability!
