Keep your lips supple and your breath smelling fresh with simple, natural remedies you can make yourself.

Tiny tubes of lip balm, and their equally tiny labels, can make it difficult to scan for ingredients. But if you mix up a batch of balm yourself, you can avoid putting unwanted dyes, petroleum products, and preservatives near your mouth. Peppermint or eucalyptus oils can heal a chapped kisser, while a vanilla- and rose-scented version soothes.

Cocoa butter and vitamin E are natural chapped-lip healers. Tap into your pioneering spirit and create a chocolate-and-vanilla flavored homemade balm -- it's easier than you think.

Making your own all-natural lip balm doesn't have to mean giving up color. This easy version includes a bit of carmine coloring oil to perk up your kisser. You can also decorate lip-balm tubes that are worth showing off.

While chomping on gum can mask bad breath, truly freshening your mouth calls for killing the bacteria causing that uninviting odor. Brushing, flossing, and tongue-scraping should do the trick, but these remedies can also help.

Fennel
Chewing on fennel seeds stimulates saliva production (key for stopping bad breath). Pop a small handful of seeds after a pungent meal. (Chewing on fresh mint, anise seeds, or parsley can also help.)

Probiotics
These friendly bacteria can help prevent bad breath by restoring your body's balance of good bugs and bad bugs. Take a probiotics supplement such as acidophilus, or include more yogurt, kefir, and other fermented foods in your daily diet.

Peppermint or Cinnamon Essential Oils
Antibacterial peppermint and cinnamon essential oils can help wipe out stinky sulfur compounds left behind by garlic or onions. Place one or two drops of peppermint or cinnamon oil on your tongue; do not ingest more than this amount.