Why We Formulate This Way – Part 2
From the honeycomb to your skin, beeswax has a fascinating story to tell. But what makes it such a useful ingredient in natural skincare?
At The Bee Fairy, beeswax isn’t simply something we add because of our name. It’s one of the foundations of how we formulate our balms.
Every ingredient has a purpose. Some help soften the skin, others provide nourishment and conditioning, while beeswax helps bring everything together into a practical, protective balm.
And there’s some interesting science behind that little pot of golden goodness.
It all begins with the bees
Beeswax is produced naturally by worker honeybees, which use it to construct the remarkable hexagonal cells of their honeycomb.
These delicate-looking structures are surprisingly strong and serve several important purposes within the hive.
Once harvested and carefully prepared, beeswax can be used for everything from candles and traditional crafts to cosmetics and skincare.
Its natural composition includes wax esters, hydrocarbons and fatty acids. These give beeswax its distinctive texture, water resistance and ability to form a protective layer.
But it’s what happens when beeswax meets our skin that makes it particularly interesting.
Our skin already has its own protective barrier
Our skin is rather clever.
Its outermost layer, known as the stratum corneum, helps protect us from the outside environment while limiting the amount of water escaping from our bodies.
Scientists call this process transepidermal water loss, or TEWL.
A certain amount of water loss is perfectly normal. However, when the skin’s protective barrier becomes less effective, moisture can escape more readily, leaving skin feeling dry, tight or uncomfortable.
Cold weather, frequent washing, gardening and exposure to everyday environmental conditions can all contribute to dry-feeling skin.
This is where a well-formulated balm can help.
How beeswax helps protect the skin
When applied as part of a balm, beeswax helps form a thin, protective layer over the skin.
This is sometimes described as an occlusive or semi-occlusive effect.
In everyday language, it means helping to slow moisture loss while leaving the skin feeling protected and conditioned.
It doesn’t mean sealing the skin completely or preventing it from functioning normally.
A 2023 scientific review, A Review of the Use of Beeswax in Skincare, examined published research into beeswax and its potential benefits.
The authors identified beeswax’s role in supporting the skin barrier and helping reduce moisture loss. They also highlighted the need for further clinical research.
That’s an important distinction. There is scientific support for the way beeswax functions in skincare, but it would be misleading to suggest that every beeswax balm has been clinically proven to produce identical results.
At The Bee Fairy, we prefer to explain what an ingredient can reasonably contribute rather than promise miracles.
What does British dermatology research tell us?
Research carried out by the University of Sheffield and the University of Nottingham, published in the British Journal of Dermatology in 2016, examined how different emollient formulations affect the skin barrier.
The researchers studied commonly prescribed UK moisturising products, looking at factors including skin hydration, barrier integrity and water loss.
The research reinforces an important principle: the formulation of a skincare product matters, not simply whether it is described as moisturising.
Although this particular study did not test The Bee Fairy balms or establish the effectiveness of beeswax itself, it helps explain why we pay attention to how ingredients work together.
The NHS also explains that emollients can help form a protective film over the skin, reducing moisture loss. It recognises that richer ointment-style products can be particularly useful for very dry skin.
These are the same general skincare principles that influence our approach to making concentrated balms.
Why we don’t use beeswax on its own
Beeswax is wonderful, but it isn’t a complete skincare formulation by itself.
Used alone, it would be too firm and waxy for many everyday applications.
That’s why we combine it with carefully selected botanical oils and butters.
Depending on the balm, these may include:
- Shea butter, valued for its rich, softening and conditioning qualities.
- Sweet almond oil, which helps create a smooth, comfortable application.
- Jojoba oil, used for its skin-conditioning properties.
- Calendula-infused oil, a botanical ingredient we choose for selected formulations.
- Coconut and olive oils, which contribute different textures and emollient properties.
Beeswax helps give these ingredients structure and influences how the finished balm spreads and remains on the skin.
The result is more than a mixture of ingredients. It’s a carefully balanced formulation in which each component has a job to do.
Why different balms contain different amounts of beeswax
You might imagine that if beeswax is beneficial, adding more must make a better balm.
But formulation doesn’t work quite like that.
More beeswax generally creates a firmer, more structured product. Less beeswax can produce a softer balm that spreads more readily.
The ideal balance depends on what we’re making.
A balm designed for everyday facial use needs a different feel from one intended for hardworking gardeners’ hands, dry heels or areas exposed to outdoor conditions.
That’s why we don’t use one universal recipe for everything.
We adjust the balance of waxes, oils and butters to suit the intended purpose of each product.
Even small changes in those proportions can make a noticeable difference to the finished texture.
Why our balms are water-free
There’s another important part of our formulation philosophy.
Our traditional beeswax balms contain no added water.
Instead, they’re made from combinations of beeswax, plant oils, butters and other carefully chosen ingredients.
This gives us a concentrated product in which a small amount can spread across a surprisingly large area.
Water-based creams have their own advantages, particularly when a lighter texture or the inclusion of water-soluble moisturising ingredients is desired.
We don’t believe one type of skincare is automatically better for everyone.
But for the kind of rich, protective and conditioning products we want to create, water-free formulations make excellent sense.
Because our balms contain no added water, they can also be formulated without the conventional antimicrobial preservatives generally needed for water-containing cosmetics, provided the complete formulation and its intended use have been appropriately assessed.
We’ll explore the differences between water-free balms and conventional creams in a future article.
From the hive to the Teme Valley
Here in the Teme Valley, we make our balms in small batches, carefully measuring and combining our ingredients.
The beeswax is gently melted, the oils and butters are blended, and each balm is individually poured.
There’s something rather satisfying about watching a liquid blend gradually settle into a smooth, golden balm.
But behind that simplicity is a great deal of thought about texture, consistency, ingredient compatibility and how the product will feel when someone uses it.
We don’t include ingredients simply because they’re fashionable.
We choose them because they have a purpose.
A little wax, a lot of thought
Beeswax has been used by people for centuries, but its place in modern skincare isn’t just about tradition.
Its ability to give structure to a balm and contribute to a protective layer on the skin makes it a particularly useful ingredient.
Combined with carefully selected plant oils and butters, it helps us create the concentrated, water-free skincare products that define The Bee Fairy.
Sometimes, understanding why an ingredient is there is just as important as knowing its name.
And that’s exactly why we started this series.
Handmade with care in the Teme Valley, Worcestershire.
Research and further reading
For readers who enjoy exploring the science behind skincare, these are some of the sources informing this article.
1. Nong et al. (2023) — A Review of the Use of Beeswax in Skincare. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. A review of published studies exploring beeswax’s functions in skincare, including skin-barrier support.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.15718
2. Danby et al. (2016) — A Functional Mechanistic Study of the Effect of Emollients on the Structure and Function of the Skin Barrier. British Journal of Dermatology. Research involving the University of Sheffield and University of Nottingham examining different emollient formulations.
https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.14684
3. NHS — Emollients. Guidance explaining how moisturising products protect the skin, the differences between creams and ointments, and their use for dry skin.
4. British Association of Dermatologists — How to Care for Your Hands. Practical dermatology guidance on protecting the skin and using emollients.
These references explain general ingredient science and skincare principles. They are not clinical trials of The Bee Fairy products.
Leave a Reply