Mica Tinted Lip Balm Recipe (How to Make & Sell Online)

save for later:

With the green beauty + minimalist makeup look all the rage, now is the PERFECT time to make this mica-tinted lip balm recipe to sell online.

Tinted lip balm is a moisturizing, protecting salve (just like untinted lip balm) that leaves a sheer color on the lips when applied.

To be 100% clear before you dive into the tutorials below, lip tint is meant to be reapplied throughout the day and does not stick to lips like lipstick or lip stain does. Because it is lip balm…with tint!

In this article, you’ll learn how to make 6 shades of organic tinted lip balm (with mica) that sell incredibly well via e-commerce.

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my affiliate policy.

Why Make ORGANIC Tinted Lip Balm?

I can argue the importance of using natural cosmetics all day long, and lip tint is no exception.

Cosmetic formulators love to put flavors and scents into their lip products and they’re very popular, especially amongst a younger market (I still distinctly remember the ‘Strawberry Cheesecake’ lip balm from my youth) – NOT great for the health and wellness of their customers.

Adding flavors and artificial scents makes the individual lick their lips more (which dries lips out) and can also cause allergies and sensitivities.

Making your own tinted lip balm recipe ensures that you are using organic ingredients you trust, scenting only with organic essential oils, and keeping away from lip-drying additives that are completely unnecessary.

Natural Colorants for DIY Lip Tint

In handmade cosmetics, colors can be easily created with mineral pigments (micas and oxides) and ground herbs, roots, and seeds.

Micas

Micas are naturally occurring minerals that are purified and ground into very fine powder. They are popular in cosmetics and other handmade products (such as soap and candles) since they add a natural shimmery finish.

Cosmetic micas that contain ONLY mica minerals and iron/titanium oxide are considered natural – there are some available on the market that are colored with FD&C colorants, such as blue and green (which we do not promote on our site).

Ground Herbs and Roots

Ground herbs and roots create a vast array of natural colors. While they can be added to handmade soap recipes directly, they are most effectively used in lip colors through infusion.

Both micas and ground plant materials must be labeled as ‘cosmetic grade’ to be safely used in skin care and cosmetic recipes.

Which Type of Colorant is Best for DIY Lip Tints?

DIY tinted lip balm with mica is shimmery, whereas infused root lip tints have more of a berry-kissed look (without shimmer).

The choice depends on your target market – some customers do not consider mica to be natural, whereas others are comfortable using micas as long as they are not artificially colored with lakes and dyes.

This post focuses directly on creating lip tints made with naturally colored mica powders.

If you want one without shimmer, see our alkanet root lip tint recipe.

Can I Sell Handmade Tinted Lip Balm Online?

According to the FDA Cosmetics Laws & Regulations, tinted lip balm is considered a cosmetic. Under the FD&C Act, cosmetics do not require approval to be sold.

That being said, if you use certain terminology in your product name, on your label, or in your online sales page description that implies your lip tint can heal, cure, or be a treatment, you’ll be putting your products in the ‘drug’ category – which DOES require approval before selling.

Once you hit on a few shades that you love and can market in a way that keeps them in the ‘cosmetic’ category, you absolutely SHOULD sell your tinted lip balm – online, in person, in singles, in bulk…any way you can think of.

Since the no-makeup-makeup look is trending big time, it is such an easy thing to promote on social media to get some eyes on your natural skin care line.

There are exponential ways to combine lip colors into gift sets (either together or with other products that you make).

Here are a few of my top-selling lip tint sets to get your ideas rolling:

How Much Does it Cost to Make Tinted Lip Balm with Mica?

The tinted lip balm base doesn’t cost that much at all – when calculated out individually, the balm ingredients are only nine cents a tube.

Micas are what drive up the cost of this product, as each jar (if you’re buying a large quantity) is about fifteen dollars.

There are eleven colors used to make the six shades in this tutorial, and of course you can choose to make your own color combinations and start with smaller mica samplers.

Mica has an infinite shelf life and they have paid for themselves tenfold in my own shop; if you market yourself well, there’s no reason to expect any different for your own line.

The other costs come down to your own business decisions:

• Your target audience

• The type of lip balm packaging that would attract your customers to buy

• Your labeling choices

• The unboxing experience you choose to provide

Organic Mica Tinted Lip Balm Recipe

DIY Lip Tint Recipe Supplies:

Organic Mica Lip Tint Ingredients:

Step-by-Step Mica Tinted Lip Balm Recipe:

1. Fill saucepan with a couple of inches of tap water. Put your double boiler on top of the sauce pan, making sure a portion of the bottom is submerged to heat properly.

2. Measure out ingredients in ramekins on the scale:

• 1 oz. organic beeswax
• 1/2 oz. organic shea butter
• 1/2 oz. organic jojoba oil
• 1/2 oz. organic sweet almond oil
• 1/2 oz. organic castor oil

3. Put the pan on your stove or hot plate on low to medium heat (don’t go too hot or it will warp and melt your plastic lip balm containers).

• Add the beeswax first and melt completely.

• Once melted, add the jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, and castor oil.

• Remove from heat and add the shea butter.

• Mix with a glass stir rod as it melts to speed up the process. 

• Give a final stir once all ingredients are melted and the base is completely transparent.

4. Add the designated amount of mica (see six different color blend options further down in this post) – mix together until all clumps are gone and the color is consistent throughout the heated liquid.

Add the following and mix again with a glass stir rod:

• 15 drops of organic lavender essential oil

• 15 drops of organic peppermint essential oil

5. Transfer liquid balm into heat-safe containers based on your business branding.

One option is to use plastic pipettes and fill individually (these are easy to tip over, use a steady hand!).

Another option is to use a filling tray if you have standard-size tubes:

• Round lip balm tube filling tray
• Oval lip balm tube filling tray

Continue stirring the liquid balm as you transfer – the mica quickly settles to the bottom of the double boiler and you want it to stay evenly dispersed for consistent application.

6. If your lip tint develops a ‘sink hole’ during the hardening process, use a craft heat gun to round the tops out for a more aesthetically pleasing end product.

7. Once your tinted lip balm has hardened, you can safely add the caps and lids to your balm container.

Label and safety seal according to your skin care business branding.

How to Tint Your Lip Balm with Mica Powder

Mica is mixed straight into the heated lip balm base while still on the stove – it works best if the balm is stirred after each new color is added to reduce the chance of the mica clumping up.

You’ll want to stir pretty consistently as you transfer the liquid balm into the containers, as the mica settles back to the bottom of the double boiler quickly.

The six shades of mica tinted lip balm below are just suggestions – I look forward to seeing new combinations you create for your own line!

Shimmery Mica Lip ‘Tint’ Recipe

Light Pink Mica Lip Tint Recipe

Dark Pink Mica Lip Tint Recipe

Light Brown Mica Lip Tint Recipe

Medium Brown Mica Lip Tint Recipe

Dark Brown Mica Lip Tint Recipe

Selling Your Tinted Lip Balm Online

Branding Your Tinted Lip Balm

If you already have your skin care business up and running, you know from experience that this recipe is only the beginning of getting this lip tint ready to sell.

If you are just now starting your business journey, you’ll need to complete some basic business foundation work before moving on:

• Consider your business mission statement
• Decide on your skin care target market
• Choose your skin care business color palette
• Choose your business font pairings

After you have those details nailed down, you can move on to the fun details!

We have everything you need in our Handmade Lip Balm Packaging Guide, covering it all from lip balm containers, to labels, to unboxing details.

If you don’t have a website already, check out the following resource for getting your lip tint ready to sell online:

Marketing Your Tinted Lip Balm

Finally, once you’re up and running, skim through the 16 Effective Ways to Sell Your Handmade Lip Balm for ways to get your lip tints into the hands of your much-anticipating customers!

Need some support or feedback on your branding choices?

Head over to our private DIY Skin Biz Facebook Group with handmade entrepreneurs like yourself!

save for later: