How To Make Temple Balm

This year I vowed that every gift I give would be handmade with love and care. So as December grew closer, the crafting began! This is the third post in a series of simple ‘How To’ guides with step by step instructions to make homemade self care gifts (Read: Homemade Christmas Gifts: How To Make Relaxing Lavender Bath Salts and Homemade Christmas Gifts: How To Make Scented Candles). Temple balm is massaged into the temples, scented with relaxing lavender, helping you to sink into a blissful slumber. In this recipe, I have also added peppermint essential oil for its headache soothing properties. Don’t miss out on the free Temple Balm Label Template download!

These Lavender and Peppermint temple balms take just minutes to make before leaving them to set for a couple of hours. They are super easy and utterly gorgeous! Despite requiring very little ingredients and time to produce, these temple balms will last for months even if used daily.

WARNING: Please take caution using warm melted oil. Contact with the skin could cause burns, so ensure you wear sufficient protective clothing, keep a tidy workspace and use oven gloves to handle hot equipment.

Supplies

The ingredients and equipment you will need to make this soothing temple balm are listed below, with helpful guidance on quantities and links to the products I used.

Ingredients

Coconut Oil

Shea Butter

Lavender essential oil

Peppermint essential oil

Quantities

The quantities you need will depend on the size of your balm jars and how many you would like to make. As a guide however, I measured the quantities in ratios which you can use for any quantity. You will need a ratio of 2:1 for coconut oil and shea butter, and 5 drops of essential oil per 15ml of the above at a ratio of 2:3 for peppermint to lavender. I chose 8 x 15ml jars for my temple balms and my quantities were as follows: 80ml coconut oil, 40ml shea butter, 16 drops peppermint oil and 24 drops lavender oil.

Equipment

Jars

Glass or plastic jug

Microwave (if you don’t have one, to melt the coconut oil and shea butter place them in a metal jug and stand the jug in a saucepan of water on the hob)

Measuring spoons

Scissors

Labels (or download this template to print the labels I designed for my temple balms to glue onto the lids)

String (optional decoration)

Costs and links

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The jars I used were little 15ml jars with screw on metal lids, purchased from Amazon at £11.99 for 10 jars (price on 04/10/2020).

You will need 100% pure coconut oil, available at most supermarkets and health food stores for anywhere between 50p and £1.50 per 100ml depending on quality, quantity and brand.

Shea butter is pricier, but you only need a very small quantity. I purchased 100g from Amazon for £3.95 (price on 04/10/2020).

Essential oils vary greatly in cost and must be 100% pure for the best quality. I buy my essential oils from FreshSkin Beauty, costing around £7 per 100ml depending on the size purchased.

Instructions

Step 1

Use measuring spoons to scoop the coconut oil and shea butter into a glass jug. Melt in the microwave until completely smooth.

Step 2

Add the lavender oil and peppermint oil, being careful to count each drop. Peppermint oil is very strong, and even a few extra drops can overpower the lavender. Stir in the oils thoroughly.

Step 3

Carefully pour the oil into your jars. Leave the lids off, and leave to cool at room temperate (not too warm). They should be firm enough to wrap up if needed in just a couple of hours, or even firmer if left over night. I recommend not putting them in the fridge, or they can cool too quickly and the colour can mottle.

Step 4

Print your labels, cut around the guideline and stick with glue to the lids of your jars. If using, tie decorative string around the lids (I love small details like this to set my gifts apart from shop bought products). Admire your blissfully scented soothing temple balms!

Easy right? Your temple balms can be given on their own as a gift, or added to a gift box of other homemade goodies such as Lavender Bath Salts or Scented Candles.

Try it out for yourself? Tag us in your photos @sistablisstribe on Instagram.

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