As a beekeeper, I’ve discovered firsthand how superb beeswax could be. You’ll discover this pure substance in lots of my DIY recipes for every thing from cleaning soap to lotion bars. Beeswax makes use of don’t cease at DIY skincare recipes although!
Why Bees Are Wonderful
Ever seen the within of a honeybee hive? It’s unbelievable. Think about a situation through which you had been concurrently:
- Caring for a new child who wanted fixed care
- Constructing a home with your individual fingers
- Combating off individuals making an attempt to interrupt into your own home
- Nonetheless chargeable for regular cooking and cleansing
Nerve-racking… proper? But that is what a honey bee colony does each single day. On high of that, every thing they produce is helpful in a roundabout way!
All the things is at all times utterly ordered, clear, and functioning. At occasions I’ve had hassle taking good care of one child at a time, and honeybees deal with tons of, all whereas constructing a home. As a former beekeeper and now watching my son deal with his bee hive, I’m in fixed awe of how superb bees are.
Honey, Honey
Honey could also be the preferred product bees create, however it’s removed from the one useful one. (However attempt utilizing honey in your face in the event you haven’t already.)
The phrase apitherapy refers to utilizing bee merchandise like honey, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, and beeswax in useful methods. Even honeybee venom has been used therapeutically! Sound loopy? Try this video from the Discovery Channel that explains it.
Now, earlier than I ramble on for hours about how cool bees are (and I actually may ramble for hours about it!), I need to give attention to one particular product.
Beeswax: Bees Being Sensible
We often prize bees for his or her honey, royal jelly, and different useful (and engaging) by-products. However beeswax deserves to be excessive on the bee appreciation record as nicely. Bees make beeswax to type the construction of their hive. They secrete wax from particular glands, then chew it up and use it to type an ideal hexagon-shaped honeycomb.
Honeybees have additionally apparently been on board with minimalism because the starting. Their completely hexagon-shaped honeycombs provide probably the most cupboard space with the least quantity of constructing materials (on this case, beeswax).
When beekeepers harvest honey, they take away the cap off of every cell to extract the honey. These cappings are melted down and filtered to take away non-wax particles. This yields the beeswax we use in lots of magnificence merchandise and DIY recipes.
Pure beeswax is among the 7 substances I purchase in bulk. I at all times hold pure beeswax readily available for lots of my DIY merchandise and treatments. It has dozens of makes use of across the residence.
Advantages of Beeswax
Beeswax is a wonderful addition to cosmetics for a lot of causes.
- Beeswax creates a barrier in lotions and lotions to assist seal moisture into the pores and skin. That is particularly useful in selfmade lip balm throughout the dry winter months.
- This barrier additionally helps to guard the pores and skin from environmental toxins and irritants.
- Not like petroleum jelly, which is utilized in a big number of magnificence merchandise, beeswax gained’t “suffocate” the pores and skin. As a substitute, it permits it to breathe whereas nonetheless offering a protecting barrier.
- Beeswax helps thicken selfmade cosmetics and lotions as a result of it’s strong at room temperature. Plus it has a comparatively excessive melting level of 147 levels Fahrenheit. That is particularly useful in recipes with a lot of coconut oil, which has a low melting level, or different oils which are liquid at room temperature.
- Beeswax additionally has vitamin A, which improves pores and skin hydration and promotes cell regeneration.
15+ Beeswax Makes use of Across the House
Melted beeswax is an extremely versatile pure ingredient for DIY magnificence and pure residence merchandise. It’s a staple in my selfmade pure merchandise and round our home.
Whereas beeswax makes use of are nearly infinite, there are a couple of simple methods I exploit it at residence. For those who haven’t already, attempt beeswax in these selfmade recipes:
1. Selfmade Deodorant
I’ve been making my very own deodorant for years as a result of it really works so significantly better than store-bought. One of many substances I exploit is beeswax as a result of it helps type a pure protecting moisture barrier. This implies it helps keep away from sweat stains on garments with out the necessity for dangerous and pointless chemical compounds.
2. Lotion Bars
I’m biased, however these are the very best moisturizers on this planet. An ideal mixture of oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax types a strong soap-like bar that’s used on dry pores and skin. It helps soothe pores and skin, locks in moisture and even has pure anti-wrinkle properties. I exploit melted wax together with oils like olive oil or coconut oil.
3. DIY Lip Balms
You may make dozens of selfmade magnificence merchandise with the identical set of easy substances. This lip balm recipe makes use of the identical substances because the lotion bars however with a couple of added substances for scent or coloration. After you have these fundamental substances readily available, you may make lip balm for method lower than store-bought ones!
4. Beeswax Candles
I ditched the scented candles and air fresheners years in the past. Most candles use soy or paraffin wax and pollute the air. We solely use beeswax candles in our residence now. Plus they’re simple and enjoyable to make your self. In addition they make nice selfmade Christmas or birthday items.
Do this tutorial to make your individual! Or you should buy pure beeswax candles right here.
5. Selfmade Soaps
Beeswax is usually added to cleaning soap recipes to make the completed cleaning soap tougher and last more. It ought to solely account for as much as 2% of your cleaning soap recipe. Any greater than that and your cleaning soap will start to lose lather.
Do this spiced important oil cleaning soap.
6. Child Merchandise
Most infants can have a diaper rash sooner or later. I attempt to solely use pure skincare merchandise, however with delicate child pores and skin, I’m further cautious.
I exploit beeswax in diaper rash cream as a thickener. The wax supplies a protecting pores and skin barrier whereas serving to the opposite useful substances keep on the pores and skin. This manner they’ll have a better impact on clearing up the rash.
7. Soothe Cracked Heels
A easy salve of beeswax, coconut oil, and magnesium makes an awesome treatment for cracked heels. Right here’s tips on how to make this selfmade ointment.
8. On Cracked Fingers
I actually consider that nearly every thing we have to treatment minor illnesses could be present in nature. Beeswax is a good treatment for cracked fingers from gardening or out of doors work. It additionally creates a protecting barrier to assist keep away from future injury.
I like so as to add useful herbs from the backyard to hurry aid much more. Plantain grows in most yards and is a pure treatment for bites, stings, and even sunburn. Seize the recipe for DIY gardeners’ hand salve right here.
9. Pure Therapeutic Salve
I hold this “boo-boo lotion” readily available to deal with scrapes, stings, poison ivy, bruises, and any different delicate harm my children handle to get. It really works nearly in addition to kisses for aid of minor scrapes and boo-boos. The herbs I exploit are anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing.
10. Chilly and Flu Reduction
When sickness strikes, I flip to beeswax-based pure treatments. Selfmade pure vapor rub helps when coughing and congestion hit. It supplies aid with out slathering petroleum jelly throughout your pores and skin.
Frequent nostril blowing throughout sickness can wreak havoc on the tender pores and skin round your nostril. This sore nostril soothing balm recipe combines herb-infused oil with beeswax and shea butter for a nourishing balm.
11. Beeswax Wraps
I attempt to keep away from single-use plastic merchandise within the residence, and that features plastic wrap. Aluminum foil can also be a no-go for meals storage since I don’t need heavy metals leaching into my meals! You may make your individual reusable meals wraps although with some yellow beeswax. These have a “cling” that makes them an exquisite various to plastic wrap.
Not everybody has the time and curiosity to make their very own meals wraps. If that’s you, there are great beeswax meals wrap choices on-line as nicely.
12. Lotions and Lotions
I’ve already talked about my love for lotion bars, however there are different methods to moisturize with beeswax. I’ve experimented with a number of lotion recipes through the years and created completely different ones. This selfmade lotion recipe is thicker and extra like a physique butter. Or attempt one in every of these well-liked recipes:
Different Methods to Use Beeswax
- Make your individual beeswax crayons. My crayon recipe makes use of a distinct form of wax although that I believe works even higher!
- Soften beeswax with olive oil to make use of as selfmade furnishings polish. You can too use it to guard wood spoons and reducing boards.
- Fashion quick hair with selfmade beeswax pomade.
The place to Purchase Beeswax
Though I like issues pure, I gained’t ask you to go digging in a bee hive! I like to purchase beeswax pastilles or pellets as a result of they’re simple to work with. It’s what I attain for after I want a smaller quantity for lip balm and salves.
Having pastilles isn’t needed for bigger tasks like candles as a result of you may measure by weight, fairly than by the tablespoon. You can too purchase beeswax in block type, which is barely cheaper than the pastilles.
Some beeswax is bleached so I desire yellow beeswax. It ought to have a slight honey scent to it, in any other case, it’s extremely refined (or faux!).
An alternative choice is to purchase it domestically in the event you’re capable of get in contact with beekeepers in your space. This helps help native beekeepers (which is necessary!) and you may usually discover it comparatively inexpensively.
How do you utilize beeswax? Share a few of your favourite makes use of beneath!
