As a beekeeper, I’ve discovered firsthand how wonderful beeswax might be. You’ll discover this natural substance in lots of of my DIY recipes for every little thing from cleaning soap to lotion bars. Beeswax makes use of don’t stop at DIY skincare recipes although!
Why Bees Are Amazing
Ever seen the inside of a honeybee hive? It’s unimaginable. Imagine a situation by which you had been concurrently:
- Caring for a new child who needed fixed care
- Building a home along with your own arms
- Fighting off people making an attempt to interrupt into your home
- Still accountable for regular cooking and cleansing
Stressful… proper? Yet that is what a honey bee colony does each single day. On prime of that, every little thing they produce is useful indirectly!
Everything is at all times fully ordered, clean, and functioning. At occasions I’ve had bother taking care of one child at a time, and honeybees take care of a whole lot, all whereas building a home. As a former beekeeper and now watching my son take care of his bee hive, I’m in fixed awe of how wonderful bees are.
Honey, Honey
Honey could also be the most well-liked product bees create, however it’s removed from the one helpful one. (But strive utilizing honey on your face for those who haven’t already.)
The phrase apitherapy refers to utilizing bee merchandise like honey, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, and beeswax in helpful methods. Even honeybee venom has been used therapeutically! Sound loopy? Check out 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 might ramble for hours about it!), I wish to give attention to one particular product.
Beeswax: Bees Being Brilliant
We normally prize bees for his or her honey, royal jelly, and different helpful (and attractive) by-products. But beeswax deserves to be high on the bee appreciation record as effectively. 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 a excellent hexagon-shaped honeycomb.
Honeybees have additionally apparently been on board with minimalism because the starting. Their completely hexagon-shaped honeycombs offer probably the most storage space with the least quantity of building 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 one of the 7 ingredients I buy in bulk. I at all times hold natural beeswax readily available for many of my DIY merchandise and remedies. It has dozens of makes use of across the home.
Benefits of Beeswax
Beeswax is an glorious addition to cosmetics for a lot of causes.
- Beeswax creates a barrier in lotions and lotions to help seal moisture into the pores and skin. This is particularly helpful in homemade lip balm during the dry winter months.
- This barrier additionally helps to guard the pores and skin from environmental toxins and irritants.
- Unlike petroleum jelly, which is utilized in a giant selection of magnificence merchandise, beeswax received’t “suffocate” the pores and skin. Instead, it permits it to breathe whereas nonetheless offering a protecting barrier.
- Beeswax helps thicken home made cosmetics and lotions as a result of it’s strong at room temperature. Plus it has a comparatively high melting level of 147 levels Fahrenheit. This is particularly useful in recipes with heaps 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 Uses Around the Home
Melted beeswax is an extremely versatile natural ingredient for DIY magnificence and natural home merchandise. It’s a staple in my home made natural merchandise and round our home.
While beeswax makes use of are virtually countless, there are a few straightforward methods I take advantage of it at home. If you haven’t already, strive beeswax in these home made recipes:
1. Homemade Deodorant
I’ve been making my own deodorant for years as a result of it really works so a lot better than store-bought. One of the elements I take advantage of is beeswax as a result of it helps type a natural protecting moisture barrier. This means it helps keep away from sweat stains on garments with out the need for dangerous and pointless chemical compounds.
2. Lotion Bars
I’m biased, however these are the most effective moisturizers on this planet. An ideal mixture of oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax kinds 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 natural anti-wrinkle properties. I take advantage of melted wax together with oils like olive oil or coconut oil.
3. DIY Lip Balms
You could make dozens of home made magnificence merchandise with the identical set of easy elements. This lip balm recipe makes use of the identical elements because the lotion bars however with a few added elements for scent or colour. Once you’ve these primary elements readily available, you may make lip balm for method much less 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 home now. Plus they’re straightforward and enjoyable to make your self. They additionally make great home made Christmas or birthday items.
Try this tutorial to make your own! Or you should purchase pure beeswax candles here.
5. Homemade Soaps
Beeswax is commonly added to cleaning soap recipes to make the completed cleaning soap more durable and last more. It ought to solely account for up to 2% of your cleaning soap recipe. Any more than that and your cleaning soap will start to lose lather.
Try this spiced essential oil soap.
6. Baby Products
Most infants can have a diaper rash sooner or later. I attempt to solely use natural skincare merchandise, however with delicate child pores and skin, I’m additional cautious.
I take advantage of beeswax in diaper rash cream as a thickener. The wax supplies a protecting pores and skin barrier whereas serving to the opposite helpful elements keep on the pores and skin. This method they will have a better impact on clearing up the rash.
7. Soothe Cracked Heels
A easy salve of beeswax, coconut oil, and magnesium makes a great treatment for cracked heels. Here’s how to make this home made ointment.
8. On Cracked Hands
I actually imagine that nearly every little thing we need to treatment minor illnesses might be present in nature. Beeswax is a great treatment for cracked arms from gardening or out of doors work. It additionally creates a protecting barrier to help keep away from future injury.
I like so as to add helpful herbs from the garden to hurry aid even more. Plantain grows in most yards and is a natural treatment for bites, stings, and even sunburn. Grab the recipe for DIY gardeners’ hand salve right here.
9. Natural Healing Salve
I hold this “boo-boo lotion” readily available to deal with scrapes, stings, poison ivy, bruises, and any different gentle harm my children handle to get. It works virtually in addition to kisses for aid of minor scrapes and boo-boos. The herbs I take advantage of are anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing.
10. Cold and Flu Relief
When sickness strikes, I flip to beeswax-based natural remedies. Homemade natural vapor rub helps when coughing and congestion hit. It supplies aid with out slathering petroleum jelly throughout your pores and skin.
Frequent nostril blowing during sickness can wreak havoc on the tender pores and skin round your nostril. This sore nose 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 home, and that features plastic wrap. Aluminum foil can be a no-go for food storage since I don’t need heavy metals leaching into my food! You could make your own reusable food wraps although with some yellow beeswax. These have a “cling” that makes them a great different to plastic wrap.
Not everybody has the time and curiosity to make their own food wraps. If that’s you, there are great beeswax food wrap choices online as effectively.
12. Creams 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 totally different ones. This homemade lotion recipe is thicker and more like a physique butter. Or strive one of these fashionable recipes:
Other Ways to Use Beeswax
- Make your own beeswax crayons. My crayon recipe makes use of a totally different variety of wax although that I believe works even higher!
- Melt beeswax with olive oil to make use of as homemade furniture polish. You may use it to guard picket spoons and slicing boards.
- Style short hair with home made beeswax pomade.
Where to Buy Beeswax
Although I like issues natural, I received’t ask you to go digging in a bee hive! I like to purchase beeswax pastilles or pellets as a result of they’re straightforward to work with. It’s what I attain for once I need a smaller quantity for lip balm and salves.
Having pastilles isn’t obligatory for bigger tasks like candles as a result of you possibly can measure by weight, fairly than by the tablespoon. You may purchase beeswax in block form, which is barely inexpensive than the pastilles.
Some beeswax is bleached so I choose yellow beeswax. It ought to have a slight honey scent to it, in any other case, it’s extremely refined (or faux!).
Another option is to purchase it regionally for those who’re capable of get in contact with beekeepers in your space. This helps assist native beekeepers (which is important!) and you’ll typically discover it comparatively inexpensively.
How do you employ beeswax? Share some of your favourite makes use of under!