Organic Essential Oils in Natural Lip Balm

Essential oils are the concentrated aromatic compounds distilled or pressed from plants. People have used scented plant oils for a very long time, and versions of them still turn up in both traditional and modern skincare. They also have a place in lip care. This page covers a bit of their history, their general benefits, and how we use organic essential oils in our lip balm.

Background

Scented plant oils go back to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, who used infused and macerated oils in perfumes, cosmetics, embalming, and religious rites. The steam distillation that produces most modern essential oils came later: it was refined by the Persian physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna) around 1000 CE. Ancient Ayurvedic and Chinese texts also record the use of aromatic plants, so what those early cultures used was closer to fragrant infused oils than to the distilled oils sold today.

General benefits

• Aroma and mood: different oils are commonly used in aromatherapy to calm or to freshen a space.
• Antimicrobial activity: in lab studies, oils such as tea tree, oregano, and eucalyptus slow the growth of a range of microbes.
• Soothing: peppermint and lavender are traditionally used to ease minor irritation.
• Antioxidants: rosemary oil contains antioxidant compounds such as carnosic acid, and rosemary and frankincense are studied for antioxidant activity.

How do essential oils help in lip balm?

• Comfort: lavender and chamomile are gentle oils that suit dry, chapped lips.
• Soothing: the mildness of oils like chamomile suits cracked or sore lips.
• Flavor without additives: we flavor our balms with oils like peppermint, lemon, orange, and vanilla rather than artificial flavorings or synthetic fragrance.

One thing worth clearing up: some blogs claim carrot seed oil or other plant oils give real sun protection. They don't. Testing puts carrot seed essential oil at an SPF of around 6 at best, which is not enough to rely on, and no essential oil works as a sunscreen. If you want sun protection on your lips, use a balm made with an actual SPF rating.

A note on citrus and sunlight

Cold-pressed citrus oils, lemon in particular, contain compounds called furanocoumarins that can make skin more sensitive to UV light. On a spot as exposed as the lips this matters, so citrus is only safe at low levels. Safety references such as Tisserand and Young set strict caps on how much expressed citrus oil belongs in a leave-on product, which is why we keep these oils to small, flavoring amounts rather than dosing them heavily. Steam-distilled citrus oils don't carry the same risk. If you plan to sunbathe or use a tanning bed, it's sensible to avoid heavy citrus products beforehand.

Why we choose organic

We use organic essential oils in our lip balm for a few reasons:

• Growing method: organic crops are grown without synthetic pesticides or herbicides.
• Simplicity: no artificial fragrance or additives that can bother sensitive lips.
• Sourcing: we buy from suppliers who hold to the same standards.

In short

Scented plant oils have a long record in perfume and skincare, and in a lip balm they mainly add comfort and flavor. They won't protect you from the sun, and because they are concentrated they should always be properly diluted. If your lips are very sensitive or often irritated, patch test first or check with a professional.