Beeswax

Beeswax is produced by bees to build the honeycomb cells in the hive in which their young are raised and where honey and pollen are stored.

The wax is produced by young worker bees from glands on the surface of their abdomen.  These bees are 12 to 17 days old and before they begin flying.  Once they start flying the glands stop working.

For the bees to make the wax the hive temperature needs to be 33 to 36C (91 to 97F), and they have to consume eight times the amount of honey.  It is estimated that bees have to have flown 150,000 miles to produce 1 pound of wax, or 530,000kilometres for 1 kilogram.

Beeswax has traditionally been used in cosmetics, candle making and as a coating for cheese.  It is also used as a wood polish and as a lubricant for wooden drawer runners. 

Cast jewellery uses beeswax in what is called the lost wax process. Here the wax forms the shape of the piece of jewellery in the mold and then melts and runs out as the hot metal is poured in. 

Beeswax candles are very popular as the wax burns clearly and with little drip or visible smoke.  The simplest form uses beeswax sheets cut to size and rolled with the wick in the centre. 

Beeswax is used in our herbal creams as it is a natural product and provides good moisturising properties for the creams making them easy to apply leaving the skin soft and supple.  The herbs are incorporated into the beeswax and it makes it easy to apply them to the required area.