As a beekeeper, I’ve discovered firsthand how wonderful beeswax will be. You’ll discover this pure substance in lots of my DIY recipes for every part 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 unimaginable. Think about a situation by which you had been concurrently:
- Caring for a new child who wanted fixed care
- Constructing a home with your personal arms
- Preventing off folks attempting to interrupt into your property
- Nonetheless liable for regular cooking and cleansing
Traumatic… proper? But that is what a honey bee colony does each single day. On prime of that, every part they produce is useful indirectly!
All the pieces is at all times utterly ordered, clear, and functioning. At occasions I’ve had hassle caring for one child at a time, and honeybees handle a whole lot, all whereas constructing a home. As a former beekeeper and now watching my son handle 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. (However strive utilizing honey in 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? 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 deal with one particular product.
Beeswax: Bees Being Sensible
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 nicely. 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 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 without doubt one of the 7 substances I purchase in bulk. I at all times hold pure beeswax readily available for lots of my DIY merchandise and cures. It has dozens of makes use of across the residence.
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 in the course of the dry winter months.
- This barrier additionally helps to guard the pores and skin from environmental toxins and irritants.
- In contrast to 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 a lot of coconut oil, which has a low melting level, or different oils which can 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 House
Melted beeswax is an extremely versatile pure ingredient for DIY magnificence and pure residence 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 a couple of simple methods I exploit it at residence. In case you haven’t already, strive beeswax in these do-it-yourself recipes:
1. Home made 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 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 substances.
2. Lotion Bars
I’m biased, however these are one of the best moisturizers on this planet. An ideal mixture of oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax varieties 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 may make dozens of do-it-yourself magnificence merchandise with the identical set of straightforward 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 colour. Upon getting these fundamental substances readily available, you can also make lip balm for means 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. Additionally they make nice do-it-yourself Christmas or birthday presents.
Do this tutorial to make your personal! Or you should buy pure beeswax candles right here.
5. Home made 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 may have a diaper rash in some unspecified time in the future. 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 substances keep on the pores and skin. This fashion they will have a larger impact on clearing up the rash.
7. Soothe Cracked Heels
A easy salve of beeswax, coconut oil, and magnesium makes an incredible treatment for cracked heels. Right here’s easy methods to make this do-it-yourself ointment.
8. On Cracked Arms
I actually imagine that just about every part we have to treatment minor illnesses will be present in nature. Beeswax is a superb treatment for cracked arms from gardening or outside work. It additionally creates a protecting barrier to assist keep away from future injury.
I like so as to add helpful herbs from the backyard to hurry reduction 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 damage my children handle to get. It really works virtually in addition to kisses for reduction 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. Home made pure vapor rub helps when coughing and congestion hit. It offers reduction 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 be a no-go for meals storage since I don’t need heavy metals leaching into my meals! You may make your personal reusable meals wraps although with some yellow beeswax. These have a “cling” that makes them a beautiful 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 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 over time and created completely different ones. This do-it-yourself lotion recipe is thicker and extra like a physique butter. Or strive one among these common recipes:
Different Methods to Use Beeswax
- Make your personal beeswax crayons. My crayon recipe makes use of a special sort 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 can even use it to guard wood spoons and reducing boards.
- Model quick 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 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 mandatory for bigger initiatives like candles as a result of you’ll be able to measure by weight, fairly than by the tablespoon. You can even purchase beeswax in block kind, which is barely cheaper than the pastilles.
Some beeswax is bleached so I favor yellow beeswax. It ought to have a slight honey scent to it, in any other case, it’s extremely refined (or pretend!).
Another choice is to purchase it domestically for those who’re in a position to get in contact with beekeepers in your space. This helps assist native beekeepers (which is essential!) and you’ll typically discover it comparatively inexpensively.
How do you employ beeswax? Share a few of your favourite makes use of beneath!
