• Commercial lip glosses contain many preservatives.lip gloss image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
  
  Max Factor, dubbed "the father of modern makeup," invented lip gloss for use in movie makeup and began releasing his products to the general public in 1932. Since then, countless makeup companies have created their own versions of the shiny lip application. Instead of investing money in retail products, you can make your own homemade lip gloss successfully by adhering to a few tips.
  
  

Common Ingredients and Amounts

• Cosmetic or food grade beeswax, petroleum jelly, vegetable shortening, coconut oil, almond oil, honey, aloe vera gel, vitamin E oil, sesame oil, flavored essential oils, fruit juice or Kool-aid mix are ingredients you can use in your homemade lip gloss. It is important to adhere to certain percentages for success. Forty percent of the recipe should be cosmetic grade oil that is in liquid form at room temperature, such as almond oil or sesame oil. Twenty-five percent should be cosmetic grade oil that is solid at room temperature such as coconut, palm or shea butter. Twenty percent should be cosmetic grade beeswax, petroleum jelly or vegetable shortening. Fifteen percent of the recipe should be cosmetic grade oil that is brittle at room temperature such as cocoa butter or palm kernel oil.
  
  

Melting

• When melting lip gloss base ingredients, such as petroleum jelly or beeswax, in the microwave, set the appliance for 20 to 30 seconds at a time so you do not overheat the ingredients. Stir the ingredients in between heating times. If you use a double-boiler to melt the ingredients, heat on a low setting and remove from the heat as soon as melting occurs. You can also place the ingredients in a zip-type plastic bag and melt them in a pot full of hot tap water. Once melted, knead the bag, add additional ingredients such as cosmetic grade oils and various flavorings. Knead again to mix. Cut the bottom corner off of the bag and pipe into clean storage containers.
  
  

Cooling and Storing

• Regardless of the lip gloss recipe you use, you will need to allow it cool thoroughly before storing. Pour the heated concoction into the storage containers, and leave them out on a counter to cool and set. Once cooled, place airtight lids on the containers and store in a cool, dry environment.
  
  

Recycled Containers, Expiration Date

• You can recycle a commercial lip gloss pot or tube, if you wish. Clean out all of the old product, and wash the container with soap and hot water. Dip the container in rubbing alcohol to sterilize. Allow to dry thoroughly before placing the homemade lip gloss inside the container. Discard the lip gloss after three days.