Have you read the ingredients in your favorite lip balm? There might be scary stuff in there, so check it out at ewg.org to find out how REAL your favorite brand is. Lanolin actually dries out your skin and is addictive Petrolatum is a byproduct of petroleum - yes, gasoline, like for your car Paraffin wax is made from petroleum - see above Lip balm is easy to prepare once you have the ingredients. You can mix and match your favorite base oils and scents. Pick what you love