Hivessence features products that are formulated with components from our honeybees. Honey, royal jelly, and beeswax are all-natural ingredients created from bees’ activities as they forage for nectar and pollen, return to the hive, and build their community. The resulting combinations can be wonderful, healthy additions to your own DIY skincare routine as well. Here are some ways you can use them for homemade skincare:
Honey:
Cleanser: Honey is antibacterial by its very nature. You can use honey as a gentle cleanser by massaging a small amount onto damp skin and rinsing off with warm water. Mix with dry oats for a perfect exfoliant.
Another perfect and healthy mix for a natural exfoliate is to mix a teaspoon of ground coffee, half a teaspoon of turmeric and a tablespoon of honey. With the mixture on a soft face cloth, scrub your skin a slow, circular fashion for 2 to 3 mins, and rinse.
Face Mask: Mix honey with other ingredients like yogurt, oats, or mashed fruits to create a refreshing and nourishing face mask. Honey has moisturizing properties that act as a humectant that attracts and helps your skin retain moisture. Honey can also cool and soothe skin, especially after sun exposure or winter wind burns. Allow your formulation to stay on your skin for 15 to 20 mins before gently rinsing.
Spot Treatment: Dab a small amount of honey onto blemishes to help calm inflammation and promote healing. You can also use honey to speed recovery on cuts and scrapes. In fact, after cleansing the wound, place a dap of honey over the cut and then apply a bandage.
Royal Jelly:
Bees feed a unique formulation of honey specifically to the queen bee. This special blend actually triggers her DNA to turn into that hive’s queen and provides her with a bit of super-bee powers, changing her body size and functions. It’s a highly sought-after compound and has extraordinary benefits to us humans as well!
Face Cream: Incorporate royal jelly into your favorite face creams or lotions for added hydration and nourishment. Royal Jelly contains a higher level and concentration of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids than regular honey and can benefit your skin in more profound ways.
Serum: Mix a small amount of Royal Jelly with a carrier oil (such as jojoba olive oil, or rosehip oil) to create a rejuvenating serum. You may want to refrigerate this to keep it longer and preserve the nutrients.
Eye Cream: Create an eye cream by blending Royal Jelly with aloe vera gel or a gentle carrier oil. The nutrients in Royal Jelly can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while acting as a long-term hydration activator.
Beeswax:
Lip Balm: Beeswax is often melted down and shaped into a usable base for lip balms, due to its natural moisturizing properties. You can purchase raw beeswax on our site or in stores. Simply combine melted beeswax with nourishing oils (like coconut, almond, or jojoba) and, add a drop of essential oil like rosemary or peppermint.
Body Butter: You can create a luxurious body butter by melting beeswax and combining it with Shea Butter and a small amount of carrier oils to make it less thick. This can help seal in moisture and provide a protective barrier after cleansing and moisturizing your skin.
Hand Cream: Simply blend beeswax with cocoa butter and aloe vera gel to create a nourishing and cooling hand cream that can help soothe dry and rough hands.
When working with all these above ingredients, keep in mind the following tips since natural compounds are usually raw and unfiltered:
Patch Test: Before applying any DIY skincare product to your face or body, perform a patch test on a small area of skin to check for any allergic reactions or sensitivities.
Quality Matters: Use high-quality, pure, and preferably organic versions of honey, royal jelly, and beeswax. This is why we work directly with small-run beekeepers because we know our sources and where the honey products were produced and extracted.
Clean Tools: Always make sure that all utensils and containers used are clean and sterilized to prevent contamination or cross-contamination – especially for the eye creams.
Preservation: Since everything mentioned are natural ingredients, DIY skincare products that are blended with them may have a shorter shelf life than professionally formulated products. Consider making smaller batches and storing them in cool, dark places to extend their usability.
The best thing is to remember that everyone's skin is different, so what works well for one person might not work as effectively for your or someone else. If you have specific skin concerns or conditions, it's a good idea to consult with a dermatologist before incorporating new ingredients into your skincare routine. Happy self-caring!