History

The ancient Egyptians may have been among the first people to recognize the many uses for and the power of beeswax. Cleopatra used beeswax in a wide variety of beauty products, from skin creams to lipsticks and nail polishes. She also used it in combination with fragrant oils as a dressing for her hair. Additionally, beeswax was used in soaps for the luxurious baths for which Cleopatra was well known.
In the nineteenth century, beeswax was used as a treatment for dysentery and diarrhea. During the American Civil War, beeswax was mixed together with other products to produce a protective ointment for gunshot wounds. Today, the product is still used in certain medicinal ways.

Effects

Used as a lubricant, beeswax can often loosen stuck bolts, screws and locks. Used as a polish, beeswax can put a protective coating on furniture, cars, motorcycles and boats. Used on certain types of food, beeswax helps lock in flavors and colors. Used in conjunction with certain types of plastic compounds, beeswax can add a shiny, smooth surface to the finished product. However, the most popular use for beeswax today is in cosmetics and skin care. It can soften the skin and the lips on its own or in conjunction with other typical cosmetic ingredients.

Misconceptions

The most popular misconception about using beeswax is that it must be mixed with other ingredients in order for it to have real value. In its most basic form, beeswax can be used in a myriad of different ways. Pure blocks of beeswax are sometimes kept in the home for performing minor repairs like unlocking stuck bolts, making needles pierce through fabrics easily, or to keep items from sticking together. In the garage, it can help to restore the luster of metal and put a protective coating on automobiles.

Benefits

Of all of the different types of waxes available today, beeswax has the highest melting point. It is slow burning and usually produces a smokeless flame. It also puts out more heat than any other type of candle in the marketplace today. And it can be produced in a dripless form.
Beeswax is widely used in the making of some of the best hair care products in the world. It can, if used regularly, make hair much stronger and more lustrous over time.

Potential

The use of beeswax in the cosmetics industry has only begun to scratch the surface. More and more cosmetic products made with beeswax are developed each year. With the industry intent upon expanding the use of all natural ingredients whenever possible, beeswax's potential is enormous.