The WoW Style

Bees wax is making all the ‘honey’ in the aromatherapy world and for a good reason. With all its highly beneficial ingredients, it makes the perfect choice to use in aromatherapy, cooking, beauty care and many other applications!  It is one of the finest and highly nourishing natural ingredients. It can be used for a range of purposes ranging from candles, moisturisers, soaps, furniture finishing products to even make up. With all these incredible uses, you can see why it is the core ingredient of every do-it-yourself organic beauty kit. In this article, we will uncover what the buzz is about with Bees wax and what it could do for you. 

What are Humectants?

Humectants are any substances that work to take in water from the air or from the deeper layers of the skin and take these molecules to bring up into the skin’s outer surface. This increases the length of plumpness in the skin as it can retain moisture, making it the perfect ingredient to add to skincare products. A good way to explain is that humectants act as magnets for water. Examples of humectants in skincare and haircare include aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, and, as noted, bees wax. As an organic humectant, beeswax can absorb water from the air to attract to the surface of your skin, making it highly moisturising. Despite its moisturization properties, every humectant can vary, depending on the source. It is highly useful for anti-ageing products, suggesting reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This makes humectants like bees wax a highly essential ingredient to add to your skincare regime.

What is bees wax?

Bees wax is a by-product made by honeybees, a major component that makes up honeycomb. In the honeycomb, the pollen oils and honey produce this white, yellow, or brown malleable solid, varying based on the kind of flowers used for pollen. This raw material is used as a home to these insects, creating the structure to stabilize the hive. These combs are structured with a range of honey cells stacked upon each other. Each cell is a hexagon shape after finding out that you can store more honey with the smallest amount of bees wax. The comb is also used as a nursery for the queen to hold her eggs. These cells are also created as a pantry to store food for the hive. Every honeycomb is unique, different in colour depending on the type of insect, the area, and the flowers used to produce the honey. They are made from secretion produced by the drone’s stomach, which at first appears to resemble mica flakes. From skincare, aromatherapy to food or drink, bees wax is a critical ingredient of many commercial products and DIY recipes. As it is malleable and draws in moisture, it is highly nourishing and smooth for dry and sensitive skin. 

What are the benefits of bees wax?

Get lit the right way 

Bees wax is highly advantageous compared to other kinds of humectants as it is naturally occurring and straight from the beehive. In this way, it does not include harsh chemicals, making it the perfect light holder for candles. Paraffin candles made from petroleum disperse carcinogens into your surroundings when lit, adding pollution to your environment. On the other hand, bees wax candles can clean the air, getting rid of the toxins. When they burn, they bring out negative ions. When in contact with negative ions, such as dust, dirt, and other pollutants, this can eliminate the toxic load in the air. In this way, beeswax works as a natural air purifier enhancing the air quality in your household. In addition to their purifying qualities, they burn longer, making them better in value. 

Skin as smooth as a baby’s tail 

Bees wax can be used for skincare products ranging from lotions, soaps to cleansing products. Because it is a naturally occurring humectant, it is highly moisturising, making it the perfect ingredient to use in face and body skincare. This incredible raw source includes vitamins A, E, D, and many other proteins, making it a highly nourishing natural source for your skin. It also has highly hypoallergenic qualities, with a history of assisting people with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. It is crucial to remember that although bees wax may benefit your skin, do a patch test before topical use as everyone reacts differently. 

Hair as pointed as a stinger 

Bees wax can make your hair gorgeous on the fly – literally. It can control any flyaways from frizz to poorly tamed edges, making it the ideal ingredient to use in hair care, especially for curly and kinky locks. It is perfect for keeping it all excellent and in place, ensuring every strand is smoothed out. It works as a fantastic styler to apply after wetting the hair to define your curls deeply. It can place strands, making it long-lasting for wear. This natural humectant is believed to help in hair growth, making your hair grow longer. It is also helpful for sealing split ends, preventing further damage to the ends of your hair.  With all this in mind, this ingredient is highly nutritious for your hair however there are no strict guarantees you will receive all these benefits instantly as it takes time to see the best results. 

DIY Recipes

Candle

What you need 

• 2 cups of Beeswax beads
• 1 cup of Coconut extract 
• Combination of extracts of your choosing (e.g., lavender, peppermint)
• Wicks 
• Jar 
• Pouring pot 
• Jars or metal tins 
• Pen or stick

*Tips: bees wax is a highly flammable substance. Therefore, it is important not to directly get in contact with heat. The best way to melt it is through double boiling, placing the beads in a pan that is on top of a pot of boiling water. 

Method 

1. Boil water in a big pot. 
2. Once the water is boiling, in a bowl, place the beeswax beads. 
3. As soon as it melts, add in the coconut oil.
4. Stir until both combine. 
5. While it is melting, prepare the ware to place the candle mixture in. It is suggested to use glassware or jars. 
6. Add the wick in holding the extension with the stick or pen. 
7. Once it melts thoroughly, slowly pour the mixture into the jar. 
8. You can add the essential extracts of your choosing, whether independently in each container or before it is poured. 
9. Wait for the mixture to turn into solid overnight. 
10. Trim the wicks to fit. 
11. You’ve got yourself a candle to light up your world! 

Lip Balm 

What You Need 

• 1 tablespoon of bees wax 
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 5 drops of vitamin E

Method 

1. Boil a pot of water.
2. Once it is boiling, place a bowl of bees wax on top of the lid of the pot. 
3. Once melted, add in the coconut extract.
4. Once both are combined, turn off the gas and add in vitamin E
5. Place it in a small container.
6. Let it cool.
7. Apply on your lips.

Hair pomade 

What You Need 

• 1 cup of bees wax 
• 1 ½ cups of shea butter 
• 2 cups of jojoba oil
• ¼ teaspoon of any essential extract of your choice 

Method

1. Boil the water 
2. Once boiling, place a bowl of the beeswax on top of the pot 
3. Once melted, add in shea butter 
4. After both are melted, add jojoba oil 
5. Stir until combined 
6. Pour into container to cool for a bit 
7. Then add a few drops of your essential oil of choice