I sometimes get questions on how to create your own lip balm labels, so I’m hoping this post will help address some of those and become a reference I can refer to as needed.
** Edit: Here’s a great article I found after posting this that briefly covers the FDA’s requirements for labeling cosmetic items: Labeling Your Products. It’s well worth taking the time to read through it if you plan on selling your lip balms.
Also, be sure to check out my post on Creating Your Own Custom Lip Balms!
Please note that if you click on any of the screenshots shown below, you will be taken to a larger image which should help you see the details more clearly. Let me know if you run into any problems reading these!
I normally use the Creative Memories Digital Scrapbook Program to make my labels, but want to show you today, that you can also use a free online photo editor like PicMonkey to do the job. Here’s a quick run-down on how:
Go to www.PicMonkey.com and click “Create A Collage” You should now be presented with a white square. You may see grid lines on it, where you can insert pictures. We’re not going to do this, so just ignore those. We’re only doing this step in order to make a nice blank square, perfect for the base of the label we want to make.
Click “Save” (found above the blank collage.) I like to save it as the medium or largest file size. Name it something like “Blank Label” and save it in an easy to find place. Hit “Save Photo” and we’re all done with the collage option. Click the “X” on the very right of the screen to get back to PicMonkey’s home page.
Now, click “Edit A Photo” and open up the “Blank Label” file you just saved. Scroll down to bottom of the options on the left and you’ll find “Themes.” Currently winter is up, plus Halloween is still available. These are sure to change as the seasons do, so you’ll have to adapt and work with whatever is available to you. Right now, all of the options are free to use, even though it may say it’s a “Royale Feature.” Just click that you’re doing the free trial period and continue on, if needed. (They don’t make you sign up or anything as of the date this post was written.)
I’m going to use the theme “Winter” and scroll down the menu until I get to the sub-category “Victoriana.” I find a promising looking frame to start with but when I click it, this happens:
They’re set up to be pure white, which isn’t going to work for me, so I have to change the color so I can see it! Go over to the box that pops up and click “Color 1″ and change it to a color that you like. (You can change it again later, if you wish.) Now, it will look like this:
It’s far too small though, so let’s fix that. Click on a corner and stretch it out until it fills up as much screen as you want. Now it’s looking better, but we want to add the name of our lip balm. So, look back at the very left of your screen and find the symbol that looks like a “P.” When you hover over it a second, it will say “Text.” Click the “P” and then you’ll be presented with a box saying “Add Text” then a very long line of font choices.
Click “Add Text” and a box will appear in the middle of your screen, telling you to type your text there. I typed in “Peppermint Ice Lip Balm” and it looks like this:
However, the words aren’t centered and I don’t want that font. So, using my mouse, I’ll highlight the words and hit the little center symbol on the text editor box (right below the color selection section.) While I’m there, I’ll make the words blue to match my frame. To do this, click on the little color box right above the 0% and an eye dropper will appear. Move it over your blue frame and it will turn the same color. Click it and now your letters match!
With your words still highlighted, go over to the left and pick which font you want. I’m going to scroll all the way down and pick “Emily’s Candy” because I like how they dot their i’s with hearts. (Yes, I’m such a girl.) 
Okay, I’m pretty happy with this label. I made it simple for the purpose of this tutorial. You could definitely spend more time and make it fancier. Normally, I spend hours in my scrapbooking program obsessing over tiny details, but managed to move past that so I could get this post to you before I turn 80!
Now, head over to Rustic Escentual’s site and check out their blank labels. You can use regular sticker paper from an office supply store instead but it will be more likely to bleed, fade or peel off of your lip balm tubes. If you want a heavy-duty label that will really stick then you want the vinyl ones they sell. (And no, they’re not paying me to say that – they don’t even know I exist outside of a customer number!) (But, that’s okay, I still love them.)
Anyway, you want the 1.8″ by 1.8″ squares one. Click on “download word template file” and open it up. If this file isn’t compatible with your computer, then at this point, you’ll have to set up your own table which is beyond the scope of this tutorial!
When you opened that file, you should have a page with a table on it that looks like this:
Click on the first box in the table so that the cursor is blinking there, then go to the top row of menus and click Insert then Picture then From File. Now, I go find my Peppermint Ice Lip Balm Label file that I made in PicMonkey and hit Insert. But WHOA, it’s way too big for that little spot.
Just right click over the image, hit Format Object, click the middle tab in the box that pops up and says Size. Mine says the height & width are 7.25 inches. I’m changing it to 1.65 inches by 1.65 inches. It looks pretty good, so I’m going to print a few and see how they turn out!
On my printer, I choose matte photo paper as the paper type and highest quality printing. Since these labels are pretty pricey, whenever I’m creating a new one, I only print one row’s worth first, to make sure that everything prints okay. After examining my test page, I’ve determined that these labels meet my approval. It’s hard to get them precisely lined up, or maybe it’s just my old printer, so don’t obsess too much about the alignment.
Now, peel the labels off of the sticker sheet, press them on your lip balm tubes and they’re all ready to use (or give!)
Thanks, Jan. We have been experimenting with making our own labels for the products we make and sell @ Ladybug’s Mew through a joint venture called “Yellow Point Country Home”, as one of the three ladies directly involved has been doing so herself for the past 20 years with much success. Professional-looking labels add legitimacy to her wares, there can be no doubt. Your detailed instructions for using PicMonkey will be extremely useful in helping our products gain a similarly-increased legitimacy. You have clearly put a great deal of time and effort into helping your readers in this regard. Best wishes, Doug.
Glad you found the post useful and good luck with labeling and selling your products!
Thanks, Jan, for the great instructions/tutorial with photos that help a person with my learning processes…always visual and then I do the work slowly and it will stick! into this hard head. I am not ready for labels today, but saved your instructions in a folder for future use.
I always appreciate your recipes, photos and your stories. Thanks for a great blog.
Kristin
Thanks for the kind words Kristin! I am VERY visual also and learn the same way!
This is a great tutorial! I think you were the one who introduced me to Pic Monkey so thank you!
Hi Jane! Thanks! and You’re Welcome!
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Thank you so much for posting this tutorial! I was getting frustrated by shopping around for custom labels, only to find how expensive they are. I still need to get an inkjet printer to make these really work, so adding that to my Christmas list.
Thanks again!
You’re welcome! Glad you found the information useful!
Jan, if you are happy with yours, what kind of printer do you have? Starting to look around.
Hi K, I have a Canon Pixma MP620B. I absolutely love the print quality. The ink is rather pricey for as much as I have to refill it though, so it’s something to remember as far as long term expense – for any printer that you buy. I love most things Canon so tend to go with those when I have a choice. When hubby goes shopping for a printer though, he always brings home an HP and they print very nicely too, they just seem… clunkier (for lack of better word.)
thank you for the information. I make my own labels as well and often times get discouraged on how limited editing ideas are or how expensive pre-printed lables are as well. I am always open to new ideas and this just gave me more options to chose from. Again, Thanks
Hi Loretta, I’m glad you found the post helpful!
What a wonderful tutorial. I can’t wait to try it and hope it works for me. I have been making lip balms for 10 years now! And only recently started selling. Labeling them has been THE most frustrating experience! Thank you so much for sharing this. I never thought of pic monkey for lip balm labels.
I’m glad you found it helpful. I wish you the best of luck with your business!
Thinking of making lip balm and even have base and the tubes. Great advice on the labels. What I need to know is do you need a license to sell these items? I have been making bath salts and other aromatherepy items but only for self and family. Would like to market them.
Hi Juanita, I’m not sure as far as licensing, but you would want to keep good records for your accountant since the income is taxable. I would check with your accountant and/or the county you live in as far as licensing info. You might also want to talk to your insurance agent about liability insurance. Here’s a helpful article I found a while back that addresses FDA laws and labeling: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lip-products/labeling-your-products-lip-balm/
I actually am going to add that to the post, so am glad you reminded me of it!
I hope you have the best of luck selling your products!!
Great tutorial! And thanks for the link-up. =)
Thanks! and wow… *slightly starstruck, here*
Thank you for being such a fabulous resource!!
Thank you for the great Idea & Tips! Very helpful!
Hi Leah, I’m glad you found the post helpful!
Do you know where can I buy Lip Balm Tubs & Containers for less?
These are the ones that I buy:
http://rusticescentuals.com/Natural-Round-Lip-Balm-Tube-.15-oz.html
It was the cheapest price around when I comparison shopped last year – it may have changed by now. I was happy with their product & fast shipping!
Hello again! Do you know eny place where I can sell my Handmade Soaps & products online. Like Stores that sell all natural stuff, etc. And do you know a good free website builder I can use for business?
Sorry for all the questions jeje!
Thanks again!!
Hi Leah! For selling you could try etsy.com (though they have strict requirements on how you label herbal products) and poppyswap.com. You pay them a percentage of your sales for hosting your products plus usually a listing fee per item sold. Paypal will take a chunk of your sales too, for allowing you to use their checkout system. (Just letting you know that there’s hidden fees so be sure to calculate them into your prices.)
For building a website – I barely squeaked through mine using information I found at bloggingwithamy.com. She has a whole tutorial on setting things up. Whenever I got stuck on coding, I used google to see what other people did to solve the same problem.
I’m not sure of a good free option – I have to pay monthly web hosting plus the fee for the domain name yearly and that’s just for a personal blog using wordpress. Not familiar with an actual business set up.
Good luck!
hi jan!! thanku so much for the step by step!!! u are a miracle angel sent from heaven!!! once a design is saved in picmonkey, cannot edit the text…do u know how???
thanks!!!
Hi Spring! You could try making the label again with everything on it except for the text. Then save it as a template or blank lip balm label. Pull that template up as needed by editing it as a picture. You can then add text and save the changed version under a new name, while still keeping your text-free template for the next time you need it.
hi jan, me again…
1-can u help design a step by step for a really cool label for the metal slidder top lip balm tins? or give advice
2-also round labels 1.5×1.5 for a metal salve tin.
3-anyother programs that are free to use that u recommend?
4-when i want to do round labels, i cant thru picmonkey/rustic escentuals bc my program wont bring up a round circle to design so i had to go thru avery for the labels…
thanks! ur a doll!!!
Hi Spring!
I’m in the process of working on label tutorials for round tins/jars and will try to fix one up for slider tins too. The program I use (Creative Memories Digital Scrapbooking Program) isn’t free, so I have to go in through the free ones online and try to figure out how to make a label via one of those first before I can share. I hope to get the round one up by next week, if it works out! Another free program that I like is at http://www.ribbet.com – It has premium options as well, but even they are free. You just have to sign in to use them.
jan—thanku so much!!!! u are reallt an angel. if u live on a farm like me way out in the country, things are not too convienent, so…u just made my life so much more possible!!! avery–im tryin to use them, very slow, very troublesome. picmonkey is awesome but need adobe flash on mobile and no tablets have adobe reader or flash so back to home base laptop, which is ok but sometimes i like to get off the funny farm and go to the town coffee shop w the tablet but it wont work! haaa ive done some design thru print master but again the trouble for me is downloading the correct templet. i would so appreciate all ur help. ty for that link, ill check it out!!! spring—
oops think i replied and it didnt go thru–anyways if it does then i wont rewrite…my pc is slow way out on the farm.
It came through!
I can sooo relate to the poky internet; we have the same. I plan to put the round label tutorial up this evening some time!
wonderful!!! YAY!!!
cant wait till u put that up for round labels.
also what about the metal tin slider labels?
will u do one for that too? the problem is when i download lets say the round labels from rustic escentuals, it dont appear on word anywhere. the square labels for the lip balm tubes only appeared bc i need to go into design & then format & bring up a grid.
can u tell me why or how to get those round labels from rustic download into microsoft word? weird but it wont work, thats been the dilema other than intermittent internet w aggrivating momentarily disruption in designs! haaa
thankuuu,
spring
I do plan on making a label tutorial for the metal tin sliders, but have actually never made one before so first I have to buy some slider tins then experiment until I come up with the right size. Will probably be several weeks before I get one up!
As far as downloading from Rustic Escentuals – I’m not too good on the technical side of things.. I wonder if it’s your version of Word?? Maybe if you email them, they have a different format or idea of how to fix it? You can also use the Round Label Tutorial I just put up (I see you already found it, but will link it here in case anyone else has the same question)
http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-create-your-own-round-labels/
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oh…
1- for round labels im looking for a label to fit 1.5 round circle for a metal salve tin that holds 1 oz 2 Tablespoons
2- for metal slider im looking for a label to fit .5 oz or 1 Tablespoon size tin
thanks again!
I just replied to you on the round label post!
http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-create-your-own-round-labels/