My lips often crack and peel, and by chance, I began seriously researching lipstick.
During that time, I dared not apply any commercially available products.
I started reading ingredient lists, growing increasingly alarmed:
Synthetic pigments, chemical dyes, mineral oil, silicone oil, stabilizers, flow agents, color correctors...
Each name made my lips feel like a small patch of land invaded by chemicals.
So I started experimenting with making my own lipstick.
I discovered that ancient Chinese women never used these ingredients.
Their materials were simple:
flowers, leaves, roots, resins, beeswax, and oils that melted gently on the skin.
I tried coloring using ancient methods.
When safflower met hot oil, that subtle natural fragrance—that non-pungent botanical scent—made me realize for the first time
—that lipstick could contain nothing you didn't recognize.
Later, I researched how to simplify the process for everyone—using plant powders, yes, plant powders. But untreated powders wouldn't dissolve in oils. I studied how to make them blend without chemicals. After countless trials, I discovered lemon juice and baking soda in precise ratios could alter the powders' properties.
Why do I insist on using plant powders and natural materials?
Plant powders don't dry out my lips.
Beeswax forms a natural protective barrier.
Jojoba oil leaves lips hydrated and glossy.
After using it for a while, my chapped, peeling lips healed. I realized:
I wasn't just making “fun little crafts.”
I was creating a beauty product that truly nourishes the body.
This is why I insist on natural ingredients and traditional methods.
It's not about being artsy or sentimental—
it's because I've personally witnessed how natural ingredients gently protect a person.