Adding Propolis to Lip-Balm / Lotion

[Jonathan Hofer]

I like to add propolis to my lip-balms and lotions for the "healing" smell. The last time I did it, I melted wax with the propolis and then poured the mixture through a strainer to get the junk out of the propolis. After the wax hardened, I just cut off the desired amount, and added it to the recipe.

Doing it this way, is a bit of a hassle, because it makes somewhat of a mess, and it's hard to get the propolis warm enough to dissolve without getting a peculiar smell throughout the house. Is there an easier way to add propolis to recipes?

Thanks

JH

[bee crazy]

I like to add propolis to my lip-balms and lotions for the "healing" smell. The last time I did it, I melted wax with the propolis and then poured the mixture through a strainer to get the junk out of the propolis. After the wax hardened, I just cut off the desired amount, and added it to the recipe.

Doing it this way, is a bit of a hassle, because it makes somewhat of a mess, and it's hard to get the propolis warm enough to dissolve without getting a peculiar smell throughout the house. Is there an easier way to add propolis to recipes?

Thanks

JH

Hi Jonathan,
nope, that's the way I do it. it's the only way I know you can control the amount of propolis going into the product although I'm trying to make the propolis flakes now. That is disolve raw propolis in ever clear alchol. One you have the alchol very dark pour some out into a jelly roll pan and let it evaporate leaving a sticky sheet of propolis on the pan. then freeze the pan for a day then turn the frozen propolis onto wax paper and brake into flakes. Store that in a baggie back into the freezer. When you need to add it to melted wax
just get it out of the freezer. I use 10 grms propolis to 1000 grms. of wax or a 1% propolis solution.

[Tim Hall]

Could someone be kind enough to tell me what fatty/waxy substances you can dissolve propolis in. I've made tincture with tequila and everclear easily enough, but last night I tried an experiment. I tried heating propolis in olive oil, and all I got was crunchy fried propolis after it cooled. I don't think any of the propolis infused into the olive oil.

Will warmed propolis readily dissolve in melted bee's wax? Other fatty/waxy substances? Thanks for any suggestions.

[ScadsOBees]

Propolis left in vegetable oil or others I'm sure will disolve somewhat, imparting the smell and color to the oil. I don't know how much of the actual propolis gets in there.

I tried to put some in my lip balm and it tasted like I was rubbing dirt on my lips.

Rick

[Tim Hall]

I tried to put some in my lip balm and it tasted like I was rubbing dirt on my lips.

Hmmm...yeah that's not quite the effect I'm aiming for. Something more homogeneous.

[LusciousHoney]

I am relatively new to this forum, however I do have quite a bit of experience making balms, salves and soaps.
What I do is to tincture the propolis in Everclear. This takes a while. I then strain the tincture thru a coffee filter. That strained tincture then gets added to castor oil. Leave the oil mixture out to evaporate out the alcohol and you have a propolis castor oil. You can then incorporate the castor oil in your various recipes.

I'm not sure if this works with other oils or if it NEEDS to be castor oil (the recommendation implied it needed to be castor), my lip balm recipe call for castor oil anyway.
~Petra~

[Tim Hall]

Thanks for the info Petra.

[Musashi]

I know I'm resurrecting and old thread, but I'm very curious what is the point in putting propolis in lip balms? I know what propolis is good for but it seems unless you have a cold sore on your lip it wouldn't do that much for you that normal lip balm wouldn't do??

[beaglady]

I know I'm resurrecting and old thread, but I'm very curious what is the point in putting propolis in lip balms? I know what propolis is good for but it seems unless you have a cold sore on your lip it wouldn't do that much for you that normal lip balm wouldn't do??

Label appeal counts as much as anything else. I use propolis in my 'winter' balm, which also uses heavier oils that stay on the lips longer. It seems to help cracked sore lips more quickly than my regular formula. I infuse the propolis in my oil overnight in a mini crockpot. The finished oil definitely absorbs the vanillin notes of the propolis and dissolves it somewhat.