Beeswax is the best-known and by volume the bestselling natural wax worldwide. Used since prehistoric times, it has a long tradition in many industries, including food, crayons and candles, with the greatest demand coming from the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
The natural wax is a complex chemical mixture secreted by the abdominal wax glands of honeybees. It is produced for the construction of honeycombs in which the bees store honey and raise their offspring. One bee colony contains 30,000–70,000 bees and produces up to 70–80 kg honey but only 500 g wax per year.
To obtain the precious wax, the honeycombs and capping wax are melted down after honey harvesting. In apiculture, the purified beeswax is used to make new base frames for honeycombs on which the bees can build upon. This circular economy is necessary as dirt and pollen residues accumulate in the combs over time, i.e., by providing combs made from recycled wax, the beekeeper keeps his colony healthy.
Beeswax has natural skin-protecting and moisturizing properties and forms a light protective film on the skin, which has a soothing effect on irritated and dry areas. Even though it has a quite heavy skin feel, it is still popular in many cosmetic preparations.
Beeswax improves texture, viscosity, and gives body in W/O emulsions and anhydrous systems, while enhancing skin feel in O/W emulsions. In lip products it provides a creamy texture and structure and improves adhesion to skin. In mascaras beeswax improves texture, boosts volume build-up by creating layers and increases sticking of fillers due to high adhesion to lashes. It is also perfectly suited to provide hold in hair styling products. It is also a good replacement for co-emulsifiers and soft, synthetic waxes.
We offer a variety of beeswax qualities, including white and unbleached varieties as well as organic grades. For more information visit our products page.