Let’s look at what bees teach us and how honey benefits as we make a honey soap DIY.
What Bees Teach Us
Although the worker honey bee has an average lifespan of only five weeks, it makes the most of its days! From the first day of their lives, honey bees are responsible for disposing of waste in the hive. During the second week of their lives, the bees are responsible for the security of the hive. This includes removing dead bees and maintaining a constant temperature in the bee hive. By the third week of life, the bee has matured enough to leave the hive. Hence, it becomes a forager until the end of its life. No wonder we are so familiar with the term “busy bees”!
Only about 5% of all bee species, however, produce honey. Surprisingly, each honey bee will only produce around a twelfth of a teaspoon of honey during their lifespan. Under those circumstances, it would take over 1,152 bees their entire lifetimes in order to produce 16 ounces of honey. In order to produce that amount of honey, the bees would have to visit almost 2 million blossoms.
Leave a Golden Legacy
As each bee leaves behind a golden legacy, we can learn, unquestionably, from their examples. These hardworking creatures are loyal, protective and respectful. What’s more, bees are unobtrusive. Indeed, they have a strong sense of community and aren’t too proud to perform any task that must be completed. Finally, they welcome change and are content with their lives.
How Honey Benefits Us: Nourishing Body and Soul
Without a doubt, it is well-known that honey can nourish the body. This sweet substance is the only food source that contains all nutrients required to sustain life. Honey also contains unique antioxidants proven to improve brain function. In fact, as an older bee completes a task that a younger bee would ordinarily complete, its brain stops aging. With this in mind, current studies on dementia are being conducted using honeybees.
Aside from nutritional qualities, honey has a long history of being used for medicinal purposes. For example, it has been known to be used as treatment for burns, sore throats, asthma, and tuberculosis. Due to the fact it can be found in many bath and body products, honey is also used to relieve many skin issues.
A Honey Soap DIY
Ingredients
- Clear glycerin soap base (A 5 lb. block will make 22 or 23 full-size bars of soap. I chose Skin Said Yes 5 Lb. Melt & Pour Clear Glycerin Soap Base.)
- Honey (about 16 ounces)
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Large knife
- Large, microwave-safe measuring cup for melting soap base
- Silicone bee/honeycomb-themed soap molds (You’ll find a variety available to choose from.)
- Large spoon for mixing melted soap base and honey
Directions
- Cut the block of soap into 1-inch cubes.
- Fill the large, microwave-safe measuring cup with soap cubes and cover it with plastic wrap. Leave a little space in the cup for adding honey.
- Microwave 20 to 30 seconds.
- Carefully remove the container from the microwave, pull back the plastic wrap, and slowly and gently stir the soap. Vigorous stirring can cause several air bubbles in the final product.
- If all pieces of soap have not melted, re-cover with the plastic wrap and heat for 10-to-20-second intervals until the residual heat melts all the soap pieces with a gentle stir.
- Gently squeeze or pour honey into the measuring cup and mix it thoroughly into the soap. If you are making a full batch of soap, you will need to eyeball the amount of honey you mix into each melted portion of soap based on how many portions you will be making.
- Pour the soap slowly into the silicone molds. If bubbles float on top of the poured soap, lightly spray with rubbing alcohol to dissolve them.
- The soap may be set well enough to release from the molds in 1 to 2 hours. However, I recommend that you wait 4 to 6 hours or overnight to guarantee an effortless removal and smooth finish.
- Wrap in paper and twine or package in a clear plastic sealable gift bag (think cookie size) for gift-giving.
Toxic Elements
“That which is not good for the beehive cannot be good for the bees” – Marcus Aurelius.
In colonies and humanity alike, if you introduce good, then it will produce good. For instance, the bee works tirelessly to pollinate the flowers. The nectar brought back is used to produce honey.
Toxic for the Hive & Humans
However, when a toxic element is brought into the hive, it is not only harmful and unproductive to the individual, but to the entire community. As an illustration, in France, bees began to produce odd colored variations of honey. In the process of locating the cause of the discoloration, a candy waste facility miles from the colored honeycombs was discovered. Evidently, the bees, having a sweet tooth of their own, were consuming the sweet candies and therefore creating strangely colored honey . Consequently, this colorful honey was deemed unhealthy and not able to be sold. Just as the tainted honey proved to be unhealthy, introducing unhealthy elements into one’s life can be detrimental.
Nourishing to the Soul
In the same way that honey can nourish the body, sweet words and hard work can be just as rewarding to the soul. By focusing on positive principles, whether they are related to your home, job, or spiritual life, you can enhance your well-being. Improve your spirituality through engaging in acts of kindness, self-control, acceptance, faith, and service, for instance.
“Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24
Celebrate the Bee & Hive
Celebrate the bee and hive on your tree this Christmas with Bronner’s Hive and Bee MDF Ornament.
