The Powerful Benefits and Uses of Beeswax for Health and Home

Beeswax is a powerful natural wax that is used to improve our lives.   Beeswax is a powerful natural wax that is used to improve our lives. The wax is secreted by honeybees and is used by them for constructing the honeycomb. Beeswax is typically colorless when first secreted but takes on a yellow or brownish color after bits of pollen, propolis, and other matter becomes mixed in. 

Worker bees produce beeswax from special glands on their bodies. Brand new wax is clear, but turns opaque after being chewed and molded by bees. They add tiny bits of pollen and nectar to the wax as they handle it. The color of beeswax can vary from nearly white to even black, but most beeswax is a shade of yellow. White beeswax sold commercially consists of yellow beeswax that has been subjected to bleaching or has been filtered  to remove impurities.

 

It is estimated that a bee consumes 6 to 10 pounds (3 to 4.5 kg) of honey for each pound of the wax that it secretes in small flakes from glands on the underside of its abdomen. 

When beekeepers uncap or break honeycombs or have unusable combs, they try to salvage the beeswax. First, they recover as much honey from the combs as possible by drainage or extraction. Then they place the material in water heated to slightly over 145 °F (63 °C). This melts the wax, which rises to the surface. After it cools and hardens, the cake of wax is removed and refined for reuse in comb foundation. 

Did you know that beeswax candles are a natural air-purifier? They work through a process called negative ionization.

• 12 oz. beeswax, roughly chopped (find it at our online store here
• 12 oz. organic palm oil/shortening or coconut oil
• mason jars ( 4 half-pint jars with this recipe)
• square braided cotton #4 or #6 wicks wick
• kitchen scale – for weighing ingredients
• wooden skewers (cut in half) or pencils – to keep wicks in place
• newspaper for covering work areas
• large glass measuring cup for melting ingredients (4 cup Pyrex one)
  

Tools

•  Pinking Shears
• Saucepan
• Glass 
• Chip Brush

Materials

• Cotton Fabric
• Beeswax (Buy it Here)
• Pine 
• Jojoba 
• Kraft 
• Parchment Paper

Step 1 Prep fabric wraps 

Choose a fabric you like and use pinking shears to cut it into the desired size and shape. When choosing shapes, think about what you'll be using the wrap for; circular wraps work best for covering stored leftovers in the fridge, while square or rectangular pieces make it easy to wrap up a sandwich for lunch. Be sure to cut the fabric a few inches larger than the surface you want to cover; if you're covering a bowl that's 6 inches in diameter, we recommend cutting an 8-inch circle.
Since you don't need much fabric for these (and they don't all have to match!), this is a great way to use scraps. If you plan to compost the fabric later, use all-natural or 100 percent cotton fabric.

Step 2 Melt wax 

Adding a layer of beeswax to your wraps will give the fabric a naturally water-resistant coating that won't absorb food or moisture. To add beeswax to your fabric wraps, you'll need to melt it first. Fill a saucepan half full with water and place the glass jar in the pan. Add 3 tablespoons of pine resin and 4 tablespoons (or 2 ounces) of beeswax. The pine resin helps the wrap stick to food and storage containers. We found beeswax pellets were easiest to measure and use but you can also buy beeswax bars. Simply grate the bars and measure the shavings.
On medium heat, melt the resin and wax, stirring occasionally. After the mix has melted, add 1 teaspoon jojoba oil and stir. This helps keep your wraps pliable. Remove from heat and move immediately to the fabric. This mixture will cover about 24 square inches of fabric.

Step 3 Add Wax to Fabric

When the beeswax mixture is melted and fully combined, prepare to brush it on to each fabric wrap. Prepare your work surface by laying down a large sheet of crafts paper and then place a large sheet of parchment paper on top of it. Lay out your fabric wrap on the parchment paper.
Brush the wax mixture onto the fabric. If the mixture hardens while you're brushing the wraps, simply return it to the heat until it has re-melted. Once covered, lay an extra piece of parchment over the fabric and iron over the parchment paper on medium heat. Push the wax around until it's evenly distributed over the fabric.
When you're done ironing, peel the top layer of parchment paper off and carefully remove the waxed fabric from the bottom layer of parchment paper. Let the wrap cool and wait until it is completely dry before using.

Step 4 Wrap and Store Food 

When your wraps are cool and dry, you can use them to store or wrap food items. The warmth of your hands will soften the wraps so you can form it for a good seal on any shape container or foods in your lunch box.
You can use these reusable food wraps with most food items, but be sure they never come in contact with raw meat. They're simple to wash too; just use lukewarm water and soap. Let them dry completely after each wash. You'll be able to use each wrap between 100-150 times before they'll need to be replaced.

Don't have all the tools or ingredients, we can help! Check out these amazing designs and DIY creator kit to play and make your very own!!!

Making this recipe in a loaf mold will cause all the heat to build and increase the chances of a soap overflow from too much heat. That is another reason that this recipe is best made in Individual molds. Place them in the freezer for 3-4 hours immediately after pouring and have not had any trouble.

• 2 ounces sweet almond oil
• 2 ounces avocado oil
• 11 ounces coconut oil
• 9 ounces olive oil
• 9 ounces palm oil
• 2 ounces beeswax
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2.5 tablespoons Pure Honey fragrance oil (optional)
• 4.94 ounces of lye
• 9–13 ounces of water

3. Allow to cool. Wait until the lye and oils have cooled down to around 110. At this temperature, some of the beeswax may have hardened slightly. If that is the case, melt again briefly for a minute, but don’t fully heat the oils up.

6. After 4 hours, remove the soap from the freezer and allow to cure and harden overnight at room temperature. Unmold in the morning. Continue to let the soap dry and harden in a well ventilated area for 3-4 weeks before using.

 

As briefly mentioned above, there are many benefits of consuming beeswax. Ingesting beeswax benefits your cholesterol. The long chain fats and alcohols in beeswax has been known to significantly lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol.  One study even showed that eating beeswax reduced low density lipoprotein was by over 20%. 
Beeswax is also good for your liver. The alcohols in beeswax normalizes liver function, and more importantly, improved symptoms of fatty liver. Researchers have also found that those same alcohols are capable of reducing insulin levels.
The best way to eat beeswax is to eat the honeycomb.  Honeycomb is the beeswax cells with honey in them.  It is delicious, sweet, and has a pleasant texture. Honeycomb and chunky honey varieties can be purchased online Here