If you were to walk along the shops in Bali, no doubt you’d come across a natural skincare shop called Utama Spice.
It’s one those stores where you walk in and end up covering yourself in samples, smelling and testing everything!
Each product is almost impossibly simple, made with just a handful of natural ingredients, as if to say this is all you need!
I find that kind of simplicity so elegant.
One day, I shot an email to Utama Spice, just to say hello, I love what you do!
I had no idea that I’d soon be invited into their main headquarters in Bali, learning first hand how they make their products!
And now I get to share their balm recipe with you.
I met with Ria, the daughter of Melanie Templer who founded Utama Spice back in the late 80’s. Ria was born and raised in Bali, and learned first hand her mother’s work.
She taught me how to make their basic balm recipe, which is the base for making lip balms, perfume balms and skin salves that their customers love so much.
And now you can experience it too!
As Ria cooked up this recipe, she was chatting with me about growing up, seeing her mother in the kitchen making soaps and lotions with fresh ingredients, as if she were making food. It’s how she cared for her family and taught her daughter.
Her mother eventually created Utama Spice to preserve these traditional remedies and at the same time, support local farmers to grow and preserve medical plants and knowledge.
And Ria followed in her mother’s footsteps to continue growing Utama Spice. She told me that for her, using natural skincare is all she’s ever known, and I’m inspired the way she works to share this with others.
Utama Spice have shared with you the recipe to make their popular balm, which you can use in so many different ways! Thank you so much to this beautiful family, doing amazing work.
I hope you make this recipe and love it as much as I do!
Utama Spice’s Basic Balm Recipe
- 10 grams beeswax (about 1 tablespoon)
- 5 grams cocoa butter ( about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
- 60 ml coconut oil (about 1/4 cup)
- put all the ingredients together in a pot and very gently melt over low heat
- Unlike lotion, a balm has no water added, so you don’t need to worry about shelf life.
- Pour the melted oils and butter into a container and it will harden. To use it, you just rub your finger in and then apply onto your skin. It works best for targeted areas, like your cuticles, lips and any dray patches. It also makes a really good under-eye treatment.
- Once you make the basic balm recipe – you can also turn it into a nourishing perfume, lip balm or skin salve depending on the essential oils that you add.
What Ria did was she poured the basic balm into different containers, and then treated each with different essential oils to create different products. It’s brilliant!
Nourishing Solid Perfume
- 1 tablespoon Utama Spice’s Basic Balm
- (fits in a 10ml container)
- 30-40 drops of your favorite oil or blend of oils.
- There is a higher concentration of essential oils, because you want your perfume to be fragrant and long lasting.
- What scent you use is a matter of preference. For beginners, start with one single oil that you love, like all lavender.
- If you want to get creative, try blending oils together. Start “shopping” for scent ideas by smelling natural products in stores and then recreating the oils they use at home.
Ria’s floral perfume was a blend of: 12 drops lavender, 12 drops rose geranium and 12 drops bergamot
Lip Balm Recipe
- 1 tablespoon Utama Spice’s Basic Balm
- (fits in a 10ml container)
- 4 drops of your favorite oil or blend of oils.
- You don’t need to add essential oils, but if you like a little flavour and scent, try peppermint or orange essential oil. Notice that with the lip area, you only want to add a few drops.
For inspiration on flavours, check out Utama Spice’s Lip Balms
Healing Skin Salve Recipe
- 4 tablespoons Utama Spice’s Basic Balm
- (fits in a 2oz container)
- Soothe insect bites: 12 drops rosemary and 12 drops basil
- Relieve sunburn , itching & headaches: 16 drops lavender and 8 drops peppermint
- Heal cuts & bruises: 8 drops tea tree and 8 drops lavender and 8 drops frankincense
- Skin salves treat different conditions, depending on the oils that you add. It’s like an ointment for your skin. You can create a entire home pharmacy kit with a few tins of these little skin salves!
For inspiration on blends, check out this circulation stimulating blend by Utama Spice.
Where to Buy Beeswax, Cocoa Butter and More
I know you’re excited to start making your own lip balms and skin salves. So how do you get started finding the ingredients? I’ve got you covered, with options for Singapore and abroad.
International orders (incl. Singapore)
- Order Beeswax Pellets from iHerb: iHerb sell a big bag of white beeswax. This bag will serve you well to make all kinds of things like hard lotion bars, salves and lip balms – so you’ll get great use from it.
- Order Cocoa Butter from iHerb: This yummy tub of cocoa butter is a natural beauty essential. From balms to body butters, cocoa butter makes every beauty product creamy and amazing.
- Order Coconut Oil from iHerb: Nutiva are a trusted brand for me, with well-priced coconut oil. You can never have too much coconut oil, so why not go crazy and bulk buy their 1.6l tub :)
One stop shopping: Want to get everything listed above in one order? Click here to add everything to your iHerb cart.
Note: if you’re new to iHerb, you get 10% off every order when you use my code: CPF766.
Singapore Orders
- Order Beeswax Pellets from Singapore Soap: Singapore Soap sells white and yellow beeswax in all kinds of quantities – their 100g bag is a really inexpensive way to start playing around with making your own balms!
- Order Cocoa Butter from Bake King: You can usually find cocoa butter in baking supply stores. I love Bake King in Haig Road and imagine my surprise to see you can now order a teeny-tiny portion of cocoa butter online – so cute!
- Order Coconut Oil in Singapore: Find out my where to buy the best organic, cold-pressed coconut oil in Singapore. Go pour more coconut oil on your life!
I hope you’re inspired to make your own lip balms and skin salves. Share your creations with our Instagram community with the hashtag #littlegreendot — I can’t wait to see what you make.
Hi.. i would like to enquire did Miss Ria uses the melted balm or the harden balm when she add the essential oil for the perfume and salves?
I can’t wait to get started!
Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Jeanie
Hi Jeanie! I’m so glad you liked it
Please post a picture of your balm on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #littlegreendot
I’d really love to see it!!
Militza Xx