Colony Collapse Disorder Threatens Supplies of Honey, Beeswax, Royal Jelly

The Beauty World Minds Its Beeswax
By Caroline Brien, Financial Times (UK), 11/1/2008

You don’t have to be a loyal member of the British Bee Keeping Association to realise that the humble honeybee is in jeopardy. Colony Collapse Disorder, a phenomenon that has seen the bee population diminish rapidly in recent years, is a phenomenon that has been well-publicised. But a side effect of CCD that you may not have considered is the threat it poses to the beauty industry.

Bees and beauty might not at first glance appear to go hand in hand. Yet honey and royal jelly are, thanks to their hydrating and nourishing properties, a fundamental component of many beauty products. Beeswax, meanwhile, forms the basis of several lip balms; and cult buys such as Liz Earle’s Superbalm, Ren’s Acacia Blossom Honey Lip Balm and the Burt’s Bees range – a brand built entirely on harnessing the nourishing properties of honey, beeswax and royal jelly – would not exist without the hard work of the honeybee…