Protecting bees is a topical issue given their essential role in maintaining biodiversity, but bees also gift us substances with amazing properties that have been used for centuries in the quest for beautiful skin. Read on to find out more.
From honey to royal jelly, beeswax and propolis, the beehive is a source of treasures with proven health benefits. So it’s hardly surprising that the cosmetics industry has found so many applications for them.
1. Honey, botanical gold
Both complex and wonderful, honey is the ultimate gift from nature.
It is a treasure produced by bees, born from an alchemy between nectar from flowers and its transformation within the beehive.
The ancient Egyptians and Romans used honey as a health food and a beauty product for their skin. And they knew what they were doing, because its rich content of active molecules gives it many properties!
Honey’s high sugar content gives it the ability to retain water in the skin, making it a real ally for dry and dehydrated complexions. It is also a rich source of vitamins (in particular, from the B group, which play a role in skin cell renewal), minerals, trace elements and antioxidants. Its remarkable composition makes honey an excellent ingredient to nourish, repair and help prevent premature aging of the skin.
In short, honey offers many benefits for the skin and this multi-faceted elixir is an ideal addition to your beauty routine.
2. Beeswax, a star ingredient
Known since ancient times, beeswax is a 100% natural substance produced by young bees and used to construct the honeycombs in the hive. As well as products based on honey, there are also numerous formulas incorporating beeswax.
A complex blend of fatty esters and fatty acids, beeswax helps to replenish, nourish and protect the skin from external aggressions (wind, cold, etc.).
In addition to its many properties, beeswax is suitable for all skin types, in particular dry and sensitive skin.
3. Propolis, a rare commodity
Propolis is a precious substance produced by the most experienced bees from plant resins gathered from flowers. It is a rare and precious commodity, as a hive produces around just ten/one hundred grams each year.
This substance is produced for defense purposes and is used by bees as a kind of mortar to strengthen and protect the hive from external aggressions. Its name comes from Ancient Greek and means ‘before the city’.
A real natural treasure, propolis has an extremely complex composition of no fewer than 300 molecules… It has been recognized for thousands of years for its beneficial effects on health and still attracts great interest for its soothing and nourishing properties on the skin.
So it’s no surprise to find it in our nourishing face cream. Its renewing properties also mean it is widely used in anti-aging cosmetic skin care formulations.
4. Royal jelly, a precious elixir
Royal jelly is a highly nourishing substance that is responsible for the queen bee’s exceptionally long life span. She feeds exclusively on this for her entire existence. Thanks to this unique diet, she lives 50 times longer than the worker bees!
Just like the other beehive products, royal jelly is rich in active molecules: amino acids, sugars, vitamins and essential fatty acids…
It has many properties of great interest for the skin. As well as a renewing and rebalancing action, royal jelly also helps to hydrate mature skin.
What more could we ask for?