28 Aug
Uncategorized

Brief History and Types of Beeswax

Beeswax is a natural substance derived from the pollination activities of honeybees. When cold, the wax is breakable, and when heated, becomes pliable. Beeswax, which consists mainly of fatty acids, hydrocarbons, as well as esters, is used by honeybees to construct honeycombs. Historically, beeswax has found many applications ranging from culinary, aromatherapy, and cosmetics, to medicine. Evidence of beeswax applications dates to prehistoric times. According to the American Bee Journal, one of the earliest pieces of evidence of beeswax use can be traced to Neolithic pottery-making cultures in Anatolia during the seventh millennium BCE, a timeframe corresponding to the years 7000 BCE to 6001 BCE. Evidence of beeswax use, dating to more than 2000 years ago, has also emerged in Asia. The Shennong Book of Herbs, one of China’s three foundational books of Chinese medicine, documented the positive benefits of beeswax on the circulatory system, energy levels, as well as wound healing. The book also detailed the anti-aging properties of beeswax on the skin during that time.

Natural Beeswax can be categorized into 3 types: Yellow, White, and Absolute. The first type, Yellow beeswax, is the raw, unrefined, natural, wax that comes directly from the honeycomb. The second type, White beeswax, is derived from the purification of Yellow beeswax. Cosmetic formulations, culinary uses, and pharmaceutical product development, such as ointments, soft-gel capsules, and coatings for medicinal tablets, utilize the White type of beeswax. The third kind, which is, beeswax Absolute, is a derivative of Yellow beeswax treated with a mixture of Alcohol.

The next blogs in this series will explore the environmental sustainability of beeswax, as well as the beneficial aspects of its use.

As always, Tega Joy welcomes your comments or questions.

E. Oduaran

Tega Joy, INC

Griffin, GA

21 Aug
Uncategorized

Benefits of Natural Ingredients in Handcrafted Skincare Products

Crafting high-quality cosmetic skincare products from simple natural ingredients, in addition to being better for the environment, they are safer, easier on the skin, as well as keep consumers and their families healthy. By contrast, many skincare products on the market today contain synthetic polymers, such as dimethicone, a silicone-based polymer, as well as PEGs, a polyethylene polymer, both of which are forms of plastic. Synthetic chemicals such as these are made in laboratories and could be harmful to the skin either immediately or over time. Studies have suggested that dimethicone, for example, exacerbates acne because it forms a barrier over the skin, trapping everything ranging from impurities, bacteria, sebum, along with the moisture. Among critics of dimethicone use in skincare products, some argue that its harmfulness is a direct result of not being a natural substance, while others have posited that since the substance forms a barrier on the skin, it seals the oils, sweat, dirt, and other impurities against the skin, thereby clogging the pores, leading to acne. A 2015 study in Toxicological Research found that PEGs used in cosmetics often contain impurities, such as ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, as a result of the laboratory synthetic process. Ethylene oxide is a toxin and irritant, while 1,4-dioxane is classified as a possible carcinogen which has been linked to liver, lung, breast, skin, and gallbladder cancer.

A lot of skincare products that are widely consumed in our country are packed with these types of laboratory-produced synthetic chemicals that neither I nor members of my family would want to have on our bodies. Therefore, it bothers me greatly that people are putting these unhealthy chemicals on their bodies, often without realizing the potential health consequences of doing so. To further strengthen the case for the use of natural ingredients in cosmetic skincare products, a 2018 study published in the International Journal of Phytocosmetics and Natural Ingredients found that plant-based oils are beneficial as they actively improve health, while the effects of silicon-based products were found to be only superficial.

To summarize, natural ingredients in skincare products are good for your body, and will keep you and your family healthy. By contrast, synthetic ingredients used in cosmetic skincare products can contain harmful chemicals by virtue of being made in a laboratory. Therefore, the use of such products could unnecessarily expose the consumer to potentially harmful chemicals.

Dr. Erica Oduaran

Senior Scientist

Tega Joy, INC

Griffin, GA

Dover, DE (Corporate Headquarters)

21 Aug
Uncategorized

Handmade Products Are Better for The Environment

Handmade products are better for the environment. At a time when climate change threatens the future of our planet, there is no better way to reduce the human footprint than revisiting an ancient human skill of handcrafted products. Creating products by hand uses less energy. By comparison machine manufactured products account for the highest energy consumption in the US industrial sector. Most of this energy demand is met by fossil fuel, which when burned emits large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide trap heat in our atmosphere, resulting in a warming of the planet. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, US manufacturing alone is responsible for approximately 23% of all carbon emission into the atmosphere. This has a direct impact on climate change, as well as air pollution which can cause respiratory disease. Given this context, meeting more of society’s needs through handcrafted products can contribute to mitigating the serious threat that climate change poses to humanity.

We welcome your thoughts and perspective at Tega Joy!

Skye Oduaran

Tega-Joy, INC

Griffin, GA