Authors: Kristina Koprivnik, Eva Pliemen (students from Faculty of Environmental Protection) and Katrin Školnik Škrabe

Have you ever looked at the list of ingredients on the back of a cosmetic product? Often, it contains a variety of ingredients, such as preservatives, fragrances, and other functional components that may be difficult to understand without additional information. Understanding the role and safety of individual ingredients can help us make more informed choices about the products we use. Some ingredients may cause irritation or allergic reactions in certain individuals, while others may have potential long-term effects that we do not think about enough.  This is especially important for young people like us, as during our teenage years we often begin choosing and using more cosmetic products independently. We may also use several products at once—without always thinking about what we are putting on our skin. That’s why it’s important to learn how to choose products thoughtfully and to discover what natural cosmetics can offer. While not a miracle solution, natural cosmetics are often gentler on the skin and more environmentally friendly.

Since we learn best by doing things ourselves, students from the Faculty of Environmental Protection joined a hands-on cosmetics workshop, led by Dr. Nataša Kovačić, a respected expert and founder of the NatCosmetics brand. There, we were challenged to create our own natural lip balm.

​✍🏻​Here’s our experience: 

“At the start of the workshop, our instructor explained why it’s important to understand the ingredients in the products we use every day. She showed us that creams, ointments, and balms can actually be made at home—if you have the right knowledge, quality ingredients, and a little creativity. 

To make sure it wasn’t too easy, we first had to calculate the correct proportions of each ingredient ourselves. That really got our brains working! Only then could we begin the fun part—actually making the balm.

We worked with all-natural ingredients: various butters, oils, beeswax or plant wax, vitamin E, essential oils, and even natural coloring from freeze-dried beetroot. It was amazing to see how much you can do with simple, natural materials! First, we melted the wax, added oil and vitamin E, then picked a scent—vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate—and added color if we wanted to. We got to choose between heavier oils for a shinier finish, or lighter ones that absorb faster. That was especially interesting, because we didn’t realize how differently oils can behave on the skin.

The workshop really opened our eyes to what we put on our skin and why knowing the ingredients matters. Cosmetics aren’t just about looks — they’re also about health and being responsible towards ourselves and the environment. We left the workshop full of new knowledge and excited about how we can use chemistry in everyday life. We wish there were more practical experiences like this — because that’s the kind of knowledge that really sticks with you.

And our lip balm? 👄​

It smells amazing, nourishes the lips, and was made entirely to our liking. The best part is that we made it ourselves — with natural ingredients and our own hands.”