Home Skincare Is Lip Scrub Edible?

Is Lip Scrub Edible?

by Gabbi

Ever since matte lipsticks became all the rage, many of us have invested in lip scrubs. For those who aren’t familiar, lip scrub is made of oil or Vaseline and a sandy substance (usually sugar) that you can rub on your lips to get rid of dead skin cells.

Scrubbing your lips regularly results in soft and smooth lips that look stunning with any kind of lipstick on, especially matte lipstick.

Because 99% of lip scrubs contain sugar, many of us are tempted to lick the sweet substance off our lips after we’re done scrubbing. 

But is lip scrub edible? It really depends on the ingredients. Some lip scrubs contain petroleum and preservatives that you don’t want to ingest. Others are made with all edible ingredients, but you might still want to think twice before licking them off your lips.

In this post, we’re going to dive deep into the reality of lip scrubs, whether they’re edible or not, and how you can make your own edible lip scrub at home!

Do You Wash Off Lip Scrub?

Most lip scrub comes with instructions that tell you to wipe or wash the lip scrub off after you’re done exfoliating your lips.

There are two main ways to remove lip scrub from the lips:

  • Wipe it away using a moist towelette
  • Wash it off over the sink with some water

This should leave your lips feeling soft, smooth, and moisturized.

Of course, this doesn’t stop people from licking off all of their lip scrub. We can’t blame them – most lip scrubs are made with sugar. And many brands add other flavors and scents to the lip scrubs to make them even more delicious. It’s like they want you to eat it!

However, depending on the ingredients in your scrub, licking it off and ingesting those ingredients can be quite harmful.

Is Lip Scrub Safe To Eat?

Sugar is not the only ingredient in lip scrub – there is usually at least one more substance added to sugar, which makes the lip scrub hydrating and viscous and allows it to glide over your lips to remove dead skin cells. While there are some edible ones on the market, you’ll always need to check.

So what are most lip scrubs made of? It depends on the brand, so you’ll have to start reading the labels before you start licking your lips.

Here are some common ingredients in lip scrub that you don’t want to ingest:

  • Glycerin
  • Copolymer
  • Petroleum
  • Petrolatum
  • Artificial coloring
  • Artificial flavors
  • Fragrances

Many of these ingredients are safe to put on your body, but not in your body. Would it harm you to eat a lip scrub with one of these ingredients once or twice? Probably not, but you never want to risk it. Plus, if it becomes a habit, the negative effects can accumulate over time.

For most commercial-bought lip scrubs, we recommend always reading the label and washing or wiping most of the scrub off once you’re done exfoliating your lips.

If you have a homemade lip scrub and you know what went into it, it’s probably safe to lick it up provided that all ingredients in it are edible and the product hasn’t expired.

Dead Skin Cells

Aside from nasty ingredients, another thing you might want to consider is that the lip scrub helps remove dead skin cells from your lips. It’s a form of exfoliation.

That means, when you lick off your lip scrub, you’re also licking off a bunch of your dead skin cells. 

Of course, there’s nothing harmful about ingesting your own skin cells. It could be argued that we do it all the time when we lick our lips or eat a meal.

However, the thought of licking up a bunch of dead skin cells mixed with sugar can be quite off-putting to many people!

We’re not here to judge. If you don’t mind licking up some of those exfoliated cells, then you do you. Just make sure that there aren’t any other harmful chemicals in your scrub!

How To Make Edible Lip Scrub

If you’re keen on licking up your lip scrub, why not make it yourself? Lip scrubs are easy to make, and you likely already have all of the ingredients at home.

When you make it yourself, you have the benefit of knowing what went into it, so that you can rest assured knowing that it’s safe and edible. 

Here’s a visual tutorial from Shakaylan Caver on YouTube, or you can keep scrolling to see a few of our favorite recipes!

With homemade lip scrubs, it’s important to keep track of the date you made them, because they can expire. You definitely don’t want to ingest expired homemade lip scrub! More on that later.

Lip Scrub Formula

There is a simple formula for making lip scrubs. You need:

  • Exfoliating granules: sugar, brown sugar, salt, grounded up seeds, ground plant matter
  • Thick moisturizing ingredients: olive oil, coconut oil, honey, jojoba oil
  • Optional ingredients: essential oils, flavor extracts, vitamin E, etc.

You can mix and match all of the different options above. Usually, as long as you have some exfoliating granules mixed with a thick moisturizing ingredient – you have a lip scrub!

Here are some great homemade edible lip scrub recipes that are safe and delicious:

Honey Sugar Lip Scrub

This decadent lip scrub is as sweet as it gets! The addition of honey gives it the right consistency for scrubbing as well as a boost of nourishing vitamins.

This recipe makes just enough lip scrub for one use, so you don’t have to worry about storing it.

You’ll need:

  • 2 tsp honey
  • 3 tsp granulated sugar

Here’s what you do:

  1. Mix the honey and sugar in a small bowl
  2. Use your fingers to massage the honey-sugar mixture over your lips for a few minutes
  3. Allow the mixture to sit on your lips for another 10 minutes
  4. Wipe off (or lick off!) the honey sugar scrub and enjoy your ultra-soft lips.

Lavender Lip Scrub

The lavender aroma mixed with sweet coconut and sugar makes us feel like we’re eating lavender macarons at the French Riviera! You’ll love how calming and softening this scrub is for your lips.

This recipe makes enough lip scrub for you to save in a small jar and use over the course of several weeks. Store it in a dark, dry cabinet, and do not use it after 3 months.

You’ll need:

  • Small jar (about 4 oz)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 5 drops of lavender essential oil
  • 2 tsp dried lavender flowers

Directions:

  1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until everything is thoroughly mixed
  2. Pour the scrub into the small jar and put today’s date on the lid so you know when it was made.
  3. Use your fingers to massage the scrub over your lips
  4. Allow the scrub to sit on your lips for 10 minutes and enjoy the aromatherapeutic benefits of lavender
  5. Wipe it off or lick it off to reveal gorgeous lips!

Vanilla Coffee Lip Scrub

Are you obsessed with vanilla lattes? Add this vanilla coffee lip scrub to your morning routine for that sweet wake-up feeling. The olive and coconut oils in this recipe will make your lips ultra soft and moisturized.

For this recipe, we recommend using real coffee grounds (not instant coffee) in a medium grind.

This recipe makes enough for one or two uses, but you could easily double or triple the ingredients to make this recipe ahead. If you do that, make sure to store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.

You’ll need:

  • 1 tsp coffee grounds
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients until well mixed
  2. Apply the scrub to your lips using your finger and gently massage it all over your lips for 1-3 minutes
  3. Wash off or lick up when you’re done! 

Note: the coffee grounds will give you a caffeine boost so if you’re trying to avoid caffeine, try a different recipe.

Crystal Light Flavored Lip Scrub

This super easy recipe uses a simple ingredient you probably already love and use at home: Crystal Light flavoring!

Since Crystal Light has a lot of different flavors, you get to pick which one you like. This scrub will give you a delicious boost of flavor without any nasty ingredients.

This recipe makes a small batch for 1 scrubbing.

You’ll need:

  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp Crystal Light flavoring

Directions:

  1. Mix everything together until thoroughly mixed
  2. Use your finger to apply the lip scrub mixture to your lips
  3. Massage over your lips for 1-3 minutes
  4. Allow the mixture to remain on your lips for up to 5 minutes
  5. Wipe or lick it off and enjoy your shiny lips!

Final Thoughts

Most store-bought lip scrub is not edible, although many brands are starting to come out with lip scrubs that are. It’s important to read the labels and decide for yourself if the lip scrub contains ingredients that you feel comfortable ingesting.

Making lip scrub at home is super easy and you can use kitchen ingredients that are perfectly safe to eat! We hope you’ll try one of our edible lip scrub recipes.

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