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There are good reasons why beeswax has been used topically on the skin since ancient Egyptian times.

You can find beeswax in many products today, including:

  • makeup
  • sunscreen
  • baby products

So, what makes it so good for skin, and how can you use it?

What is beeswax?

Simply put, beeswax is a wax that comes from bees. The worker bees produce a honeycomb of this wax to store the colony’s honey.

Many beauty products that contain beeswax areEWG-certified. This means that a product has gone through the Environmental Working Group’s verification process to give consumers a better idea of its ingredients.

The next time you have chapped lips, try beeswax. You can purchase aready-made versionor make your own using this simple recipe.

DIY beeswax lip balm

Ingredients and supplies

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  1. Place 2 tablespoons of beeswax pellets, 2 tablespoons of shea butter, and 2 tablespoons of coconut oil into a heatproof bowl over a pot of water or into a double boiler.
  2. Heat the water over low to medium heat to melt the ingredients.
  3. Keep ingredients over the heat as you add in the oil to your desired fragrance preference. Then turn off the heat.
  4. Crease one edge of the paper cup to create a small beak to pour liquid out of.
  5. Before the mixture has the chance to harden, carefully fill the cup and use this to distribute the mixture into empty lip balm tubs.
  6. After the mixture has had several hours to harden and cool at room temperature, cap the containers with their covers.

Be sure to use natural, food-grade peppermint oil that you can typically find in the baking section at a grocery store. Peppermint essential oil is not the same thing.

Beeswax can create a protective layer on the skin. It’s also a humectant, which means that it attracts water. Both of these qualities can help the skin stay hydrated.

Beeswax is also a natural exfoliator, ideal for sloughing away dead skin cells.

By making beeswax into a lotion bar, it will work double-duty to keep your skin soft and hydrated.

Ingredients and supplies

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DIY beeswax lotion bar

  1. Combine 7 tablespoons of olive oil and 4 tablespoons of yellow beeswax into a microwave safe container.
  2. Microwave in 30-second bursts until completely melted.
  3. Remove the bowl carefully from the microwave as it’ll be very hot.
  4. Add in 7 tablespoons of shea butter. Stir.
  5. Add in 1–3 drops of honey fragrance oil. Stir to mix in.
  6. Using 6 silicone molds, carefully pour the mixture into each.
  7. Allow the mixture to cool and harden for several hours or overnight, if necessary.
  8. Once hard, be sure to store in a cool, dry place to prevent melting.

Beeswax on its own has a light, honey fragrance. So you might not need to add any fragrance to your recipes.

Thanks to its antibacterial agents, beeswax has a long history of being used for certain skin issues. Historically, this has included treating burns and wounds.

Nowadays, it’s used to soothe symptoms of certain skin conditions, such aspsoriasisand eczema (dermatitis).

A small 2003 study found that the daily application of a honey mixture to the skin of people with dermatitis or psoriasis led to a significant improvement in both conditions over 2 weeks.

For this mixture, they combined equal parts raw honey, beeswax, and olive oil (1:1:1 ratio).

A2018 studyeven found that natural products, such as beeswax, were far superior to the management of sensitive skin than skincare products with synthetic ingredients.

Natural products minimized the chances of skin irritation while still providing soothing benefits.

Allergies

Before using beeswax on your skin, you may want to test forallergies. You can do so by completing a patch test, which involves leaving a dab of beeswax on your inner wrist or elbow for 24–48 hours.

Some adverse reactions could include:

  • skin swelling and redness
  • itchiness or rash
  • a burning sensation

Clean beeswax off skin

If using beeswax on your face, be sure to wash it off afterward.

Removing beeswax or any products containing beeswax from your skin is extremely important to let the skin breathe.

Since beeswax doesn’t dissolve in water, you may have to use an oil-based cleanser to remove it entirely from your skin. This could be the case if you use beeswax on your face or on other areas of your skin.

Here are other methods for removing wax from your skin.

Using beeswax on your skin may be just what your skincare routine needs.

It’s ideal for:

  • moisturizing sensitive skin
  • hydrating the skin
  • soothing certain skin conditions

If you decide to skip the DIY route and purchase products that contain beeswax, opt for ones that contain ingredients that are as natural as possible.