What's in our product? - The most important question!
Tasmania's unique Leatherwood honey and beeswax
These ingredients are brought raw and unprocessed (not bleached with peroxides as in mainstream commercial products!) direct from the hive. Made from flower nectar, these uncontaminated, organic gifts from nature have been produced by bees for over 220 million years, and used by man for millennia for their powerful healing properties. Containing many useful trace elements, both are valued in skincare for their natural wound healing, soothing, emollient, softening, protective and moisturising qualities, nourishing and gently 'polishing' the skin. The colour and aroma of the products - like fine wine - directly reflects the varying seasons of the year and resultant differences in the wax and honey. Honey is increasingly being recognised as a potent wound healer with research under way world wide.
100% chemical free
We use only the finest vegetable nut oils, butters and waxes which closely resemble the natural oils produced by human skin, and which work in harmony with the human body. All our ingredients are listed on the label. Some sound so good you will be amazed they are for external use only.
Australian certified organic/biodynamic plant and nut oils
Certified organic oils (Biological Farms Australia, National Association for Sustained Agriculture) are 100% guaranteed chemical-free the highest quality oils available, guaranteed grown without synthetic chemicals of any kind, in soils uncontaminated by pesticide residue of chemicals etc. for at least ten years. Purchase is made from small family/cooperative plantations where possible.
Olive oil (certified organic BFA)
Green and aromatic, it has a warming soothing, penetrative quality. The olive tree has been cultivated for thousands of years for its precious oil. Indeed it was so valued for its medicinal and cosmetic qualities that it was mentioned in the bible. Ancient Greek mythology tells of the olives divine beginnings when Athena, goddess of peace and wisdom, planted a tree 'capable of giving a flame for lighting up the night, of soothing wounds, of being a precious food, both rich in flavour and a source of energy'. Ancient cultures used it to maintain the skin 's suppleness, heal abrasions, soothe the drying effects of wind and sun.
Beauty and the bees cream formulae are almost identical to those of the philosopher-doctor Galen, who made the first cold cream in 650BC.
Good stuff that works and stands the test of time! Scientific studies have shown that olive oil has a regenerative action on skin tissue, regulates the natural moisturising factor, smoothes and softens, tones, firms, heals and stimulates, attracts moisture and prevents loss of moisture from within the skin. All this from a highly revered tree that often lives for 700 years!
Cold pressed cosmetic nut, fruit, vegetable oils and butters
Fruit, vegetable oils and butters Virgin wheatgerm, apricot and peach kernel, sweet almond, castor, coconut, sunflower, sesame. cocoa butter, carrot oil. Used effectively in generous quantities in our products all these superfine quality oils obtained from fruit stones, beans or grain germ - are rich in naturally occurring valuable fatty acids, amino acids and vitamins and renowned for their fine lubricant texture, skin softening and penetrative qualities. These rich oils allow your skin to breathe too!
Mount Wellington spring water
Soft, clean and pure from Hobart's ancient deep wellspring.
Handmade infused herb oils
We hand make all our own herb oils such as calendula etc. using only certified organic /Australian olive oil (see above), plant oils and herbs to produce the most potent results macerating them at very low temperature for a month, which maximises the powerful properties of the plants.
Natural resins/mineral salts
Siam Benzoin gum/Benzoin Sumatra gum (Styrax benzoin) - This delicious vanilla scented balsamic resin which has skin protective, healing properties, comes to us in its natural state (crystalline 'tears') from the trees grown in Thailand/Sumatra.
This delicious vanilla scented balsamic resin which has skin protective, healing properties, comes to us in its natural state (crystalline 'tears') from the Styrax Benzoin trees grown in Thailand/Sumatra.
...giving us one of our most precious skincare ingredients in all our moisture creams-used for thousands of years in incense perfumery and medicine for it's antiseptic properties and helps to improve elasticity, soothing and helping to heal cracked skin ,calms redness itchiness, irritation and eczema .. amazing stuff........my grandmother got me hooked on this fabulous skin healer aged 2 when I fell spectacularly off my little tricycle, washing my grazes with a delicious milky wash containing this magical stuff.
Once old enough she showed me how she took the amber like crystals and dissolved them in gin( !) over a period of months to make her own "tincture of benzoin, a staple of our herbal medicine chest.
She let me make some with her and that was that, I've been making it and using it on my skin daily ever since!
But now at BB we use sugar cane alcohol ( and drink the gin)but make it the same old fashioned way with those wonderful jewel like pebbles of raw benzoin straight from the tree..to ensure the high quality that we need.
Sodium Borate ( Borax) A naturally occurring mild alkaline mineral salt usually sourced from California USA. A water softener, limited preservative and an aid to emulsification/stability of cream formulation.
Essential oils
We only use absolutely pure essential oils for their scent and therapeutic benefit.
Animal Testing- we don't.
All of our products, and importantly all ingredients, are tested only on humans not animals) and have been since people began using these natural ingredients to care for their bodies thousands of years ago.
Beauty and the bees do not use synthetics, petrochemicals, harsh chemical scents or chemical preservatives, so that you can be absolutely sure that no animal has suffered to produce your product. Herbs honey, natural waxes, plant oils minerals and clays have been used by humans for centuries without the harmful side effects increasingly evident in today's chemical-laden world.