Is beeswax good for your lips, and should I be using it? I'm glad you asked...
Beeswax is one of nature's superheroes for our lips, and I'm here to tell you why. Riverbalms began back in 2019 with a humble piece of beeswax given to me by a beekeeper friend. My initial plan was to make a beeswax wrap, but after scrolling Pinterest, I decided to try my luck at making a lip balm. And as they say, the rest was history.
My lip balms all contain beeswax and it is my firm belief that it's a superior lip balm ingredient to vegan alternatives such as candelilla wax. Beeswax gives a much smoother and long wearing lip balm, but also comes with an array of skin benefits.
I often get enquiries into whether I would consider making my lip balms vegan, and my answer is no. Here's why. I understand that in the past there has been concern over how beeswax is harvested, and that bees may be harmed in the process. Our beeswax is cruelty-free and sourced from a small local beekeeper, who harvests her beeswax with love and care for her bee family.
Note: No bees were harmed in the making of our lip balms!
Living in a rural farming area in the Riverland, South Australia, we have an abundance of beekeepers. In fact, our region relies on these busy little bees to fertilise our crops and provide us with food. It's fair to say that we probably wouldn't survive without bees, or at the very least our food supply would look drastically different. So caring for them is important, and a value that we hold close at Riverbalms.
But let me tell you why I love it so much for lip balms.
Being a wax, beeswax forms a protective barrier on the skins surface and therefore seals in moisture and promotes hydration. This natural barrier also protects our lips from the harsh elements such as the wind, heat and environmental irritants. In saying that, it is also breathable and does not block the pores.
Beeswax also has incredible anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, allowing it to soothe and repair dry, cracked or damaged lips. There's nothing worse than having sore, cracked or flakey lips, and beeswax in a natural super-hero in bringing our lips back to life.
If you haven't yet tried a beeswax lip balm, I encourage you to give it a go. I promise you will never go back.