Lip glosses often include petroleum jelly, beeswax, mica, parabens preservatives and artificial dyes. Many lip glosses also contain toxic substances such as lead, arsenic and cadmium. Others, however, are non-toxic organic and ingredients.

Different lip glosses have different specific ingredients, but the main ingredient is always some kind of wax or oil which is solid at room temperature but can be spread. Waxes and oils don’t like to mix with water, so when you apply the gloss to your lips, water can’t leave your lips and evaporate, and your lips don’t dry out. You can easily make your own lip gloss by mixing petroleum jelly, which is a mixture of wax and oil, and a few drops of scent or flavor, such as vanilla extract or peppermint oil.