As a beekeeper, I’ve realized firsthand how superb beeswax will be. You’ll discover this pure substance in a lot of my DIY recipes for all the pieces from cleaning soap to lotion bars. Beeswax makes use of don’t cease at DIY skincare recipes although!
Why Bees Are Superb
Ever seen the within of a honeybee hive? It’s unbelievable. Think about a situation wherein you have been concurrently:
- Caring for a new child who wanted fixed care
- Constructing a home with your personal fingers
- Preventing off folks attempting to interrupt into your house
- Nonetheless liable for regular cooking and cleansing
Traumatic… proper? But that is what a honey bee colony does each single day. On high of that, all the pieces they produce is useful indirectly!
The whole lot is at all times fully ordered, clear, and functioning. At instances I’ve had hassle caring for one child at a time, and honeybees maintain a whole bunch, all whereas constructing a home. As a former beekeeper and now watching my son maintain his bee hive, I’m in fixed awe of how superb bees are.
Honey, Honey
Honey could also be the preferred product bees create, but it surely’s removed from the one helpful one. (However attempt utilizing honey in your face if you happen to 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? 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 concentrate on one particular product.
Beeswax: Bees Being Good
We often prize bees for his or her honey, royal jelly, and different helpful (and attractive) by-products. However beeswax deserves to be excessive on the bee appreciation listing as effectively. Bees make beeswax to kind the construction of their hive. They secrete wax from particular glands, then chew it up and use it to kind an ideal hexagon-shaped honeycomb.
Honeybees have additionally apparently been on board with minimalism for the reason that starting. Their completely hexagon-shaped honeycombs provide essentially the most space for storing 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 elements I purchase in bulk. I at all times hold pure beeswax available for a lot of my DIY merchandise and cures. It has dozens of makes use of across the dwelling.
Advantages of Beeswax
Beeswax is a superb 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 helpful in do-it-yourself lip balm through 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 do-it-yourself cosmetics and lotions as a result of it’s stable at room temperature. Plus it has a comparatively excessive melting level of 147 levels Fahrenheit. That is particularly useful in recipes with plenty of coconut oil, which has a low melting level, or different oils which might be 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 Residence
Melted beeswax is an extremely versatile pure ingredient for DIY magnificence and pure dwelling merchandise. It’s a staple in my do-it-yourself pure merchandise and round our home.
Whereas beeswax makes use of are virtually limitless, there are just a few straightforward methods I exploit it at dwelling. When you haven’t already, attempt beeswax in these do-it-yourself recipes:
1. Selfmade Deodorant
I’ve been making my very own deodorant for years as a result of it really works so a lot better than store-bought. One of many elements I exploit is beeswax as a result of it helps kind 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 perfect moisturizers on the planet. An ideal mixture of oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax types a stable 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 can also make dozens of do-it-yourself magnificence merchandise with the identical set of straightforward elements. This lip balm recipe makes use of the identical elements because the lotion bars however with just a few added elements for scent or coloration. After you have these fundamental elements 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 dwelling now. Plus they’re straightforward and enjoyable to make your self. Additionally they make nice do-it-yourself Christmas or birthday items.
Do this tutorial to make your personal! Or you should buy pure beeswax candles right here.
5. Selfmade Soaps
Beeswax is commonly 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 may 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 offers a protecting pores and skin barrier whereas serving to the opposite helpful elements keep on the pores and skin. This fashion 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 an excellent treatment for cracked heels. Right here’s the right way to make this do-it-yourself ointment.
8. On Cracked Arms
I actually imagine that just about all the pieces we have to treatment minor illnesses will 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 harm.
I like so as to add helpful 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” available to deal with scrapes, stings, poison ivy, bruises, and any different gentle harm my children handle to get. It really works virtually 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 Aid
When sickness strikes, I flip to beeswax-based pure cures. Selfmade pure vapor rub helps when coughing and congestion hit. It offers 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 dwelling, and that features plastic wrap. Aluminum foil can be a no-go for meals storage since I don’t need heavy metals leaching into my meals! You can also make your personal reusable meals wraps although with some yellow beeswax. These have a “cling” that makes them an exquisite different 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 effectively.
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 totally different ones. This do-it-yourself lotion recipe is thicker and extra like a physique butter. Or attempt one among these fashionable recipes:
Different Methods to Use Beeswax
- Make your personal 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 do-it-yourself furnishings polish. You may also use it to guard wood spoons and chopping boards.
- Fashion brief hair with do-it-yourself 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 straightforward 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, somewhat than by the tablespoon. You may also purchase beeswax in block kind, 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!).
An alternative choice is to purchase it regionally if you happen to’re capable of get in contact with beekeepers in your space. This helps help native beekeepers (which is vital!) and you’ll usually discover it comparatively inexpensively.
How do you utilize beeswax? Share a few of your favourite makes use of beneath!
