Petroleum jelly is easy to make and it is an ingredient of many other products. Naturalists may substitute a natural oil, such as grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil, for the baby or mineral oil to create an "un-petroleum" jelly.
1 ounce (weight) beeswax
1/2 cup baby or mineral oil
Melt the beeswax in a microwave or a double boiler. Stir in the mineral oil. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir until cool.
2 1/2 ounces (weight) beeswax
4 ounces (weight) lanolin
2/3 cup baby or mineral oil
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon borax (sodium borate, CP)
Fragrant essential oil (optional)
Melt the oil, lanolin and beeswax to 160 degrees F. Heat the borax and water in a separate container to 160 degrees F. Be sure the beeswax is melted and the borax is dissolved. Add the water mixture to the oil mixture while stirring. When a white cream forms, stir slowly until the mixture cools to 100 degrees F. Pour the cream into small, wide-mouth jars.
Beeswax furniture polish with its soft, satin shine is considered the ultimate in wood care.
4 ounces (weight) beeswax
2 tablespoons carnauba wax
2 1/2 cups odorless turpentine
Melt the waxes on high in a microwave or in a double boiler. Remove the waxes from the heat and stir in the turpentine. Apply the polish with a clean cloth and rub in small circles. Turn the cloth as it becomes dirty. Allow the polish to dry, then buff with a clean cloth. If more than one coat is desired, wait 2 days between applications.
Lipstick colors this easy formula for lip gloss. This is a good way to use lipstick that is too dark because the gloss will be a lighter color.
1 teaspoon grated beeswax
1/2 teaspoon lipstick
1/2 teaspoon petroleum jelly
Melt the ingredients in a small can placed in boiling water. Stir it well and pour it into a small jar.
Most bath oils simply float on water. Dispersing bath oil mixes evenly with water, clings to skin and forms a thin, even coating.
1 whole egg
1/2 cup baby or mineral oil
2 teaspoons liquid detergent
1/4 cup vodka
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup whole milk
Fragrant essential oil (optional)
Liquid food coloring (optional)
Mix all ingredients in a blender for 30 seconds. Use only 1 or 2 tablespoons of the oil in a bathtub of water. Shelf-life at room temperature is about 18 months!
Simple petroleum jelly is good for chapped lips, but this formula is even better.
1 tablespoon grated beeswax (1/2 oz.)
1 tablespoon petroleum jelly
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon lanolin
3 to 4 drops essential oil blend
Melt the wax, lanolin and petroleum jelly in a microwave. Add the honey and essential oil. Essential oil of peppermint, eucalyptus, wintergreen and camphor slightly numb painful lips. Stir the mixture until it cools.
"Super Formulas, Arts & Crafts: How to make more than 360 useful products that contain honey & beeswax" 120-page book by Elaine C. White. ISBN 0-9637539-7-5