I have a recipe for Peppermint Lip balm. It calls for petroleum jelly, I don't have on any hand but I do have Bag Balm...do you think I could substitute one for the other. Thanks in advance for your responses.

-- claudia in NY (cooleyville@aol.com), January 31, 2002

Answers

bag balm is a misture already,, so when you heat it, it will sperate first. I make hand lotion with beeswax,, but I use vegie oil,, not jelly

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 31, 2002.

As Bag Balm contains 0.3% hydroxyquninoline (antifungal agent), you will be applying this antifungal agent with your homemade lip mixture.

Bag Balm is a lotion/paste product that contains a mild antiseptic (0.3% 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate in a petroleum, lanolin base). It's made by the Dairy Association Company of Lyndonville, VT, 05851

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.

You can make a fine all natural lip balm with equal parts coconut oil, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil and beeswax, adjust the sweet almond oil up or down to regulate desired firmness. Start on the low side and fiddle with it as needed.

You can heat all these up in the microwave on half setting in a Pyrex mixing cup and pour into your lip balm tubes or containers directly.

All ingredients are available from www.lorannoils.com very cheaply, and with no minimum order, they ship within days.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 31, 2002.

Use Annie receipe. I sell lip balms with a similar one. After you have melted all the oils and I use beeswax, lanolin, shea butter, cocoa butter I drop several droplets of peppermint essential oil in to the oils. If you do not want essential oils for flavor use honey it works pretty good too.

-- debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), January 31, 2002.