Lip masks are everywhere right now. You just have to open up your phone and scroll through social media or step into a retail store to see that lip masks are having a moment – and for good reason!
But why buy one when you can make your own?
In this post, I’ll show you how to make a luxurious cherry bliss lip mask that will leave your lips soft, supple and smooth, using nourishing botanical oils and hyaluronic acid. The best part? It’s super easy and fun to make, and you’ll never have to buy another lip mask again!
What is a lip mask?
A lip mask is a lip treatment designed to nourish, repair, and soften your lips. Unlike regular lip balms, lip masks contain richer, more occlusive ingredients that lock in hydration for extended periods.
Some lip masks are designed for overnight use, allowing ingredients to work their magic while you sleep. Others can be applied during the day as a quick moisture boost or even as a glossy, nourishing layer over your favourite lip colour.
The one we’re making today does both!
Why you’ll love this lip mask
If you’re slightly obsessed with lip products like me, you’re going to love this mask!
As you can see from the photos throughout this post, the mask is bright pink and has a soft, scoopable balm-like texture.
My favourite part of the formula is the skin feel. The mask feels rich and occlusive on the skin and sinks in slowly, yet doesn’t feel greasy, and has a subtle cherry scent (which I love!) and makes every application feel like a treat.
I also love the fact that it’s so simple to make and fun to use and that it’s also pretty, colourful, and smells great. And let me tell you, as someone who loves to collect lip products, I loved creating a mask that balances fun and functionality.
What makes this formula so special
The beauty of this formula lies in its simplicity – it is easy to make yet delivers professional results that feel like an indulgent, spa-like treat. If you want soft, luscious lips with a touch of cherry sweetness, this overnight mask is for you!
The star ingredient in this formula is hyaluronic acid pearls, which set this lip mask apart from standard lip treatments. Unlike traditional balms that only create a protective barrier, this mask delivers deep hydration and plumping effects thanks to Sodium Hyaluronate (the INCI name of hyaluronic acid), a powerful humectant that draws moisture into the lips.
These hyaluronic acid pearls slowly dissolve, infusing the lips with long-lasting hydration while helping to smooth fine lines and restore softness overnight. Combined with cera bellina, the formula creates a silky, gel-like texture that melts effortlessly onto the lips without feeling sticky or heavy.
Paired with a nourishing blend of cherry, jojoba, and castor oils along with Vitamin E, this lip mask locks in moisture, repairs dry lips, and enhances their natural fullness. The organic cherry flavour and plant pigment give it an extra luxurious touch.
How to use this lip mask
You can either use this cherry lip mask during the day as an indulgent, spa-like treat, or as an overnight sleeping mask. You can simply remove the pigment if you don’t want any colour at night!
To use it, apply a thick, even layer on clean, dry lips, focusing on dry or chapped areas. You can either use your clean fingertip or a spatula, whatever you prefer! Just make sure to remove any makeup or residue before you apply it, so it works effectively. For best results, leave it on overnight to let the nourishing ingredients deeply hydrate and soften your lips while you sleep.
If using during the day, let the mask sit for at least 10-15 minutes before gently blotting away any excess, or leave a thin layer for added shine and hydration throughout the day.
For an extra boost, you can pair this lip mask with a gentle lip scrub beforehand to exfoliate dead skin cells and enhance absorption.
Key ingredients
Before we start formulating, let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that make this lip mask so special.
At the base of this formula is cera bellina, a unique form of beeswax that creates a silky, non-greasy texture that locks in moisture overnight. To deeply nourish and replenish the lips, I’ve blended several botanical oils, including cherry, jojoba, castor and fractionated coconut oils, as well as vitamin E.
But what truly sets this formula apart are the oil-soluble hyaluronic acid pearls. These little marvels deliver deep hydration while plumping and restoring delicate skin. You might remember me using these when I created this formulation:
Finally, I’ve added a touch of organic cherry lip flavour oil and plant pigments to give the mask a subtle, fruity aroma and a natural pink tint. Here’s a deeper dive into each ingredient:
Cera bellina
INCI: Polyglycerol-3 Beeswax
Cera bellina creates a smooth, oleogel-like texture that locks in moisture and gives the formula a silky feel. It creates a unique ointment-like consistency that allows us to make a scoopable texture instead of a stiff balm. It creates a lasting film on the lips to nourish them overnight.
Want to make the formula vegan? Try switching this wax for a vegan wax. Here are a few options for you to explore:
Please note that if using vegan waxes, you’ll need to adjust the quantities and experiment with different percentages to achieve the desired result. The ointment texture of this lip mask is pretty unique to cera bellina so we highly recommend sticking with it if possible for the best outcome.
Castor oil & Jojoba oil
INCI: Ricinus Communis Seed Oil / Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
These oils are nourishing, enhance lip softness, and help create a protective barrier to prevent moisture loss. Castor oil is a heavy oil that increases the slip of the product and jojoba oil is similar to the skin’s natural oils.
To find out more about these ingredients, check out these posts:
Fractionated coconut oil
INCI: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Liquid or fractionated coconut oil is a lightweight, non-greasy emollient that conditions and smooths lips. You can learn more about this oil below:
Cherry oil
INCI: Prunus Cerasus Kernel Oil
Cherry oil is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids, including oleic acid and linoleic acid, which help to reduce inflammation and promote collagen production. It also deeply nourishes and softens the lips while adding a subtle fruity aroma.
Hyaluronic acid pearls
INCI: Triolein, Sodium Hyaluronate
Oil-soluble hyaluronic acid pearls represent a breakthrough innovation specifically designed for lip care and oil-based formulations.
These remarkable pearls combine hyaluronic acid with natural triglycerides (Triolein), creating tiny capsules that melt effortlessly into our lip mask- something traditional water-soluble hyaluronic acid simply can’t do. Plus, they’re heat-resistant!
These oil-soluble pearls also deliver powerful hydration while the olive oil matrix enhances absorption, allowing the Sodium Hyaluronate to work more effectively beneath the surface for plumper, more moisturised lips that feel deeply nourished and protected.
You can learn more about the incredible properties of hyaluronic acid in this comprehensive post:
Organic cherry lip flavour oil & red radish plant pigment
INCI: Aroma / Distarch Phosphate, Anthocyanins, Citric Acid
The organic flavour oil adds a natural cherry scent and red radish pigment creates a soft pink tint for a luscious, healthy look. If you can’t find these ingredients or don’t want to use any aroma or tint, they can be omitted. This won’t affect the formula’s performance or texture.
Vitamin E
INCI: Tocopherol
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects lips from dryness and environmental stressors while protecting the oils from oxidation. You can learn more about vitamin E below (and learn how to make a free vitamin E serum in the process!):
How to make a cherry bliss lip mask
Makes: 50g
Level: Beginner-friendly
| Phase | Ingredient | INCI | Weight (g) |
| A | Cera bellina | Polyglycerol-3 Beeswax | 10.00 |
| A | Castor oil | Ricinus Communis Seed Oil | 15.00 |
| A | Jojoba oil | Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil | 10.00 |
| A | Liquid coconut oil | Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | 7.00 |
| A | Hyaluronic acid pearls | Triolein, Sodium Hyaluronate | 0.75 |
| B | Cherry oil | Prunus Cerasus Kernel Oil | 5.00 |
| B | Organic cherry lip flavour oil | Aroma | 1.50 |
| B | Vitamin E | Tocopherol | 0.50 |
| B | Plant pigment | Distarch Phosphate, Anthocyanins, Citric Acid | 0.25 |
| Total: 50.00 |
Equipment:
- Glass beakers
- Glass rod
- Mini whisk
- Scales
- Pipettes
- Water bath setup
- Thermometer (optional)
- Packaging: Glass jar
Formulation method
Here’s how to make this cherry lip mask, in just 5 easy steps:
Step 1: Prep your workspace
The first step is to prep your workspace. Before we begin, clean and sanitise your workspace, equipment, and jars. Wipe everything with alcohol (ideally 70% isopropyl alcohol, which you can easily find online) and let it air dry.
Step 2: Weigh and melt your base ingredients
Now, let’s start with the base. Weigh out the following ingredients into a heat-safe beaker: 10 grams of cera bellina, 15 grams of castor oil, 10 grams of jojoba oil, 7 grams of fractionated coconut oil, and 0.75 grams of hyaluronic acid pearls.
Place the beaker in a warm water bath and heat gently to approximately 70°C (or until the wax and pearls are fully melted). Stir occasionally so you get a smooth, even blend.
Step 3: Prepare the additional ingredients
While the base is melting, mix the following in a separate container: 5 grams of cherry oil, 1.5 grams of cherry lip flavour oil, 0.5 grams of vitamin E, and 0.25 grams of red radish plant pigment (or any pigment of your choice).
Stir well to evenly disperse the pigment and fragrance. This step ensures your final product has a uniform tint and scent.
Step 4: Combine everything together
Once your waxes and oils have melted completely, remove the beaker from the heat and let it cool slightly to around 40°C. This allows the delicate fragrance, vitamin E, and pigment to be incorporated without being affected by excess heat.
Now, slowly pour the second mixture into the warm base. Stir thoroughly so blends smoothly. Keep stirring until a light trace forms – this means the ingredients have fully combined into a rich, luxurious texture.
Step 5: Transfer and label
Carefully pour your finished lip mask into a clean, dry jar. Let it cool completely before sealing the lid to prevent condensation. Once set, label your jar with the name and date.
And that’s it! I hope you enjoy your lip mask.
A note on fragrance oils and plant pigments
Please note that fragrance oils are not generally allowed in natural cosmetics but the one I have used here is certified for use in organic cosmetics. The oil is made from natural flavour components, with sunflower oil as a carrier.
If fragrance oils are difficult to find where you are or you’d rather avoid them, you can substitute the cherry lip flavour oil with an essential oil (while keeping sensitisers in mind) or remove it entirely. It won’t affect performance.
As for the plant pigment, it is optional. If you’d prefer, you could use micas (if it aligns with your formulation’s ethos) or opt for a brightly coloured oil or an ingredient like astaxanthin to add colour. However, astaxanthin can stain and be quite costly. You can learn more about micas below:
Learn how to make your own organic skincare for FREE
I hope you enjoyed this post! It was very fun for me to create this lip balm, so I hope you love it as well. If you did, please leave a comment below and share a picture of your lip mask, tagging us at Formula Botanica in the online classroom or on Instagram using the #FormulaBotanica hashtag.
If you’d like to learn more about how to create your own skincare, check out our FREE mini-training course below, and learn how to formulate organic skincare from scratch. And if you’re ready to take your skills to the next level and become a certified formulator, pre-enrol for our award-winning Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation, where you’ll learn to create over 25+ skincare products, including lip products.
FAQ
- What makes this lip mask unique?
Hyaluronic acid pearls make this lip mask unique and set it apart from standard lip treatments. Unlike traditional balms that only create a protective barrier, this mask delivers deep hydration and plumping effects thanks to hyaluronic acid. These hyaluronic acid pearls slowly dissolve, infusing the lips with long-lasting hydration while helping to smooth fine lines and restore softness overnight.
- How do I use this lip mask?
Use the lip mask daily as a nighttime treatment or as needed for intense hydration, especially during harsh weather, to keep your lips soft, smooth, and plump. For even better results, try layering a water-soluble hydrating serum underneath for maximum efficacy.
- Can I use this lip mask during the day?
Yes, absolutely! You can either use this mask during the day, as an indulgent spa-like treatment, or as an overnight restorative mask. Just make sure your lips are clean and dry before applying the lip mask with your fingers or a spatula.
- Will the lip mask stain my lips?
Not really! The lip mask will give your lips a healthy tint of colour, but it won’t leave a stain. That’s because there isn’t enough pigment in the mask for it to stain your lips or for it to be really noticeable. For context, a lipstick would contain around 20% pigment – I only used 0.25% in the formula. So you can use this lip mask at night without worrying about staining!
- Can I customise this lip mask?
Absolutely! You can simply replace the oils with others. Here are a few suggestions to get you started: Top 10 botanical oils every formulator needs. You can also replace the hyaluronic acid with another active, as long as it’s oil-soluble. And if you don’t want to use colour or a flavour oil, you can simply skip these or substitute with the ones you want.
Keep in mind that the formula should always come up to 100%, so adjust ingredient ratios accordingly. We teach you how to create a formula from scratch and everything else you need to know about formulating in our Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation.
- Where can I learn how to formulate?
Join us at Formula Botanica, where tens of thousands of students and followers take our free and paid online courses to learn how to formulate organic skincare and haircare for themselves or to sell and also how to set up a beauty brand and business.
Suggested suppliers
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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Brooke Medhurst is a Tutor at Formula Botanica. Find out more about the Formula Botanica Team.
