Wednesday, September 12, 2012

"Mind Your Own Beeswax!" :: What's In It? Series | Smell Good Spa™

Beeswax is meticulously formed into hexagonal cells (honeycomb), by a colorless liquid secreted from the female worker bees and its purpose is to store honey.  Once the beekeeper extracts the golden liquid, the beeswax is melted down and purified.   According to Wikipedia, the wax of honeycomb is nearly white, but becomes progressively more yellow or brown by incorporation of pollen oils and propolis.    

There are many uses for beeswax: coating for cheese, to protect the food as it ages; surgical bone wax; shoe & furniture polish; musical instruments and candles.  The beneficial effects on the skin is what I appreciate about beeswax.  According to Wikipedia,  a German study found beeswax to be superior to similar "barrier creams" (usually mineral oil based creams, such as petroleum jelly).  




Why We Use It:


  • Barrier - Beeswax forms a protective barrier on the surface of the skin, shielding the skin from damaging elements within the atmosphere.  Koster Keunan, a global organic wax supplier, states, "this barrier provides a film of protection against irritants while still allowing the skin to breathe."  In addition to your skin,  the Mayo Clinic recommends using a lip balm that contains beeswax during cold weather to reduce your chances of developing chapped lips.


  • Skin Softener -  If dry, rough skin is a problem, beeswax is the solution.   With its humectant and emollient attributes, beeswax attracts moisture from the atmosphere and seals it into the skin.  Furthermore, vitamin A is a component of beeswax, and it is found to be beneficial in softening dry skin.  Skin care products with this rich emollient are great for sealing in moisture after bathing or after shampooing hair (when formulated correctly).  


  • Healer - Customers are pleased when they discover that the lip balm or deodorant, purchased from us, works in healing a minor cut or scrape.   All the good substances that come from the  hive - beeswax; honey; royal jelly, all offer anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-viral benefits. 

Fun Fact:


The phrase "mind your own beeswax" is slang for "mind your own business".  Possibly derived from the Irish Gaelic béasmhaireacht, pronounced beeswəraċt, meaning "morality, manners, habits." -Wikipedia

And that's exactly what I want you to do - mind your own skin care habits.  





 Be Whole,