Homemade Lip Gloss

Before I share the recipe for homemade lip gloss, I feel like I should warn you about a few things. I clipped the recipe from Family Fun magazine ages ago and dug it out for Lexie’s birthday party. Some people would have had a practice run before introducing a project like this to a group of a dozen or so girls. But I think it’s much more exciting to plunge right in, especially if there’s karaoke going on so loudly in the background that you can’t think straight.

What I learned from the experience is that the recipe makes a tiny amount, barely enough for two small lip gloss pots. I also learned that you should make sure your honey hasn’t crystallized or your lip gloss will be a little lumpy. And, finally, I learned that you shouldn’t try the watermelon-cherry variety yourself unless you have an extremely high tolerance for sour.

In the end, the girls were just throwing big globs of shortening and honey together and then adding the Kool-Aid mix at will. I had my doubts, but the girls loved it and some even ate a little. One of Lexie’s friends told me later that she had made several more batches since the party, using powdered lemonade mix instead of Kool-Aid.

So I feel safe in sharing this recipe since it passed the Girl Test, and that’s what matters. This was a fun party activity, but I think they would make great gifts, too. Your child could use red or green Kool-Aid mix and put little Christmas-y stickers on the pots and hand them out to all her friends during the holidays. If you would like a more sensible, grown-up version of lip gloss, let me know and I’ll dig out the recipe.

Homemade Lip Gloss
from Family Fun magazine

1 tablespoon solid vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon honey
1 packet (.13- to .23-ounce, or enough to make 2 quarts) unsweetened flavored powdered drink mix, such as Kool-Aid
1/4 teaspoon hot water

Combine the shortening and honey in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the drink mix and water until the powder is dissolved. Stir the water mixture a drop or two at a time into the base mixture, until the gloss is colored and scented to your liking. Put into lip gloss containers.

You can order little plastic pots from lots of online sources, including this one. I bought a bag of 100 several years ago when I made honey lip balm for my friends. The pots are one of those things that are nice to have around, just in case.