I’ve never claimed to be a vegan brand. While a number of my products are vegan-friendly, some of them do contain beeswax and Manuka honey, and I think it’s time we talk about it.
I know there are strong opinions on both sides of the debate, and I completely respect everyone's choices. But as someone who’s been involved in beekeeping, I want to share why I choose to use these bee byproducts and how they contribute to my products. So let’s talker deeper into why bees are so crucial to our ecosystem and why we all owe them a little gratitude.
The Origin Story: How Bees Started It All
It all started with a hobby—beekeeping.
Many years ago, I had a home apiary. I became completely fascinated with bees and their gentle, hardworking nature. They helped my flower and vegetable gardens thrive and produced more honey than I could ever use. While honey has an eternal shelf life (no really, it does), I ended up with far more honey than I could ever use in a lifetime.
So back in 2016, I opened up my little Etsy shop, started selling honey, which eventually grew into a full-fledged shop with honey-infused skincare products and, of course, beeswax-based balms and salves. What began as a love for bees turned into a business.
Unfortunately, life changes, so I can’t keep bees anymore, but my love for bees and the impact they had on my life and business remains.
Ethical Beekeeping: Happy Bees, Healthy Hives
Is beekeeping ethical? Are bees harmed during beeswax and honey extraction?
Beekeepers need thriving, healthy hives, and beekeeping is no easy task—it’s a labor of love and a surprisingly expensive hobby. It takes a lot of work to keep a hive healthy and productive. The truth: no one is out here harming the bees.
Beeswax is the bees’ building material, and honey is their food. Ethical beekeepers only take what the bees don’t need, the excess that they’ve produced beyond what’s needed to keep the hive thriving. Unlike animals raised for meat or dairy, bees aren’t killed or harmed in the process of honey or beeswax collection. This means the hive stays strong, well-fed, and able to continue producing more for the next seasons.
Most beekeepers are very invested in making sure their bees stay healthy, since their livelihood depends on it. So when you choose products with beeswax or honey, you can feel confident knowing that these ingredients are harvested with care and respect for the bees’ wellbeing. Now that's the bees knees.
Why We Need Bees: No Bees, No Food
Bees are the tiny but mighty creatures that keep our world running. Without them, we’d be in serious trouble. Bees are responsible for pollinating ⅓ of the food we eat—that’s everything from fruits and vegetables to nuts. They’re also responsible for 80% of flowering plants, which means without them, many of our crops wouldn’t survive. Want to enjoy a sweet, crunchy almond or a juicy watermelon this summer? You can thank bees for that! Without them, we wouldn’t even have almonds. Yup, no bees = no almonds!
Fun facts about bees:
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1 bee makes only 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. Yup, that's it. Tiny but mighty!
- A bee can fly up to 5 miles from its hive and still find its way back.
- Bees have an excellent memory and can even recognize human faces. Might explain why my bees were sweeties with me.
- If you ever find yourself needing to pick up the pace, just remember: bees are fast. They can fly 15 miles per hour. No biggie.
- Bees are docile creatures by nature, so there’s no need to fear them! They’re focused on their work and will generally leave humans alone unless provoked.
So yeah, we definitely owe them a huge thanks. Without bees, our world would look very different!
Manuka Honey and Beeswax in Skincare
While I offer a number of vegan products in my line, I also use Manuka honey and beeswax in some of my skincare products, and there’s a good reason for that.
Beeswax is a powerhouse ingredient for skincare. It creates a protective barrier on the skin, locking in moisture and helping to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. It also provides the perfect consistency for products like balms and salves, giving them a smooth, spreadable texture. And it’s a natural byproduct of bees that’s been used for centuries for its skin benefits. Tried and true for a reason.
Manuka honey, on the other hand, is a skincare superstar. It’s sourced from the nectar of the Manuka plant, a native shrub of New Zealand and parts of Australia. This makes it a rare and highly sought-after ingredient, which is why it’s so special in skincare. Known for its moisturizing, antibacterial, and soothing properties, it’s a great ingredient for calming irritated skin and promoting overall skin health. It’s like giving your skin a little honey hug. If you’ve ever used a Manuka honey-based product, you’ll know how amazing it feels on the skin!
That being said, I understand that some folks—especially vegans—choose to avoid bee byproducts. I totally respect that choice. Others, however, are okay with using products like mine because they recognize the important role that bees play in our ecosystem. Bees are vital to the survival of many plants and crops, and without them, we’d be in big trouble. So when you choose to use products with Manuka honey or beeswax, you can feel good knowing that you’re supporting sustainable practices and giving back to the environment.
Of course, I always make sure to clearly list every ingredient in my products, so you can make an informed decision and choose what’s best for you. No hidden surprises.
Final Thoughts: Respecting Choices
This isn’t about convincing anyone to use honey or beeswax. Whether you’re vegan, a bee enthusiast, or somewhere in between, I will always respect your personal choices. My goal here is simply to share some facts about bees, their vital role in our ecosystem, and why I choose to use bee byproducts in some of my products.
This isn’t a “for” or “against” veganism or bee byproducts—it’s about offering some insight into the choices I make for my products, and the ethical practices that go into beekeeping. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to what you choose to use in your skincare, and I fully respect your decision, whatever it may be.
What’s important is that you feel good about your choices and are empowered with knowledge. We all have different values, and that’s what makes this world beautifully diverse. Whether you decide to use my bee-inspired products or not, the most important thing is that you do what feels right for you.
