beeswax skincare

Made By The Beekeeper : Anywhere Anytime Balm

Who else loves a good balm? We certainly do, now we’re travelling again. Going with only hand luggage means that, at The Amazing Blog, all our skincare needs to be multipurpose. This is why the award-winning Anywhere Anytime Balm from the British indie bee brand Made By The Beekeeper, comes into its own.   

Rebecca Beveridge is the founder of Made by Beekeeper. It all began with her mother, Joyce Boulos-Hanna, who planted a vineyard 22 years ago in the paddock next to their family home in Earls Barton, Northamptonshire. This is where Rebecca began her sustainable and organic bee management, with an apiary at the vineyard. Today she splits her time between Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire, with stints to Kent and Devon, where her colony of bees travel with her. Rebecca commented, “The reward for this hard, but joyful, work, is not only knowing that I am contributing to the eco-balance in my area but knowing that my bees have done me proud and produced award-winning honey, comb, fudge and mead in four counties.” In 2019, she wanted to incorporate her bees’ productivity into wellbeing and beauty products. However, being an expert on these little creatures, she always prioritises her bees.“ My bees come first – their health and quality of life and then their productivity:  honey, wax, propolis, pollen." All of their products are 100% natural, organic, palm oil-free, nut-free, and vegetarian. Her formulas are handmade in small batches for a low waste process. Not only does she sustainably source her beeswax and honey from her hives, but she also uses sustainable packaging for her beauty products. She’s gained a wider recognition from the brand’s recent wins at 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards, with ‘Best Men’s Skincare Product for their Organic Balm for Men’, and three Editor’s Choice Awards for their Nourishing Foot Balm, Elbow, Knee and Heel Balm, and Anywhere Anytime Balm. Apart from their skincare, they’ve also won a trophy for their sweet and dry meads at the National Honey Show. Made By The Beekeeper ethically sources all of its beeswax, is a strong advocate for bee wellness and a member of The British Beekeepers Association. Apart from their apiary and range of skincare products, they offer a unique one-day Beekeepers Experience here, and a Honey Tasting Experience and Lip Balm workshop, which are coming soon.

As mentioned earlier, we are always looking for multitasking skincare, and this Anywhere Anytime Balm is a very good example of what we love. it’s super hydrating, versatile, and can be used on any part of the body, or face. As Rebecca suggests, "Use to moisturise any dry patches, soothe healing patches, just to add a healthy sheen, or even to tame those eyebrows!" The balm contains a blend of only seven natural and organic ingredients: organic beeswax, organic virgin coconut oil, organic mango butter, organic camellia tea oil, organic borage oil, organic sunflower oil, and natural vitamin E.

Of course, the main ingredient is their organic beeswax. Although beeswax, is not suitable for vegans, it’s a safe natural ingredient that’s been used for centuries to treat cuts and burns. The wax comes from honeybees, who create this honeycomb made of wax, to stow away the colony's honey. In skincare, it offers many benefits, including anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, and protection from harmful free radicals. Also known to be beneficial for sensitive skins and even for conditions such as psoriasis and eczema with its excellent humectant qualities; this means the wax attracts water which keeps skin hydrated and moisturised without clogging pores. Finally, beeswax is a popular ingredient used in formulating makeup, it's a natural emulsifier, allowing the liquid and oil components to bind together, and offers a smooth application and long-lasting formulas.

All ingredients are organic - except for the natural vitamin E. The virgin coconut oil is extracted from the fat of raw coconuts. Using this oil increases skin hydration, collagen production reduces inflammation and helps with dark spots. Extracted from mango seeds, mango butter has a variety of skin benefits. Mango butter is loaded with vitamins B6, A, C, and E to help with skin nourishment. It works to give you soft skin and protects against sun damage and ageing. Camellia is a plant typically found in East Asia, and it's been used in traditional Chinese medicine for years. This plant is high in oleic acid and vitamins to help with skin hydration, inflammation, elasticity, and hyperpigmentation. The wildflower borage oil restores lost hydration in the skin and softens dry and damaged skin. Sunflower oil is high in vitamin E, it keeps skin smooth and protects skin from further sun damage, and can even heal wounds. Last but certainly not least, we have natural vitamin E, this is where ‘natural’ vitamin E is sourced from vegetable oils, primarily soybean oil, and is three times more concentrated than any synthetic vitamin E. It’s loaded with antioxidants to prevent premature ageing and keep skin supple and looking fresh.

Fragrance-free and highly concentrated, this balm works brilliantly as a moisturiser, cleanser, lip balm or for rubbing into dry cuticles - we tried it all! No nut oils make it suitable for those with any nut allergies, and a little does seem to go a long way. Our favourite spot to use it was around the eye area at night, either alone or on top of a water-based serum to seal it in. We love how this small but mighty balm comes in a handy recyclable aluminium screw-top tin, making it another of our #amazingfinds and perfect for those on the go. To purchase the 45g tine of Anywhere Anytime Balm for £12, see here.

Lebarde: Natural Eye Cream Gold Bee

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At The Amazing Blog, we think that bees are some of the most important living beings on Earth. After all, 70% of the world's agriculture depends exclusively on bees. We appreciate what they do and, in particular, the benefits that bee's nectar can give to our skin. Today we'd like to share Lebarde, a natural raw skincare made with bee nectar from Caucasian honey bees. It piqued our interest when they won an award in the 2021 The Beauty Shortlist Awards. They very kindly sent us their recent award-winning Natural Eye Cream Gold Bee to try.

Ever since a young age Maia Gigiberia, founder of Lebarde, has always lived a natural and healthy lifestyle, and being part of a family of pharmacists, growing up in Colchis, Georgia, it’s always made her curious about science and the natural world. Interestingly enough, Maia's ancestor was the daughter of King Colchis, who invented the first natural medicines and cosmetics. So, health and beauty come naturally to Maia. After struggling with sensitive skin and being unable to find skincare products that were natural and calming for her skin, Maia started researching local botanicals, florae and bees to create an all-natural, raw skincare range. And with that, she founded Lebarde in 2019. Lebarde has now has three skincare products in the range, made with 100% natural sourced ingredients from Colchis, Georgia's Alps Mountains and nectar of the Caucasian honey bees from the local plants. The Georgian mountains have vibrant flora and fauna which thrive in the non-polluted areas, creating a natural and clean environment where Lebarde sources to make their ingredients. In addition to these botanicals, Georgia is home to the Caucasian honey bee, where they've lived for around 5,500 years. What makes these bees so unique is that they have received 3 Gold medals at international events, where the Georgian Gold Bee has the most extended proboscis -7.3 mm, which is the longest among any the honey-bees; this means that they can extract nectar from the deepest nectar tissues where no other species can. Lebarde's skincare was recently selected as the Best Special Innovation finalist at Pure Beauty London awards 2020 and the Best Eye Cream Bronze Winner in the UK Global Makeup Awards 2021

Lebarde's Natural Eye Cream Gold Bee is natural and free from any artificial chemicals, synthetics, and preservatives and made with only eight simple and clean ingredients: water, olive oil, pin leaf oil, pine needle oil, beeswax, Royal jelly, damascene rose oil and jojoba oil,  The key ingredients here are the bee nectar (Royal jelly) and beeswax from the bees and endemic botanicals found in the Alp mountains of ancient Georgia, Colchis, making it rich in natural retinol, vitamin E, A, and C, antioxidants and natural fatty compounds.  Royal jelly has been found to speed up skin cell renewal, boosting collagen production and helping to protect against UV damage. Beeswax, apart from forming a protective layer that won't clog the pores, it's also full of vitamin A. This vitamin A is a natural retinol that helps to boost collagen around the eyes, reducing dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles. There is also olive oil full of vitamins A, D, E, and K, which is not only moisturising but is like beeswax and Royal jelly and has strong antibacterial qualitiesThe pine leaf and pine needle oils here are antimicrobial and soothe skin stopping any inflammation or dryness. The jojoba oil is rich in vitamin E and mimics the skin's sebum, making it ideal for both dry and oily skin. The damascene rose oil is a volatile oil obtained from the fresh flower petals of Damask rose, which has a mild emollient action that helps retain moisture in the skin. Rich in vitamin A and C, the citral here promotes the formation of vitamin A, which helps regenerate the skin's epidermal cells. Combine these eight ingredients, and you have a potent and yet gentle, effective eye cream; which we found to be extremely hydrating and nourishing when applied both day and night. . With no artificial ingredients or fragrance in this Natural Eye Cream, you can almost feel the magic of honey bees, with its powerful anti-inflammatory properties that immediately help to calm any redness or irritation. We think this gentle and luxurious eye cream is perfect for all-natural and raw skincare lovers, and yes, it is another of our #amazingfinds.  To purchase 15ml Lebarde Natural Eye Cream, see here for £79.00.