CL 427: Formulation Science and Engineering
Hands-on Project
Lip Balm Formulation- Beeswax and Coconut Oil
TEAM MEMBERS
Diya Mahesh 21110061
Harsh Jadhav 21110074
Nilansh Sharma 21110140
Manasi Kulkarni 21110249
Under the guidance of
Prof. Prachi Thareja
1. INTRODUCTION
Lip balm is a commonly used and very popular cosmetic product, used by all genders alike. It moisturizes
the lips, preventing them from chapping and drying out. Nowadays, many lip balms also have chemicals
that increase their SPF, which protect the lips from harmful UV rays, much like the role of sunscreens on
the skin.
Apart from this, there are many properties that are desired in a lip balm:
● The balm should be soft, non-greasy, and non-waxy to feel on the lips.
● The balm should have a smooth texture and should spread evenly on the lips, without forming
solid lumps or residue.
● The balm should be of an optimal consistency, not too solid-like to not spread on the lips
properly, and not too flowy to not stick on the lips when applied.
● The balm should preferably be made of herbal chemicals, and should not have toxic ingredients
that could cause harm in the long run. It should not irritate the skin and should be
dermatologically safe.
● The balm should also be long-lasting.
The main constituents of a lip balm are wax and oil. Other ingredients that could give a colour tint or
fragrance to the product are also sometimes added. The quality and consistency of the lip balm varies
depending on the amount of wax and oil in it. A balance in the composition of the components must be
achieved to get a lip balm of the desired softness and other characteristics.
In this hands-on project, we prepared seven different formulations of varying beeswax and coconut oil
compositions to assess the right composition at which the optimal lip balm formulation could be made.
Multiple tests such as the texture and sensitivity test, spreadability test, melting test and optical
microscopic imaging were performed to assess the quality of the formulations prepared.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
We conducted our study based on the research article “Preparation and Evaluation of Herbal Lip Balm”.
The research paper that we reviewed had 5 different components, which consisted of 18% cocoa butter,
27% beeswax, 36% coconut oil, 18% Aloe vera, and 1% almond oil. The paper carried out 1 experiment
with the above compositions and performed 8 tests.
a) The texture appeared to be smooth.
b) The melting point was achieved at 64 0 C - 65 0 C.
c) The colour was white.
d) pH observed was 6.1
e) No skin irritation was observed.
f) Homogeneous spreadability was seen
g) Pleasant smell appeared
h) Stable formulation was observed at room temperature, after 30 days of inspection.
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Scaling of the ingredients used in our experiment:
In our experiment, we had two components, namely, beeswax and coconut oil. We scaled their quantity to
100%. After scaling, the quantity of beeswax was 45%, and coconut oil was 55% (by weight).
Description of Components used:
Beeswax: Beeswax acts as a natural emulsifier, binding oil and water components effectively. It provides
structure and thickness to formulations, enhancing stability and consistency. It creates a protective barrier
on the skin, locking in moisture and offering a smooth texture. Additionally, beeswax imparts a natural
shine and helps maintain the solid form of various products, aiding in easy application.
Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is known for its excellent moisturizing and emollient properties, making it
effective in soothing and hydrating dry skin. It absorbs quickly, leaving the skin soft, smooth, and radiant.
Its lightweight texture allows for deep penetration, enhancing skin hydration. Additionally, coconut oil
forms a protective barrier, helping to lock in moisture and maintain the skin’s natural softness.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Beeswax and coconut oil were used to prepare the formulations. Beeswax was acquired from the SMSE
Lab and coconut oil was purchased from JK Grocery Store. We prepared seven samples of lip balm
wherein the volume of oil used was kept constant at 6 mL for all the samples in order to make
comparisons in their characterizations. Hence the weight of the coconut oil used was also constant. The
weight of beeswax used was varied as follows:
Table 1: Compositions of the prepared formulations
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7
BW (g) 3.5 4 4.5 5 6 7 8
Oil (mL) 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
Oil (g) 5.467 5.467 5.467 5.467 5.467 5.467 5.467
BW:Oil
(g/g) 0.640 0.732 0.823 0.915 1.098 1.280 1.463
Beeswax pellets were added to a beaker and directly heated on a hot plate at 90℃ until it melted. The
required amount of beeswax was measured using a weighing balance and 6 mL of oil was added to it. The
constituents were mixed using a blender, the mixing time being constant at 3 minutes for all the samples.
The samples were collected in vials and stored at room temperature.
For Calculations: Google Sheets Link & For YouTube Video: Video Link
4. CHARACTERIZATION
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4.1 Texture and Sensitivity
Figure: Texture and sensitivity analysis on samples R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7.
Approximately equal amounts of the samples were applied on the skin, spreading them out evenly four
times. Sample R1 (with the lowest beeswax to oil ratio) has the smoothest texture when applied to the
skin. As the wax content in the samples increases, the texture turns out to be rougher. Larger lump
formations indicate greater wax content and rougher texture, which is undesired in a lip balm formulation.
Sample R7 has the roughest texture, with huge lump formations due to high wax content.
4.2 Melting Point
All the samples were collected in a petri dish and marked. The dish was placed on the hotplate, with an
initial temperature of 30 ℃. The temperature was raised to 35 ℃ and then to 40 ℃. Samples R1 and R3
started to melt at 40 ℃. The temperature was gradually increased to 45 ℃. No melting was observed
before this point. However, it was observed that R2 and R6 started to melt at 45 ℃. Subsequently, the
temperature was continuously raised by 2 ℃ and it was observed that R5 melted at 47 ℃, R4 at 50 ℃ and
R7 at 55 ℃.
a) b)
Figure : Formulations for melting point determination, b) Formulations at 55℃
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Figure: Plot of melting point of the samples R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7.
4.3 Optical Microscopic Images
Figure: Optical microscopic images of samples R1,R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7.
It was observed that R3 has the smoothest texture and the most even distribution when spread. Very small
lumps (dark circles or patches) can be seen. Samples R1 and R2 have bigger lumps, however, they are
smoother compared to samples R4 to R7, where very large dark patches can be observed indicating an
uneven and rougher texture.
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4.4 Spreadability Test
A fixed amount of each formulation sample (53.7 mg) was collected in a microscope slide. Another slide
was placed exactly on top of the first slide. A weight of approximately 60 g was placed on top of the
sample on the slide for 1 minute. The longest length of the spreaded sample was measured using ImageJ.
Figure: Spreadability of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7
5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
1. As the amount of oil in the sample increased, better spreadability and texture were observed.
Lesser and smaller solid lumps were formed which is what is desired in lip balm.
2. While increasing the amount of oil leads to a smoother texture, there is a limit to increasing the
amount of oil in the lip balm. Higher concentrations of it can make it flow over the lips, which is
also not suitable.
3. The melting point generally increases with increasing BW to oil ratio. However, some anomalies
were observed during the experiment. A decrease in the melting point at R3 and R6 could be due
to specific interactions between oil and beeswax at those specific compositions. A higher
beeswax-to-oil ratio indicates higher densities and stronger intermolecular interactions, which
require more energy to melt.
4. From the microscopic images, we can observe that the formulation having a smoother texture has
a more even particle distribution whereas lumps can be observed in the formulations having a
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rough texture. Formulations having a lower oil to beeswax ratio have an even distribution
whereas those with a high wax concentration form lumps.
5. The longest length of the spread formulation was calculated from the spreadability test. For a
desirable lip balm, we need optimal spreading, not too much and not too less. The mean longest
length of all the seven samples is closest to that of R3.
6. CONCLUSIONS
R3 is the best out of the seven formulations prepared. From texture and sensitivity analysis, beeswax to
oil ratio is 0.8 which is less than 1 as required. In optical microscopy images, lumps were not formed, and
particles were evenly distributed. From the spreadability test, the average length of spreading is optimal.
However a flaw is that its melting point is low, hence storage could be an issue.
7. REFERENCES
We conducted our study based on the following research article.
C. D. Gholap, S. J. Vitnor, D. M. Pagire, “Preparation and Evaluation of Herbal Lip Balm”, May-June
2023, Volume 11, Issue 3, IJIRMPS.
[Link]