4 homemade remedies for cold sores and chapped lips

When you talk to people, you don't want the first they notice to be your chapped lips or cold sores. Luckily, you can make homemade remedies to both prevent and treat these problems without breaking the bank. Here are a few to get you started.

During winter this homemade lip balm will keep your lips from cracking and peeling, if you use it faithfully. With its lovely smell, it is a true bargain.

• 60 ml (4 tbsp) almond oil
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) grated beeswax
• 5 ml (1 tsp) honey
• 1 capsule vitamin E, 400 IU
• 10 drops chamomile essential oil
• 10 drops orange essential oil
• 10 drops wintergreen essential oil
• 5 drops lavender essential oil

1. In the top of a double boiler, warm the oil, beeswax and honey over low heat until the wax melts. Remove from heat. Pierce the vitamin E capsule with a needle and squeeze its contents into the mixture.

2. Stir in the essential oils. Store in a cool, dark place and use by dipping a finger into the balm and smoothing it on your lips.

This is really more of a liquid than an ointment, but it works the same way. The jojoba oil serves as a carrier oil.

• 5 drops lemon balm essential oil
• 1 drop lavender essential oil
• 1 drop chamomile essential oil
• 1 drop bergamot or rose essential oil
• 10 drops jojoba oil

1. In a small, clean jar with a tight-fitting lid, dilute the lemon balm and the lavender, chamomile, bergamot or rose oil essential oils in the jojoba oil.

2. Smooth over the affected area several times a day.

This is a simple, certainly inexpensive, mouthwash that helps to heal annoying cold sores as fast as possible.

• 175 ml (3/4 c) water
• 3 to 4 drops clove or tea tree essential oil

  1. In a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid, mix the water with the essential oil.

  2. Swish the mixture in your mouth for 30 seconds, then spit it out. Cap bottle and keep mixture on the counter. Repeat mouthwash several times a day.

This soothing, not-so-costly paste smothers the irritation of a cold sore and helps to heal it.

• 5 ml (1 tsp) finely chopped liquorice root or rhizome
• 90 ml (6 tbsp) distilled water
• Slippery elm powder, as needed
• Goldenseal powder, as needed

  1.In a small pot, combine liquorice root and distilled water. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a clean bowl. This makes a strong liquorice decoction.

  2. In a small, clean container with a tight-fitting lid, mix equal amounts of slippery elm and goldenseal powder and moisten with the liquorice decoction.

  3. Apply the paste to the sore area to control pain and increase healing. Store extra paste in the refrigerator or dilute with water and use as mouthwash.

• Apply one drop of lavender or lemon balm essential oil to the area where you feel the cold sore forming.
• Hold an ice cube on top of the area for 10 minutes. This should either prevent the outbreak altogether or at least reduce its severity.
• Repeat the whole procedure several times a day.

• Instead of buying balm in the drugstore to coat that painful mouth sore, make your own instantly.
• All you need are a cotton swab and an aloe vera leaf.
• Dry the sore area with a cotton swab, then squeeze a bit of gel from the aloe vera leaf over the area. Repeat as often as necessary.