Beeswax is so much more than just honey’s lesser-known counterpart. It's a hive’s structure, but you’ll find it in everything from interior design to skincare. Bees: The Designing Women of the Insect world (Delta Burke would be a Metallic Green Bee, for sure).

The Alchemy of Beeswax

Somewhere between their 12th and 18th day of life worker bees start sweating wax from their little belly glands, producing tiny, translucent scales.

These microscopic flakes are chewed and sculpted into the architectural marvel we know as honeycomb, forming the structural foundation of the hive. This wax builds the iconic hexagonal cells, serving as storage for honey and nurseries for developing bees.

A Gift from the Bees

Humans have been obsessed with beeswax for centuries. Its hydrophobic nature makes it the perfect natural waterproofing agent, historically used to protect documents and preserve snackies for ancient people.

 Today, beeswax is still used in candles or cosmetics to help nourish and protect skin. It’s natural composition and gentle fragrance make it perfect for lip balms, lotions, and salves (we’re huge fans here).

A Symbol of Sustainability

Natural, compostable, and kind of a quiet environmental hero–beeswax is a vital natural product. Supporting beeswax products helps keep hives healthy, beekeepers in business, and bees doing what they do best—pollinating the food we like to eat and generally keeping Earth functional.

 It's all about supporting sustainable practices and acknowledging the vital role bees play in our ecosystem. By choosing products made with beeswax, we contribute to the health of bee populations and, by extension, the health of our planet.

There’s something incredibly grounding about lighting a beeswax candle or smoothing on a beeswax balm–especially knowing where it comes from. It’s humbling. It’s wholesome. It smells amazing. And it reminds us that bees, with their impossibly complicated lives and their impressive interior decorating, are out here doing more for us than we know.

Let the hive inspire you to build something sweet and sturdy too.

happybees. happyearth.