We have received a flurry of questions about bee venom lately: What even is it? Does it work? Do we put it in our products? Why/why not? If you too have Qs about this trending ingredient (and whether or not bees enjoy being riled up like Spanish bulls so they’ll squirt out their sting juice – more on that later) this blog will set the record straight.
Navigating nuance
Here at Beauty and the Bees, we are both lifelong bee lovers AND a brand founded on their products. This makes us suuuuper conscious of bee welfare, of not taking too much, and of honouring the broader sustainability story in which bees play a starring role. (Without them, say goodbye to ⅓ global food crops, healthy ecosystems and honey on toast.)
The brilliance of bees
It’s easy to think of bees as ‘just a bunch of insects’, but they are highly intelligent – borderline magical – creatures who share a lot of similarities with mammals*. Their honey, beeswax, royal jelly, bee pollen and propolis serve vital functions in the hive, feeding their young, keeping the colony healthy and creating the most badass hexagonal condos you’ve ever seen.
So what about bee venom?
You might have noticed the buzz around bee venom in the beauty industry, with people raving about its potential to boost collagen and smooth out wrinkles. While it’s often marketed as a “natural Botox,” there’s actually no solid evidence that bee venom provides lasting benefits for the skin. Like many fleeting fads in beauty, it’s more hype than results.
How is bee venom harvested?
Bee venom is harvested in a pretty shocking way. Bees land on an electrified plate sitting at the entrance to their hive, which causes them to release a bit of venom, which is then scraped off and sold for a lot – a lot – of dollars per gram. Some people say the bees don’t mind, others call it downright mean.
A sting in its tail
Most of us have copped a bee sting on the big toe while walking barefoot on the lawn, and reactions range from a yelp and mild swelling to full on anaphylaxis. When applied topically, bee venom can also trigger allergic-type responses in some people, such as redness, swelling, rashes and systemic issues similar to being stung for real. We choose not to run the risk of causing harm to our customers with products that are designed to heal.
Our stance on bee venom
Given that bees are already under serious threat from environmental stress, disease, and habitat loss, we don’t believe in adding to their burden—especially for an ingredient that hasn’t been proven to make a real difference. We choose not to participate in this particular form of “bee farming” and are proud to say our products are completely bee venom free.
Beautiful alternatives
Rather than use a substance we have doubts about – both ethically and topically – we choose gentle, proven ingredients like anti-inflammatory herbs, nourishing beeswax (harvested ethically), and hydrating plant oils. These give your skin all the glow, moisture, and smoothness you’re looking for without harming our precious pollinators.
Celebrating bees the right way
We celebrate bees by partnering with local beekeepers who share our values, ensuring that every ingredient we use honours the hard work of these tiny pollinators.
Rather than buy cheaper mass-produced honey and beeswax from who-knows-where-or-in-what-conditions, we choose a single, local, ethical source that aligns with our heart, and passes the love on to you.
Welfare you can see
We’ve worked with the same local family of beekeepers for decades. R. Stephens Tasmanian Honey place their hives deep in Tassie’s western wilds where bees nom on world heritage listed pollen and nectar to make the cleanest honey and beeswax on the planet. Our relationship with the Stephens family is built on trust and respect. We’ve seen their sensitive approach to beekeeping first hand, and heck, we can chat to them about how many Leatherwood trees are blossoming, or how their bees are going this season if we want to. To us, this level of transparency is priceless and irreplaceable. Huge thanks to the incredible Stephens family!
Bee cause
We are passionate about nature and know you are too, which is why we’re sticklers for this stuff. And while it may be tempting to jump on the next skincare bandwagon, kindness wins in the end… and is always the more beautiful option.
Thanks for being on the journey with us! Have you ever drawn a line in the sand to stay true to your values? Share with us in the comments.
* Why are bee colonies kinda like mammals? Similarly to our bodies, the inside of a honeybee hive is kept at a stable temperature of 35-37 degrees, warmed by the tiny wingbeats of worker bees. Females produce a milk-like substance (royal jelly) to feed their young, who develop in a womb-like environment known as the brood. And as a colony, bees have a low reproductive rate, like mammals, swarming once or twice per year (which is how bee colonies replicate themselves) if conditions are right. #mammalianbehaviour
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