Ingredient

Beeswax

Cera alba

Highly protective, the fragrant beeswax leaves a thin layer on the skin and hair that helps to keep the moisture in.

Where do we get it?

Lush UK purchases certified organic beeswax through a UK supplier that partners with an East African wax company. The beekeepers live in Tanzania and Kenya and are part of a charity group called Wild Survivors. They aim to build a healthy coexistence between elephants and humans and protect the land by creating beehive fences and wildlife corridors. 

With seven manufacturing sites across the globe, this information may vary depending on where your Lush products were made.

Animal Welfare

At Lush, we agree that the modern honey industry treats bees like farmed animals. To ensure their welfare is respected in our supply chain, we work with beekeepers who understand the importance of managing hives with consideration and of working in a minimally invasive way. We do not allow the use of harmful practices such as queen wing clipping or artificial rearing.

Where possible, we aim to work directly with beekeepers, but in any case, we ask for full traceability and adherence to our high standards. We actively encourage and select those who go beyond organic beekeeping and implement regenerative practices that positively impact local wildlife and the hives’ environment.

What are the benefits of beeswax for your skin and hair?

• Fragrant
• Protective
• Conditioning
• Waterproof
• Antimicrobial
• Soothing

What is beeswax?

After flying from flower to flower to collect pollen and nectar, the busy honey bee returns to the hive and, with the help of the worker bees, stores its finds in the honeycombs. These incredible storage facilities are built with thousands of hexagonal cells made entirely from a wax that is produced by the bees themselves. Once a cell has been filled with nectar, the bees flap their wings extremely quickly in front of it to evaporate the water content, which will help transform the nectar into honey. The cell is then sealed with wax for future food needs.

When beekeepers come to harvest honey, they carefully take the combs out of the hive and remove the sealing beeswax to release the golden liquid. This wax is kept as it is a very versatile product. Used for centuries by human beings, it is a waterproof material that helps preserve food, polish musical instruments, and protect the skin and hair, to name just a few of its uses.