In the world of skincare, fads and buzzwords come and go, but there's one ingredient that has been trending since ancient times, and which continues to be a mainstay in modern beauty products. Honey, propolis, bee venom, beeswax, royal jelly and the other byproducts of bee labour – these super substances have been harnessed for centuries for their skincare and medicinal properties. Ancient civilisations, from the Egyptians and the Romans, to indigenous tribes in the Americas, appreciated the cosmetic and healing properties of natural bee-based ingredients.
Renowned beauty Cleopatra was said to have indulged in luxurious milk and honey baths to keep her skin smooth and glowing, and women in the Ming dynasty used it to banish blemishes. “Bee ingredients are one of the few types of ingredients with such universal appeal, and have been used across different civilisations and cultures. What makes them unique is that they’re revered not just for their skin benefits but also for their medicinal properties, culinary uses and spiritual significance," said Su-Mae Chia, owner of local skincare brand Bskin, which utilises natural and ethically sourced bee-based active ingredients, and whose family has been in the business of bee-based wellness supplements for over 30 years.
THE BENEFITS OF HONEY So why are honey and bee derivatives such hot and sticky property? First, a quick lesson on how honey is produced. Bees collect flower nectar, which gets broken down into simple sugars by t.