As a beekeeper, I learned firsthand how amazing beeswax is. You’ll find this natural substance in many of my DIY recipes for everything from soaps to lotion bars. But beeswax’s uses don’t end in DIY skincare recipes!
Why Bees Are Amazing
Have you ever seen inside a bee hive? It’s amazing. Imagine this:
- Caring for a newborn who needs constant care
- Build a house with my own hands
- Defeat anyone who tries to invade your home
- Still responsible for normal cooking and cleaning
Stressful, right? But that’s what honeybee colonies do every day. Plus, everything they produce is beneficial in some way!
Everything is always perfectly organized, clean, and functional. Sometimes I have a hard time taking care of one baby at a time, but the bees take care of hundreds of them and build their home. As a former beekeeper and now watching my son take care of the hive, I am constantly in awe of how amazing bees are.
babe
Honey may be the most popular product bees make, but it’s not the only one that’s good for you. (But if you haven’t put honey on your face yet, give it a try.)
word Apitherapy This refers to the beneficial use of bee products such as honey, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, and beeswax. Bee venom has also been used therapeutically! Sounds crazy? Check out this video The Discovery Channel explains it this way:
Now before I ramble on for hours about how awesome bees are (and I really could!), I want to talk about one specific product.
Beeswax: The Amazing Ability of Bees
We usually cherish bees for their honey, royal jelly, and other beneficial (and tasty) byproducts, but beeswax is also high on the bee appreciation list. Bees make beeswax to form the structure of their honeycombs. They secrete the wax from special glands and then chew it to form the perfect hexagonal honeycomb.
Bees, too, seem to have embraced minimalism from the beginning. Their perfectly hexagonal honeycombs provide the most storage space with the least amount of building material (in this case, beeswax).
When beekeepers harvest honey, they remove the caps from each cell to extract the honey. These caps are melted and filtered to remove any non-wax particles. This is how we get the beeswax that we use in many beauty products and DIY recipes.
Pure beeswax is one of the 7 ingredients I buy in bulk. I always keep natural beeswax on hand for DIY products and remedies. There are dozens of uses for it around the house.
Benefits of beeswax
Beeswax is a great addition to cosmetics for a number of reasons.
- Beeswax forms a barrier in lotions and creams, helping to lock moisture into the skin. This is especially beneficial in homemade lip balms during the dry winter months.
- These barriers also help protect the skin from environmental toxins and irritants.
- Unlike petroleum jelly, which is used in many beauty products, beeswax does not “suffocate” the skin. Instead, it provides a protective barrier while allowing the skin to breathe.
- Beeswax is solid at room temperature, which helps thicken homemade cosmetics and lotions. It also has a relatively high melting point of 147 degrees Fahrenheit. This is especially useful in recipes that use a lot of low-melting-point coconut oil or other oils that are liquid at room temperature.
- Beeswax also contains vitamin A, which improves skin hydration and promotes cell regeneration.
15+ Ways to Use Beeswax Around the House
Melted beeswax is a very versatile natural ingredient for DIY beauty and natural home products. It is a staple in my homemade natural products and around my house.
The uses for beeswax are nearly endless, but there are a few easy ways to use it at home. If you haven’t tried it yet, try using beeswax in these homemade recipes.
1. Homemade Deodorant
I have been making my own deodorant for years because it works so much better than store bought ones. One of the ingredients I use is beeswax because it helps create a natural protective moisture barrier. This means it helps prevent sweat stains from forming on your clothes without the harmful and unnecessary chemicals.
2. Lotion Bar
I am biased, but these are the best moisturizers in the world. The perfect combination of oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax forms a bar like a solid soap for dry skin. It soothes the skin, locks in moisture, and even has natural anti-wrinkle properties. I use the melted wax with an oil like olive oil or coconut oil.
3. DIY lip balm
You can make dozens of homemade beauty products with the same simple ingredients. This lip balm recipe uses the same ingredients as the lotion bar, but adds a few extras for flavor and color. With these basic ingredients, you can make your own lip balm for much less than buying it at the store!
4. Beeswax candles
I gave up scented candles and air fresheners a few years ago. Most candles use soy or paraffin wax and pollute the air. We now only use beeswax candles in our home. Plus, they are easy and fun to make yourself. They also make great homemade Christmas or birthday gifts.
Try this tutorial to make it yourself! Or you can buy it. Pure beeswax candles here.
5. Handmade soap
Beeswax is often added to soap recipes to make the finished soap harder and longer lasting. It should only make up 2% of the soap recipe. Any more and the soap will start to lose its lather.
Try this spice-infused essential oil soap.
6. Baby items
Most babies get diaper rash at some point. I try to use only natural skin care products, but I am especially careful with my baby’s sensitive skin.
I use beeswax as a thickener in my diaper rash cream. The wax provides a protective skin barrier while also helping other beneficial ingredients stay on the skin. This makes it more effective at clearing up the rash.
7. Soothe cracked heels
A simple ointment made with beeswax, coconut oil, and magnesium is a great treatment for cracked heels. Here’s how to make this homemade ointment:
8. Split Hand
I believe that almost everything you need to treat minor ailments can be found in nature. Beeswax is a great remedy for chapped hands from gardening or outdoor work. It also forms a protective barrier to prevent future damage.
I like to add beneficial herbs from my garden to help speed up the healing process. Plantains grow in most yards and are a natural remedy for bites, stings, and even sunburn. Check out my DIY Gardener’s Hand Ointment recipe here.
9. Natural Healing Ointment
I always keep this “couple lotion” on hand to treat scrapes, stings, bites, bruises, and any minor injuries my kids get. It’s as effective as a kiss for minor scrapes and couples. The herbs I use have anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing properties.
10. Relieves colds and flu
When you are sick, use beeswax-based natural remedies. Homemade natural steam rubs help with coughing and congestion. They provide relief without having to apply vaseline all over your skin.
Frequent nose blowing when you’re sick can wreak havoc on the delicate skin around your nose. This soothing nose balm recipe combines herbal-infused oils with beeswax and shea butter to create a nourishing balm.
11. Beeswax wrap
I try to avoid single-use plastic products in my home, and that includes plastic wrap. Aluminum foil is also a no-no for food storage, because you don’t want heavy metals leaching into your food! However, you can make your own reusable food wrap using yellow beeswax. This product has a “cling” property that makes it a great alternative to plastic wrap.
Not everyone has the time and interest to make their own food wraps. If you do, there are great Beeswax food wrap You can also choose your options online.
12. Creams and Lotions
I’ve already mentioned my love for lotion bars, but there are other ways to moisturize with beeswax. I’ve experimented with a lotion recipe over the years and have created a variety of recipes. This homemade lotion recipe is thicker and more like body butter. Or try one of these popular recipes:
Other ways to use beeswax
- Try making your own beeswax crayons. My crayon recipe uses a different type of wax, which I think works better!
- Use beeswax melted in olive oil. Homemade furniture polish. It can also be used to protect wooden spoons or cutting boards.
- Short hair styling at home Beeswax pomade.
Where to buy beeswax
I like natural things, but I won’t tell you to go dig a beehive! I like living. Beeswax pastille Or because pellets are easy to handle. Use them when you need small amounts for lip balms and ointments.
For larger projects like candles, you don’t need pastilles because you can measure them by weight rather than spoons. You can also buy beeswax. block shape, It is slightly cheaper than Pastille.
Some beeswax is bleached, so I prefer yellow beeswax. It should have a slight honey scent, otherwise it is highly refined (or fake!).
Another option is to buy locally if you can connect with a local beekeeper. This helps support local beekeepers (important!) and can often be found relatively inexpensively.
How do you use beeswax? Share your favorite uses below!
