How to make a multipurpose cocoa & green tea balm stick

If you could only carry one skincare product in your bag, what would it be? For us at Formula Botanica, it would definitely be this multitasking cocoa and green tea balm stick.

This natural balm stick is a solid, portable product you can use on your lips, cuticles, elbows, brows, beards, flyaway hairs, and just about anywhere else that needs a little extra care. The stick format makes it super practical, reliable, and endlessly useful.

As for the balm itself, it feels wonderfully luxurious on the skin – like the kind of product you’d expect to find in a premium store. The only difference? You can make it yourself.

In this post, we’ll show you exactly how to make this multipurpose balm stick step-by-step, and even how to customise it – no fancy lab space or chemistry degree needed. You can also follow along with the YouTube video attached above, and grab your free formulation PDF at the end!

Why you’ll love this balm stick

If you love beauty products that are multipurpose and versatile, this cocoa and green tea balm stick is for you. It feels incredibly luxurious and moisturising on the skin, and is super easy to use.

To use, simply swipe it over cracked heels, elbows, knuckles, tame brows, beards, or anywhere else that needs a little extra care.

This balm is also super easy to make, even if you’re brand new to formulating (aka creating and making your own cosmetic products).

It’s also the kind of product you can gift to friends and family, and you could even include it in your product range one day, if, like many of our students, you dream of starting your own skincare or haircare brand.

What you’ll need to make it

Let’s start with the setup. And don’t worry – you don’t need anything complicated or expensive to make this multipurpose cocoa and green tea balm stick.

The tools are simple, accessible, and chances are you already have most of them at home, right in your kitchen.

Equipment

Here’s what you’ll need in terms of equipment:

• A digital kitchen scale for accurate measurements (you can find this online for around $10)
• A heatproof glass beaker or any clean, heat-safe jar
• A spatula, spoon, or glass stirring rod for mixing
• A water bath (a saucepan of hot water on the stove works perfectly)
• A balm stick container to pour your finished product into (you’ll need around 5, as this formula makes about 100 grams of product)

That’s it. No specialist lab equipment – just straightforward tools that help you make a professional balm stick at home.

All of this equipment is available on our Formula Botanica Amazon storefront. You can also find it in your local kitchenware shop if you don’t already have it at home.

Before you start making this balm, also take a moment to prepare your workspace. Tie your hair back, wipe down some counter space, and, if you can, wear gloves and an apron. A clean, organised space makes the whole process smoother, safer, and more enjoyable.

Ingredients

Now, let’s move on to ingredients. To make this multipurpose natural balm stick, you’ll need:

• 45 grams of unrefined cocoa butter
• 10 grams of mango butter
• 15 grams of berry wax
• 0.30 grams of green tea wax (or replace with a little more berry wax or beeswax)
• 27.60 grams of sweet almond oil
• 0.70 grams of vitamin E
• 0.85 grams of bergamot essential oil
• 0.40 grams of lavender essential oil
• And 0.15 grams of patchouli essential oil

You can also find the full ingredient breakdown below, and a list of recommended ingredient suppliers at the end of this post.

Full ingredient breakdown

Here’s the full ingredient breakdown for this multipurpose cocoa and green tea stick balm:

1. Cocoa butter

INCI: Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter

First, you’ll need 45 grams of unrefined cocoa butter. This is the backbone of your balm, and it also gives it a wonderful natural scent.

Unrefined cocoa butter is rich and deeply nourishing, and has an unmistakable mouthwatering chocolate scent. It gives the balm its solid structure while melting beautifully on contact with your skin.

2. Mango butter

INCI: Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter

Next, you’ll need 10 grams of mango butter.

Mango butter is a light, creamy natural butter, and it helps balance out the richness of cocoa butter. It helps soften the texture of your balm, making it feel luxurious rather than heavy.

3. Berry wax

INCI: Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera

Next, you’re going to need 15 grams of berry wax, which is a wonderful berry-derived wax which will help keep your balm solid and spill-proof, even on warmer days and in hot climates.

Beery wax also has a smooth, gentle feel, which helps the balm glide effortlessly across your skin.

If you can’t find berry wax where you live, don’t worry! Here are a few vegan-friendly alternatives you could use instead.

4. Green tea wax

INCI: Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Wax

And now it’s time for more wax! You’ll need 0.30 grams of green tea wax, which gives the balm its beautiful natural green colour, and ako provides antioxidant benefits.

Green tea is also one of the stars of this formula. You can learn more about its properties below:

Leaf to lotion: The benefits of green tea in cosmetics

It’s also a lovely talking point if you’re making these as gifts or products to sell. If you can’t find green tea wax, don’t worry – you can always just add a little more berry wax, or even beeswax.

5. Sweet almond oil

INCI: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil

Next, you’ll need 27.60 grams of sweet almond oil.

This oil is a classic for a reason. It’s light, gentle, soothing and suitable for nearly all skin types, even sensitive or dry areas. It also ensures your balm glides smoothly without feeling greasy.

6. Vitamin E

INCI: Tocopherol

You’ll also need 0.70 grams of vitamin E, which is a potent antioxidant that helps protect your oils from going rancid, keeping your balm fresh longer.

It also offers a little extra skin conditioning.

7. Bergamot, lavender & patchouli essential oils

INCI: Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot) Leaf Oil| Lavandula Angustifolia Oil | Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil

And finally, you’ll need 0.85 grams of bergamot essential oil, 0.40 grams of lavender essential oil, and 0.15 grams of patchouli essential oil.

Bergamot is bright, fresh, and uplifting, while lavender is soothing with a gentle herbal note, and patchouli is earthy, grounding, and wonderfully rich.

The three together create a gorgeous floral, earthy scent.

How to make a multipurpose cocoa & green tea balm stick

• Makes: 100g (Around 5 sticks)
• Level: Beginner-friendly
• Method: Hot-process

Step-by-step method:

And now for the most exciting part: let’s make this multipurpose balm stick!

This formula makes about 100 grams of product, which fills about 5 balm stick containers.

• Step 1: Weigh your butters and waxes

Start by weighing your butters and waxes in a heatproof beaker or glass bowl, one by one, taring your scale after each addition (simply press the ‘tare’ button to reset the scale).

To recap, that’s 45 grams of cocoa butter, 10 grams of mango butter, 15 grams of berry wax, and 0.30 grams of green tea wax. This will form the foundation of your balm and give it its solid texture.

• Step 2: Melt your ingredients

Once you’ve weighed your foundation ingredients, place your beaker or bowl into a bain-marie setup. This is basically a pan of water over a hot plate, and you can easily replicate this with a pan on the stove.

Let everything melt slowly and evenly, stirring occasionally, and watch as the solid butters and waxes become one silky blend.

Once everything is fully melted, remove your beaker or bowl from the heat and set it aside.

• Step 4: Add your almond oil & vitamin E

Next, add 27.60 grams of sweet almond oil, and give the mixture a gentle stir to blend it evenly. Let it cool for a minute or two, so the heat doesn’t destroy the beneficial properties or the fragrance of the essential oils you’re going to add next.

Once the blend has cooled enough, add 0.70 grams of vitamin E.

• Step 5: Add your essential oils

Next, add your essential oils. Add 0.85 grams of bergamot essential oil, 0.40 grams of lavender essential oil, and 0.15 grams of patchouli essential oil, taring after every addition.

Now stir the whole blend gently but thoroughly. Take a moment to really enjoy the scent here – it should smell like something out of a skincare boutique product.

• Step 6: Pour your balm into your stick container

It’s now finally time to carefully pour your finished balm(s) into your stick containers. If you’re using smaller containers, a funnel or pipette can help prevent spills. You could also stand a bunch of containers upright in a beaker and then pour your mixture into them that way.

Now, you just need to let your balms set. We recommend popping them in the fridge for a few hours to let them firm up nicely.

Once your balm sticks are set, all that’s left to do is to label them and store them somewhere cool (especially if you live somewhere warm).

And that’s it! Your cocoa and green tea balm sticks are now ready to use!

How to customise your balm stick

Now that you’ve made your own natural balm(s) at home, why not try customising them? Here are some ideas for you to try:

• Try different waxes: You could experiment with waxes other than green tea or berry waxes, like beeswax, carnauba wax, or even floral waxes like jasmine or rose. Just be mindful of the wax’s melting point. For example, carnauba wax is harder, so you may have to adjust the amounts. You can find the different melting points online or on your supplier’s website.
• Tweak according to climate: Add a little extra cocoa butter or slightly increase the wax if you live in a warmer climate. Don’t overdo it: too much wax can make the balm drag on your skin.
• Play with natural colours: Why not try using naturally colourful oils like sea buckthorn oil to give your balm a playful, unique look? Here are some other fun options for you to explore.
• Make it child-friendly: Skip the essential oils and use aromatic carrier oils instead if you want to make a child-friendly version, or if you have really sensitive skin and want a fragrance-free product. Plum kernel oil, for example, with its marzipan-like scent, works beautifully with the chocolate aroma of cocoa butter.
• Turn it into a lip balm: You could also create a smaller stick without essential oils and use it as a nourishing lip balm.

Whatever you do, make sure you retain the original butter-to-wax ratio, as the base formula was designed to stay stable and reliable, even in warm conditions.

The last thing you need is a soft, leaky balm in your bag!

Want to make more skincare products? Click here

We hope you enjoyed this post! You can download the full formulation as a PDF here for a detailed breakdown and keep it for future reference.

We’d also love to hear about your experiences making this balm. Why not share your thoughts or even some photos in the comments section below?

And, if you’re ready to create even more skincare products, you’ll love our free training course, where you’ll learn how to make your own professional-grade botanical skincare, without having to rely on or follow a recipe.

Thousands of students around the world have taken our award-winning courses and gone on to create award-winning indie beauty brands. Join our free course today and start your formulation journey!

Suggested ingredient suppliers

Below is a list of suggested suppliers you can use to source the ingredients to make this multipurpose cocoa and green tea balm stick:

INKY Ingredients (UK)

Aroma-Zone (EU)

Aromantic (UK)

Alexmo Cosmetics (EU)

Manske (EU)

The Soap Kitchen (UK)

Ellemental  (EU)

Lotioncrafter (USA)

Essential Labs (USA)

Go Native NZ (New Zealand)

Naturally Balmy (UK)

O&3 – The Oil Family (UK/EU)

Soap & More (Canada)

Handymade (EU)

Formulator Sample Shop (USA)

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Timea Racz

Timi was a key member of the Formula Botanica team from 2015 to 2020; first as our Education Manager and then as Head of Formulation & Research. You can find out more about the Formula Botanica team here.