| Beeswax is the purified wax from the
honeycomb of the honeybee (Apis mellifera). The wax is
secreted from cells on the lower, rear abdomen of the worker bee in
construction of the comb. To obtain beeswax, the honey is separated
from the comb, which is melted in water, cooled, remelted, strained
and finally poured into molds. Its odor is reminiscent of honey.
Beeswax is used as an emulsifier, thickener, and stiffening agent in
many body care & cosmetic products including salves, balms,
ointments, unguents, creams, lotions, lip gloss, lipsticks, etc.
Beeswax is the preferred natural ingredient used as an alternative
to parrafin wax and ozokerite mixed with mineral oil. It is the best
medium for making a good natural emulsion. Yellow beeswax consists
of 72% fatty acid esters, mainly myricyl palmitate, 14% free wax
acids, mainly cerotic acid, 12% hydrocarbons, and the remaining 2%
consists of free alcohols, cholesterol esters of fatty acids,
lactones, and moisture, as well as pollen and propolis which contain
pigments which provide most of the beeswax’s color, which varies
from golden yellow to grayish brown. White beeswax also exists. It
is first purified and then naturally bleached by a process of
repeatedly pouring the wax into thin ribbon-like sheets and exposing
them to sunlight and air. White beeswax is usually used in
pharmaceutical products. |
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea europea) |
| Apollo Herbs healing salves
are made from extra virgin olive oil. "Extra virgin" indicates that
the first pressing of freshly harvested olives are used, providing a
golden-yellow color and the best flavor. The olives are pitted,
ground to a pulp, and cold-pressed. The juices are centrifuged,
separating the water from the oil, which comprises about thirty
percent of the juice. Olive oil contains mostly monounsaturated
fatty acids, which have been shown to have a beneficial effect on
blood cholesterol levels when taken in place of saturated fats, by
helping to decrease low density lipoprotein or LDL levels (bad
cholesterol) without affecting high density lipoprotein or HDL
levels (good cholesterol) or triglyceride levels. Olive oil has been
used since ancient times to heal wounds because of its vulnerary and
emollient properties. Olive oil contains mainly oleic and linoleic
acids, as well as vitamin E, which is an anti-oxidant which prevents
the formation of free radicals which damage cell membranes and can
contribute to skin aging as well as to certain skin diseases. Olive
oil is often used externally to moisturize and treat dry skin. It is
not as greay as some of the heavier vegetable oils. Extra virgin
olive oil is a superb menstruum for extracting the healing
properties of herbs and is our oil of choice for making external
herbal preparations. The herbs are macerated in the olive oil and
extracted by applying heat. After straining off the herbs, beeswax
is melted into the oil and it is poured into jars. Herbal salves are
easily spreadable and readily absorbant into the skin, providing
lubrication, protection, and healing properties to the applied area. |
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