Honey is a popular product known for its health and skincare benefits. Did you know that apart from honey, bees produce another substance that works great for our skin? Beeswax is known mostly for its conditioning properties, but also has several other benefits for the skin.
How do bees make beeswax?
Honeybees secrete a natural wax from glands on the sides of their bodies. They scrape this wax off, chew it up, and deposit it on the inside of the honeycomb. It gradually hardens and becomes a protective lining for the chambers where baby bees grow, and honey is stored.
The wax offers physical protection and keeps the hive free of infections and other contaminants.
Internal health benefits of beeswax
Ancient Egyptian artists used beeswax to make paint, and the Romans used it as a skin softener. Modern research is ongoing about its potential to relieve pain, lower cholesterol, and treat digestive ailments.
Benefits to the skin
Beeswax is popular in the cosmetics industry because it's natural and non-toxic, thus provides benefits to the skin and enriches various types of formulas. Its thickening properties help to thicken creams, making them more spreadable on the skin.
Here are some of its more potent benefits:
PROTECTIVE
When applied to human skin, beeswax forms a protective barrier that helps shield it from environmental pollutants, while also holding in moisture and reducing dryness. That's why beeswax is a popular ingredient in lip balms. Unlike petroleum, beeswax doesn't suffocate your skin and won't clog pores.
VITAMIN A
Vitamin A helps in rejuvenating your look and keeping your skin supple.
HUMECTANT
Humectants "attract" water to themselves. When you put on beeswax, it attracts water molecules, so your skin stays hydrated over time.
FRAGRANCE
Nature has numerous substances with pleasant scents, so there's no reason to use chemicals to make products smell good. Beeswax has an attractive honey fragrance and is a favorite in many natural soaps and perfumes because of its pleasant, light aroma.
RELIEVES TEMPORARY ITCHING
If you experience dry skin itching or have sensitive skin, beeswax is for you. Its anti-allergenic properties make it tolerable by even those with reactive skin.
With love,
The Sole Toscana Beauty Team
