When we were looking at how to add a subtle and natural colour to our Edible Lip Balms, we found that most other brands used “Cochineal” as their natural red colouring. This can also be called “Carmine”, “Natural Colours” or “Natural Red Number 4”. This is made by boiling Cochineal insects in water and extracting the red dye from the insects as it breaks down. Although there is nothing wrong with this (except if you are a Cochineal beetle), it made us feel a bit funny about having bug residue on our lips, and so we looked for something nicer.
After much searching, we found that Red Beetroot Extract gave a much more natural looking colour, and was totally bug free! Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like Beetroot, it is just the colour. We use a natural strawberry flavour for the taste, although we kept it light tasting too.
The end result is a beautiful moisturising and conditioning lip balm, that gives a very subtle and natural looking colour to the lips. Healthy for the lips, healthy when ingested, and bug free. We tested this for so long on ourselves and are now so proud that we have made something different to everyone else. We hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Hydrolyzed Candelilla Wax, Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Extract, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax. .
| Ingredient | Description |
| Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil | High in the types of fatty acids needed for troubled skin. |
| Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil | Jojoba Oil is one of the most moisturising skin care oils around and is one of our all-time favourite moisturising oils. It is light and sinks into the skin easily. Curiously, Jojoba Oil is actually a liquid wax. It is also very non comedogenic meaning that it does not clog the pores. It makes for a good conditioner too. |
| Cera Alba (Beeswax) | An edible way to help turn products from a cream into a balm. |
| Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) | A rich moisturising butter which, in our opinion, is a great alternative to Lanolin. |
| Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E) | We use the more expensive, natural Vitamin E in our creams, not synthetic. Natural Vitamin E has up to twice the bioavailability of synthetic forms. Vitamin E has antioxidant action as well as free radical scavenger properties. Abundant assortments of researchers from diversified medical fields have theorized that this can slow the aging process. (Sources: Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, November-December 2001, and Free Radical Biology and Medicine, October 1999). |
| Hydrolyzed Candelilla Wax | A protective wax that also helps the balm be nice and firm. |
| Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Extract | We only go so far in the name of beauty, so when given the choice between crushed beetles (Cochineal or Carmine) or Beetroot extract to give a red colour, we would choose Beetroot extract every time. |
| Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract | Strawberry Fruit Extract. That’s it! |
| Allantoin | Comfrey Root has long been known as a soothing plant. Allantoin was identified as the part of the plant that performed this function and it has since been synthesised to make it more concentrated and effective. So the allantoin we use is the pure ingredient. It is said to clean away dead tissue, allowing the growth of new healthy tissue. Allantoin has been also termed a counter irritant. It helps the skin to help itself. It is also promoted as preventing lines and wrinkles by assisting skin repair. |
| Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax | A protective wax that also helps the balm be nice and firm. |