Humans make ear wax and bees make beeswax, but it’s not quite the same thing. Beeswax is produced by an organ that bees have in their abdomen. They use it to build honeycomb to store honey and provide a nest for their young.
When beeswax is harvested by humans, it’s usually heated in water and filtered to remove pollen and contaminants. Although pure beeswax is good for skin, cosmetic-grade beeswax is best for beauty purposes because it has fewer impurities. It’s what you can use to make lip balm and moisturizers or apply directly to your face or body once it’s melted.
Contents
- 1 Which is the best beeswax for skin?
- 2 How can you use beeswax?
- 3 Is yellow or white beeswax better for skin?
- 4 Is it better to use block or pellet beeswax for the skin?
- 5 What beeswax can do for your skin
- 6 Best Beeswax for Skin in 2023
- 6.1 Meyer’s 100% Pure Domestic USA Beeswax
- 6.2 Texas Beeswax
- 6.3 HUNNYBEE Organic White Beeswax Pellets
- 6.4 Organic White Beeswax Pellets by Sky Organics
- 6.5 White Naturals White Beeswax Pellets
- 6.6 Wild Herb Yellow Beeswax Pellets
- 6.7 Surgeon’s Skin Secret Beeswax Unscented Moisturizer
- 6.8 Dr. Bronner’s Organic Magic Balm
- 7 Conclusion
Which is the best beeswax for skin?
Although raw beeswax has a unique appeal, we suggest that cosmetic grade beeswax is best for the skin. It’s purified and ready to use.
If you plan to make your own cosmetics with it, we suggest getting pellets instead of a block. In any case, beeswax isn’t ready to use directly on the skin until it’s melted and/or blended with other ingredients.
How can you use beeswax?
Beeswax can be applied directly to the skin to help it hold in moisture. It’s naturally antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, plus it allows the skin to breathe (1).
Also, you can blend beeswax with other ingredients like essential oils or botanical oils to make lip gloss, beard balm, hair mask, and moisturizer. Commercial manufacturers use it in eyeshadow, eyeliner, and many other products.
Lastly, beeswax is popular for treating wood, waterproofing, and candlemaking because it’s non-toxic and smells delicious. Instructions for making candles, lip balm, lotion, and more are available online.
Is yellow or white beeswax better for skin?
One question we see a lot is whether it’s better to use yellow or white beeswax on the skin. Raw or lightly refined beeswax is yellow to golden brown while white tends to be more refined and bleached – but not necessarily with chemicals. In any case, the wax should have a mild honey scent or no odor at all. Typically, white beeswax is preferred for cosmetics.
Is it better to use block or pellet beeswax for the skin?
Cosmetic grade beeswax in pellets is much easier to use because it’s straightforward to measure and melt. On the other hand, blocks and sheets can be cut up or shaved with a cheese grater, and this form may be less expensive than pellets.
What beeswax can do for your skin
Beeswax calms inflammation caused by eczema and psoriasis, especially when it’s combined with other natural ingredients like honey or botanical oils. Its natural antimicrobial ability fights strep and salmonella as well as other pathogens. Plus, it’s non-comedogenic and non-irritating even for sensitive skin. Give beeswax a try today. The reviews below will help you find what you need:
The best beeswax for skin | Why we love it |
---|---|
Meyer's 100% Pure Domestic USA Beeswax |
|
Texas Beeswax |
|
HUNNYBEE Organic White Beeswax Pellets |
|
Organic White Beeswax Pellets by Sky Organics |
|
White Naturals White Beeswax Pellets |
|
Wild Herb Yellow Beeswax Pellets |
|
Surgeon's Skin Secret Beeswax Unscented Moisturizer |
|
Dr. Bronner's Organic Magic Balm |
|
Best Beeswax for Skin in 2023
Meyer’s 100% Pure Domestic USA Beeswax
This brand of beeswax offers pellets packaged in four-ounce bags, the perfect starter size. Open the bag and you’ll smell the mild and natural honey fragrance.
Hold a yellowish-white pellet in your hand and you can see how clean and perfect the wax looks. That’s no surprise as it’s triple-filtered (without chemicals). The process maintains the nutrients and antibacterial properties while removing contaminants like pollen.
Moreover, this is American beeswax harvested in the USA by reputable beekeepers. It consists of the current season’s beeswax cappings – the fresh wax that seals the honey-filled cells.
It’s also packaged stateside. However, it’s not organic as achieving organic status for beeswax is quite difficult. (It requires the hives to only visit organically grown plants, which means they have to be isolated a certain distance from other options).
Feel free to use this cosmetic-grade beeswax for DIY lip balm, body butter, and so on. Reviewers love it because it’s easy to work with and smells delightful.
Pros:
- Triple-filtered beeswax harvested in the USA
- Yellowish white pellets with a mild honey scent
- Cosmetic grade
Cons:
- None
Texas Beeswax
How about a slab of sweet-smelling yellow beeswax straight from Texas? Use a cheese grater to remove as much as you need. The manufacturer will send you a free e-book of skincare recipes to help you get the most out of the wax.
The wax is filtered and clean, ready to use. As for pesticides, the brand says that the beekeepers they source from keep the bees far from plants treated with chemicals. On the downside, there’s no guarantee as this is not organic beeswax.
Reviewers say the wax melts just as it should and has a warm, buttery, honey scent
Pros:
- Block of yellow beeswax harvested in Texas
- Filtered and pure, ready to use
- Honey scented, melts easily
Cons:
- None
HUNNYBEE Organic White Beeswax Pellets
If you’re all about purity, here’s triple-filtered organic beeswax for skin care. It carries a USDA organic certification because the bees which make it only have access to organically grown plants.
The wax is unbleached and pure with no additives. It has a mild sweet aroma.
Unlike raw beeswax, this is cosmetic-grade with a slightly lower melting point between 142 to 151°F. It’s ideal for homemade moisturizers, candles, furniture polish, and lots of other DIY projects.
Give it a try, and if you don’t love it, the brand offers a 100% money-back guarantee.
Pros:
- USDA-certified organic
- Triple-filtered with no additives
- Cosmetic grade
- Unbleached with a mild natural aroma
Cons:
- None
Organic White Beeswax Pellets by Sky Organics
This brand uses active carbon filtration to purify the beeswax, but they don’t add any ingredients or treat it with chemicals. Instead, the beeswax is certified organic and sourced responsibly, although the company isn’t explicit about where the wax comes from.
The advantage here is the small size of the pellets. They are easy to melt and manage, making them very convenient for ointments, balms, and the like.
Pros:
- Small white beeswax pellets
- Straightforward to measure and melt
- Certified organic and filtered, not treated with chemicals
Cons:
- Although the wax is certified organic, the point of origin isn’t clear
White Naturals White Beeswax Pellets
These little white pellets are about the size of lentils so you can use just a little bit at a time. Keep in mind that beeswax doesn’t melt in the hand. If you want it to stay soft, you have to emulsify it with plant oils or other ingredients.
What’s nice about this brand is that the cosmetic-grade beeswax is pesticide-free and was not treated with chemicals. Although it’s not certified organic, it’s made in the USA and all natural. The wax is also triple filtered for maximum purity.
To melt it, place it in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, all you need are two pans, one smaller than the other. Partially fill the larger pan with water and nestle the smaller pan inside. Place the pellets in the waterless pan and turn on the heat. As the water comes to a boil, the wax will begin to melt in the interior pan.
Pros:
- Small white pellets that are easy to measure and melt
- Made in the USA
- Triple-filtered and cosmetic grade
Cons:
- Natural but not organic
Wild Herb Yellow Beeswax Pellets
This brand of beeswax sells pellets in a variety of sizes, from 8 ounces up to 92-pound bags. It’s yellow because of the color of the pollen and has little to no scent.
After the wax is harvested, it’s filtered to remove contaminants. You can tell that it’s pure because when it melts it doesn’t change color.
Furthermore, the manufacturer guarantees that it never has a smoky scent. (Several brands of beeswax had reviews complaining about chemical or smoky odors and this one was no exception. If the wax you purchase smells wrong, please contact the manufacturer or seller).
Pros:
- Available in a wide variety of sizes
- Compact yellow pellets for use in personal care products
- Filtered but not treated with chemicals
Cons:
- Some reviewers complained about a smoky odor
Surgeon’s Skin Secret Beeswax Unscented Moisturizer
Would you like to experience the benefits of beeswax without having to make your own skin care products? This buttery moisturizer heals cracked hands and smooths chapped lips in record time. What’s more, apply it and you can wash your hands a few times without it wearing off.
The formula is 50% beeswax with mineral oil and lanolin. It works best if applied to damp skin because it’s occlusive, trapping moisture where it’s needed. The antibacterial properties of the beeswax stimulate healing, too.
Reviewers say it makes a dramatic difference overnight, leaving minor burns and cuts practically healed by morning. It softens rough feet, too. Rub in the cream and sleep with a pair of socks or gloves for maximum benefit.
Although this version is unscented, the moisturizer is also available fragranced with essential oils or in a stick format for no-mess application. The texture is dense and thick and will need to be warmed up a little bit in your hand before you can spread it easily. Be prepared to let it absorb for three or four minutes before dressing.
Pros:
- Forms a protective coating that withstands repeated washing
- Buttery moisturizer promotes healing of chapped and cracked skin
- Only three ingredients – no preservatives or artificial fragrances
- Safe for lips and skin
Cons:
- Takes a while to absorb
Dr. Bronner’s Organic Magic Balm
It fixes dry skin, heals peeling cuticles, and treats diaper rash – it’s even mild enough to use on new tattoos. This beeswax balm contains avocado, jojoba, coconut, olive, and hemp seed oils, too.
The certified USDA organic blend is also cruelty-free. It comes in a recyclable metal tin.
Reviewers like it because it’s pure and natural and just a little goes a long way. The texture is similar to petroleum jelly and there’s no scent. Feel free to use it on eczema-prone skin, chapped lips, and anywhere else the skin needs to be repaired.
Pros:
- Blend of beeswax and botanical oils
- Safe for babies, lips, and new tattoos
- Unscented and USDA-certified organic
- Cruelty-free and packaged in recyclable material
Cons:
- None
Conclusion
Ever since humans discovered beeswax, we’ve been in love with it. This all-purpose gift of Nature is healing for the skin and nutritious for the body. It can be used for all sorts of purposes including cosmetics, home maintenance, and crafts. If you purchase it for making hand cream or lip gloss, you can use the leftovers for so many other things. It never needs to go to waste.
We hope our reviews helped you find the best brand of beeswax today. Check back soon to learn more about healthy and natural skin care.
Source:
1. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2017.00412/full Therapeutic Properties of Bioactive Compounds from Different Honeybee Products, by Cornara Laura, Biagi Marco, Xiao Jianbo, Burlando Bruno, published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, vol. 9, 2017
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