Posts in Category ‘beeswax’

Ingredient Spotlight: Beeswax

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Uses & Skincare Recipes
There are a hundred uses for beeswax including polishing, lubricating, and preserving household items as well as various art and craft purposes. In soap and bath product making, beeswax is the perfect natural ingredient for hardening butters, balms, and soaps. It’s a great emulsifying agent, bringing together and binding both melted hard oils and carrier oils into a stable product. A little goes a long way in your recipe, the more beeswax you use, the thicker and harder the consistency of your finished product.

bees2So, how much beeswax is too much? Consider these tips when creating your own beeswax recipe:

  • For butters and lotions, mix in ratios of 4oz carrier oil (like olive or sweet almond) to 1/2oz of beeswax.
  • For a lip balm, try 1:3:1 beeswax: carrier oils: and another oil that is solid at room temperature like mango butter, shea butter, or coconut oil.
  • To make a solid perfume, combine beeswax and carrier oil at a 1:1 ratio.
  • In soap making, beeswax helps harden a bar, but can take away from the lather if used in high quantities. Make sure beeswax is no more than 2% of your entire soap recipe.

Benefits
Adding beeswax to your recipes not only thickens or hold together your recipes it also has benefits for your skin too! Beeswax is naturally an antibacterial and is rich in vitamin A.  It helps lock in moisture while protecting skin from outside elements or irritants.  So if you’re like us and have a Chicago winter coming your way combat those high cold winds with products rich in beeswax!  Your skin will thank you.

Soothing Menthol Crystal Recipes

mentholAhhhh… The cooling and refreshing effects of Menthol Crystals can offer temporary pain relief of sore muscle tissues. When used externally they provide a local anesthetic, which gives a cool, numbing sensation as it penetrates the skin.

These interesting looking crystals are sourced from India and are extracted from mint leaves using a freezing technique.

They are so concentrated that a few crystals will make a strong and powerful formula. Take note when working with them: be careful to wear protective eye-wear and limit your inhalation- they are strong!

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Cooling Foot Soak

*Please use gloves when handling Menthol Crystals – as to not transfer from hands to eyes or other sensitive parts of your body.

4 oz Epsom Salt
4 oz Fine Dead Sea Salt
.20 oz Menthol Crystals
40 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
40 Drops Lemon Essential Oil

Add all the ingredients above into a food processor. Mix or pulse until all ingredients are fine ground. Store in jar or zip lock baggy. Clean Food Processor thoroughly.

Please note that the amount of menthol crystals in this recipe are the perfect amount for a foot soak, but will be too strong to be used as a body soak. We recommend 1% or less of menthol crystals in body soaks, as to not irritate or cause discomfort on sensitive areas.

Soothing Menthol Muscle Salve

2 tablespoon coconut oil =1oz
2 tablespoon shea butter = 1oz
2 tablespoon beeswax= 1oz
4 tablespoons almond oil = 2oz
1.2 teaspoon menthol crystals= .2oz
40 drops sweet birch essential oil
30 drops eucalyptus essential oil
20 drops rosemary essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil

1) Start by measuring your coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax into a small container and melting the oils on low heat.

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2) When the oils have melted, remove from heat and stir in the menthol crystals until dissolved. Be sure to keep your face away from the mixture as to not irritate your eyes or nose.

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3) When the crystals are dissolved, stir in the almond oil, followed by your essential oil.

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4) Pour your mixture into a container with a lid for storage, but allow to cool before capping. Keep in refrigerator to maintain texture and shelf-life.

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Massage a small amount onto sore muscles and joints for soothing relief. Wash your hands after and avoid face, eyes, and other sensitive areas. This recipe makes a mild salve that should be suitable for most skin types, even sensitive skin. You may increase the percentage of menthol crystals for stronger potency, but increase slowly to ensure your skin’s tolerance. We have encountered recipes ranging from 3%-20% menthol crystals, this recipe starts at 4%.