Face Up to the Shocking Toxic Ingredients hidden in your Face Cream

Do you know exactly what you are putting on your skin?

Welcome to our latest blog instalment where we’ll be delving into the world of our favourite moisturisers – our daily face creams. We’ll be looking at natural versus chemical ingredients, the shocking truth on what potions could be masquerading on our shelves, the hidden ‘nasties’ to avoid and an in depth look at what actually goes into our face creams here at HBB and why. 

We know how much you care about gentle, natural products but also about our planet and nature, so we want to help you when it comes to choosing chemical-free, health-safe, environmentally friendly creams - with this in mind we have put together this guide with pointers on what potentially harmful ingredients to avoid in your moisturisers.

So, read on to discover what “nasties” you may wish to avoid for the health of you, your skin and the environment.


Face Cream Fanatics

We all love a moisturiser, with the overwhelming majority of us applying a face cream at least once a day as our go-to-product come rain, wind or sun.  Given this frequency of use, it’s shocking to think that many of us don’t even know what exactly goes into them.

We can’t be to blame; annoyingly the beauty industry does not make it easy for us to make cruelty free, health and eco conscious decisions when selecting our products - although things are definitely improving.

The face cream industry is huge with so many products on the market promising to combat the signs of ageing, moisturise, protect, tone, brighten, banish pigmentation……the list goes on!

Many of these such products boast ingredient labels - if you can even find them - that are notoriously complicated to read making us as consumers wade through jargon to find out what is in these face creams that are promising to deliver on all these wondrous fronts. Frustratingly many contain synthetic chemicals utilised as a cheap and easy way to increase the wearability, durability and spreadability of our face creams.

Harsh chemicals are often used to ‘resurface the skin’ or ‘rewind the clock’ - in reality usually equating to stripping our faces of moisture and their natural protective barrier in a bid to reveal ‘fresh new skin’ underneath.

Signs Your Moisturiser is Secretly Damaging your Face

So, with very customer unfriendly ingredient labels how do we usually discover the presence of not so nice chemicals lurking in our face creams?

Generally it's when we experience the discomfort of tight skin, redness, irritation, flaking and stinging. Sound familiar? We hear from so many of our customers who have previously struggled with face creams that caused sore, red, irritated complexions and they are not alone.

A 2020 survey by Green People showed that 66% of people have reacted to a facial skincare product, with a moisturising face cream being the top trigger of adverse reactions.

Other skin reactions noted by dermatologists that indicate it’s time to ditch your current face cream include: rashes, blisters, changes in pigmentation and oilier skin than usual. These symptoms can manifest immediately or after several applications. Interested to know more? Check out the full article HERE.

Face Cream Frustration

We know that choosing a face cream could easily become a frustrating experience of trial and error on your poor skin, not to mention the amount of time and money wasted on purchasing various different products. With this in mind we have included here some ideas of natural swaps for chemical ingredients to look out for as they will be kinder to your skin, minimising the risk of irritation.

Don’t forget, if you do fancy trying one of our all natural face creams we offer sample sizes, free advice, and a full money back guarantee if our cream does not work for you – hopefully this will help make the whole ‘trying out’ process less fraught.

Why is Face Cream so Important?

Feeling fed up of searching for a suitable moisturiser and thinking of skipping it altogether? Top dermatologists suggest not, ever.

Why? Whatever your skin type daily moisturising is important for maintaining the skin’s healthy cells and to protect it from irritation and strengthen the skin barrier. Moisturising your skin helps balance your complexion – men should also be incorporating it into their daily routine!

But, what if you have oily/combination skin? Moisturising is still important to help prevent further breakouts – skin that is dry and irritated is actually prone to flare ups and acne so you should still be moisturising daily.

What if moisturisers irritate my skin, can I skip them then? Again, the consensus is no, rather it’s all about finding a chemical-free one which is more likely to be one suited to your delicate skin. Without the protection and hydration from a daily moisturising cream sensitive skin is left completely open to the elements, pollutants and even more vulnerable to soreness from ‘drying out.’

In fact, whatever your skin type, your skin’s overall health depends on, ‘retaining moisture, so the healthier your skin is, the more vibrant your complexion will be’. (why moisturising your face is so important). Experts agree that, ‘moisturising prevents dryness, makes the skin look more youthful, hides signs of ageing, decreases inflammation in the skin and protects it from external harmful agents.’ (9 amazing benefits of moisturising your face daily)


Quick Fire Benefits of Using a Face Cream

• Improved cell function and regeneration
• Most fundamental protection against premature ageing
• Improvement in texture and overall appearance of skin
• Better resilience against UV rays and toxins
• Provides base for make up and ‘a protective barrier between make up products and your skin cells which helps prevent ‘unblended make up, irritation and inflammation.’ (9 amazing benefits of moisturising your face daily)

 
History of the Face Cream: The Natural & Chemical Dichotomy

This importance of moisturising our faces in the quest for healthy, soothed, glowing skin is nothing new and something our ancestors took thought and time in indulging.




Let’s travel way back in time to when the ancient Egyptians discovered that animal fat soothed irritated skin - envision these earliest formulators as they dabbled creatively in mixing these fats with olive oil and other plants to help it spread more easily on the face and, of course we can all envisage the charismatic Cleopatra drinking in the most of what nature had to offer with her love of honey and milk for moisturising and beautifying her face!

Honey of course being a natural skin wonder that is still revelled in today; although apparently Cleopatra was also an avid fanatic of using powdered crocodile excrement mixed with mud as an anti ageing face moisturiser – think we’ll stick to the honey in our face creams!

Now we journey onto a face care rendezvous with the ancient Romans - the wealthy would slather their faces with expensive Arabian oils, noting how they seemed to combat wrinkly skin, whilst the poor became inventive with their moisturising endeavours by using bacon fat, clay, chalk and even plaster mixed with vinegar to smooth over their faces!

It wasn’t long before the natural power of beeswax was heralded as an excellent face moisturiser.  Welcome to the time of the Roman Empire and meet Claudius Galenus, who was practicing as a Greek doctor and physician to Roman Emperors,  and invented what we have come to know as ‘cold cream’ - which is still used today - by mixing water, olive oil and yes, beeswax. 




Later versions also teamed the beeswax with a mix of almond oil and rose petal extract. In France cold cream is still accredited to its original formulator, Claudius Galenus, being known as cérat de Galien or Galen’s Wax (The History of Face Cream).

Our natural face creams here today at HBB certainly take basis from this magical time withstanding emulsion of beeswax, natural oils, water and botanicals with a generous glug of Cleopatra’s beloved raw honey!

However, as is still true today, the desire for skin to look ‘a certain way’ as fashions changed spelt the introduction of harmful chemicals as we speed forward in our journey from Roman times into the 18^th century where in Victorian England, ‘cosmetics of the era were plagued by caustic chemicals that could also cause bodily addiction’(the poisonous beauty of Victorian England).




Picture Victorian ladies sat at their dressers gravitating towards their delicate glass jars, dipping their fingers into moisturiser creams full of poisonous lead and ammonia, then generously applying all over their faces to achieve the white pallor skin ideal of the time, completely unaware of the health damaging effects and irritation caused by exposure to these chemical concoctions.

Now we fast forward to the 20^th century, known as ‘the golden era of face cosmetics’ (www.glamourdaze.com) when face creams based on oil and water emulsions entered into mass production and became available to women of all classes.

Female entrepreneurs were able to start shining through as formulators with their knowledge and understanding of  how they wanted their skin to feel and look.




Harriet Hubbard Ayer was a pioneer in promoting commercial face cream with the help of actress Lillie Langtry and by doing so represented a shift in traditions of the time by turning away from her privileged world to achieve wealth and success in business during a period in history when genteel women did not work.

Just think how many women since then have followed in her footsteps including the likes of Elizabeth Arden, Esteee Lauder and Anita Roddick by formulating, promoting and selling their own beauty products to help other women! Girl power!

Interestingly, it wasn’t until 2003 that archaeologists discovered the world’s oldest face cream while excavating a Roman temple on the banks of the river Thames; the little tin pot is 2,000 years old and still bears the finger marks of the person who last used it! (The world’s oldest face cream).

The face cream, analysed by Richard Evershed of The University of Bristol, contained animal fat, probably from cattle or sheep, and starch. The research team recreated the cream and observed that it “had a pleasant texture when rubbed into the skin.

Although it felt greasy initially, owning to the fat melting as a result of body heat, this was quickly overtaken by the smooth, powdery texture created by the starch.”(The world’s oldest face cream).

Did you know starch is still used in face and body creams for this purpose today -  we were only recently looking at a Formula Botanica recipe that involved using a starch (arrowroot powder in this case) to counteract any overly oily feeling of a cream on the skin!

This brief delve into the history of face cream perfectly demonstrates the popularity of toying with both natural and chemical ingredients. The temptation still exists today whereby formulators may choose harsh chemical ingredients to achieve a certain effect on the skin, but at what cost to our overall health and well-being?

Are your modern day skincare products causing your skin to scream 'No  Thanks!' even in the 21st Century?

Shockingly, only in 2019, a face cream containing harmful mercury left a woman in a coma for weeks (www.independent.co.uk). The lady from California complained of numbness in her hands and feet, slurred speech and trouble walking as a result of mercury poisoning from her anti-wrinkle daily face cream.

Mercury is used in face creams because, ‘it inhibits the formation of melanin, resulting in lighter skin tone, giving it a skin lightening effect with the promises of reducing pigmentation, dark spots, and freckles’ (22 harmful symptoms of mercury overdose in cosmetics and skincare products). Mercury is also hugely damaging to our planet with the mercury in skin care products eventually ending up in wastewater and released into the environment to be absorbed by creatures and plants alike.

How can this happen? – isn’t Mercury in Face Creams banned?

Yes, mercury is banned in all countries of the European Union but the issue arises when purchasing creams online and from platforms such as Amazon and Ebay, easily making it possible for mercury tainted creams to be purchased and shipped straight to your doorstep. In fact when advocacy groups purchased creams from Amazon and Ebay for testing they found mercury levels present that were well over the legal limit in most countries, noting, ‘the oversaturated skin care market place, plus sometimes scarce or non present ingredients lists on the Internet, has made it more or less impossible for global agencies to fully monitor the sale of these products.’  (Dangerous levels of mercury in skin care products) 

This rings true for all the ‘nasty’ chemicals we will address below – with living costs soaring, the tightening of purse strings and need for convenience has found many people turning to the internet to purchase face creams which have a high likelihood to slip through the regulations net when it comes to harmful chemicals.

For more information on these findings, the detrimental effects of mercury in face creams and the forms in which mercury may be cunningly labelled on a product’s ingredient list see THIS article.

The Dirty Dozen

Here’s our list of toxic ingredients to avoid in your face creams:

 1. Mercury

This metal that is liquid at room temperature comes in at number one - we tackled this ‘nasty’ above, one to definitely be avoided in your skincare .

Natural swap: for natural safe alternatives to help lighten and brighten the skin look for creams containing vitamin C, liquorice root, citrus oils, lavender and rose geranium essential oils.

 2. Synthetic Fragrance

You might not think of your favourite scent as being behind a health epidemic, but the reality is synthetic fragrance can be an issue not only restricted to perfumes. Many face creams contain a complex blend of artificial fragrances that can cause problems for asthmatics and those with sensitive skin.  Scent irritants are often added to face creams to make them smell nice and have been linked to causing dermatitis, headaches, migraines and respiratory problems (3 common irritants often hidden in cosmetics - Green People). For more info on how detrimental “fragrance” can be read the article from the Guardian HERE.

Be in the know: when a face cream label simply says ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’ you can take this as ,‘ an umbrella term for hundreds of chemicals that brands aren’t required to disclose’ and be sure to avoid. (18 ingredients a clean chemist would avoid)




Natural swap: those with very sensitive skin are advised to avoid face creams with any fragrance, natural or synthetic, altogether. If you would like fragrance in your face cream opt for those that are fragranced by pure essential oils, as these are not only all natural and easily absorbed into the skin, but also contain many anti-inflammatory, moisturising actives to benefit the skin and soothe the mind.

3. Ethyl Alcohol

Ethyl alcohol is used in face creams to make them feel lighter on the skin and to help other ingredients penetrate into the skin.  However, ethyl is the most common skin irritating, skin drying of the alcohols found in skincare and should be avoided.

Natural swap: plump for skin nourishing, non-irritating alcohols such as Tocopherol (vitamin E), Calciferol (vitamin D) and Cetearyl alcohol. Choose face creams containing butters and/or oils that are easily absorbed into the skin leaving a naturally light feel such as rapeseed, grapeseed, rosehip and cocoa butter.

4. Parabens and Phenoxyethanol

Parabens are widely used in face creams to prolong their shelf life. Recent scientific studies in the UK found a link between the use of parabens and the increasing rate of breast cancer in women finding a high concentration of parabens in 90% of breast tumours tested. (Harmful Ingredients Commonly Found in Skin Care Products and Cosmetics)

The paraben phenoxyethanol (found in 70-90% of cosmetics!) has been found to interfere with hormones and has been linked to breast and skin cancer, and, at the very least, skin irritation.  Phenoxyethanols are preservative chemicals that mimic oestrogen and are widely found in face creams to promote longevity.

Be wary of products containing these terms anywhere in the ingredients list (often attached to the end of another word such as “propylparaben”) and be sure to give these face creams a swerve.

Natural swap:  Look for face creams labelled “paraben free” and those that make use of a natural preservative such as preservative eco, geoguard ultra, or dermosoft.

5. Propylene Glycol

Found in many beauty creams propylene glycol is used as a humectant to increase moisture retention in the skin, yet it can cause skin rashes, contact dermatitis, and has been shown to cause damage to the kidneys and liver. (Toxic Ingredients in Cosmetics and Skin Care Products | HealthGuidance.org)

Natural swap: opt for face creams containing natural humectants such as aloe vera, beeswax or raw honey.

6. Ethanolamines: DEA (Diethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine) and MEA (Monoethanolamine)

These substances, typically classified as safe for use in skincare are, in reality, harsh solvents and detergents that are used in creams as an emollient. They can cause allergic reactions, and long term use of DEA-based products (such as Cocamide DEA) have been linked to an increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer.( Toxic Ingredients in Cosmetics and Skin Care Products | HealthGuidance.org)




Natural swap: some natural emollients include beeswax, lecithin from plant sources and vegetable wax such as Candelilla which is obtained from the wild Candelilla shrub.

 7. Phthalates

Phthalates or plasticisers are compounds that may be lurking in your favourite creams to aid their spreadability. They have been found to act as a hormone disruptor linked to reproductive defects, insulin resistance and developmental problems in children. Here’s the tricky part: phthalates usually aren’t listed on the label of products so you have to do a bit of sleuthing to determine their presence. Want a hint? They’re often found in anything that misleadingly lists “fragrance” as an ingredient. (Top 10 Toxic Skin Care Ingredients)

Natural swap: choose creams that are labelled “phthalate free” or scented naturally by essential oils and avoid those packaged in plastic (plastic containers often contain phthalates too) and choose those in glass containers instead.

 8. Antibacterial Agents

Triclosan is one common antibacterial agent found in acne creams and moisturisers. Antibacterial agents have been found to compromise your body’s natural defence against bacteria and infection - seems a bit counterproductive, doesn’t it?! - and have also been known to disrupt endocrine, thyroid, and reproductive systems.(10 Common Ingredients in Your Skincare Products That Will SHOCK You)

Natural swap: look for face creams with natural antibacterial ingredients such as honey, shea butter, cocoa butter or lavender essential oil.

 9. Petroleum

Petroleum, petrolatum or petroleum jelly is commonly found, not only in some well known lip balms, but also in face creams. These petroleum distillates are the by -product of petroleum refining and produced in the same oil refineries as motor fuel and heating oil – probably not something you would want smeared on your face?!

This ingredient has a softening effect recommended for dry skin as it creates a barrier preventing moisture from escaping.  However, unlike natural ‘barrier’ style ingredients such as beeswax, petroleum prevents absorption of moisture from the air, actually serving to suffocate the skin. So, eventually your skin will dry out meaning you’ll be wanting to keep reapplying the cream (not very cost effective either!)

Natural swap:  choose creams rich with natural humectants such as honey, glycerin, panthenol or beeswax.

10. Oxybenzone

Oxybenzone or benzophenone-3 is most often found in sunscreens or SPF face creams. It should be avoided as it has been found to interfere with hormones, cause skin allergies and irritation. Also impacting negatively on the environment, Hawaii has in fact banned it from sun creams because of its harmful effects on the coral reef (Hawaii and Toxic Sunscreens)




Natural swap: choose sunscreens that are mineral based, containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. We would recommend looking at the natural range by Green People HERE. (Whilst we work on the mammoth task of formulating our own at HBB!)

 11. Synthetic Colours

Synthetic and artificial colours, dyes or ‘colourants’ are often found in face creams to lend them an ‘appealing colour’ to increase their saleability – research has shown ‘that customers believe colourful products are more appealing and enhance the experience of using them (Artificial Dyes do not belong in your Skincare). However, synthetic dyes and colours can contain heavy metals and lead to blocked pores, inflammation, acne, and sensitised skin.

Natural swap: look for face creams that are free from colourants or avoid those labelled with CI numbers lower that CI 75000, or ‘colourants’ or ‘tartrazine’. We choose to keep it simple and not add any colour to our face creams but if you fancy some natural colour in yours then there are some ‘bee-utiful’ options out there using all natural colours that can actually offer skin enhancing benefits too. Opt for creams coloured by sweet orange essential oil, beetroot, hibiscus extract, saffron or the distinctive carotenoid glow of sea buckthorn!

 12. Retinol

Retinol and retinoids come from vitamin A which is a nutrient that helps drive cell turnover and decrease collagen break down, showing an improvement in lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and overall signs of ageing. No wonder it’s so popular!

To pop it on our ‘nasties’ list  may be a little controversial as there is lots of conflicting information out there both berating and exalting this ‘wonder’ ingredient.

Many dermatologists and health experts are actually recommending we steer clear of this ingredient which has been linked to skin cancer when used on sun exposed skin, is often stabilised with parabens, could be unsafe for pregnant women and older people, and, most commonly, will cause skin dryness and irritation. For further information regarding this have a look at the article ‘The Truth about Retinol’ by clicking HERE and the write up by UpCircle by looking HERE. 



Natural swap: if you do decide to forgo retinol in your face creams, have a look at natural anti ageing and antioxidant oils and butters in your creams as an alternative such as bakuchiol, rosehip seed oil, rapeseed oil and cocoa butter.

Nature to the Rescue! How do our HBB face creams fare?

Our face creams are simple, natural and safe, being free from any harmful chemicals and irritating toxic ingredients and clearly labelled in plain English so none of the contents are veiled from our customers.  




We are so glad that you seem to love our face creams too with our Bumble Bee face cream for dry skin being our all-time best seller. To discover why buzz over to THIS page to read over seventy 5 star reviews.

What’s our Secret?

Why are our face creams such a popular choice? We can’t take the credit here– our formulation magic is all down to the bounty Mother Nature offers us. It is thanks to nature’s magic -  the wonders of the hive teamed with top quality natural plant carrier and essential oils provided by our awesome fellow Welsh brand Naissance (leaping bunny and fairtrade approved AND ethically sourced) that we are able to formulate creams with the best performing ingredients that nature has to offer and are able to know exactly what is in them, right down to the components of each oil and how it is extracted.




Our face cream formulation philosophy harks back to the original natural oil water emulsions and beeswax recipes known for their incredible benefits on the skin. There is no better test than the test of time and these ingredients, without any harmful additions, have proven their worth and shown not to have any adverse side effects.

Unlike the very early face creams though, we of course do not use any animal fats in our emulsions and instead use the natural stabiliser Cetearyl Alcohol which is widely regarded as non- irritating and non drying unlike the denatured alcohols or ethanols which should be avoided. (3 common irritants often hidden in cosmetics | Green People UK).  For more information on this natural stabiliser have a look at the  THIS write up by natural formulator LisaLise.

We use an emulsion (mix of natural oils and water) as the basis of our best selling face cream formulations as they create a hydrating, moisturising feel and are able to penetrate further into the upper layers of our skin - something it seems our ancestors touched upon long ago!

The Famous Five Key Ingredients in our Bestselling Face Creams

 1. Beeswax

Our star of the show – beeswax is a natural wax that’s, ‘well tolerated and has a low rate of allergic reactions' (5 beauty benefits of beeswax - Green People), making it the perfect choice for sensitive, dry and combination skins thanks to its soft creamy, non-pore clogging texture.  Swap hyaluronic acids for beeswax in your creams which will offer the same humectant properties. Beeswax will help lock hydration in and attract more  moisture from the air into your skin whilst acting as a breathable barrier to protect the skin from environmental pollutants and irritants that can spawn damaging free-radicals on contact with your skin and are ‘known to be a factor in causing premature skin ageing.’ (5 beauty benefits of beeswax - Green People).

Our ‘bee-utiful’ ladies often tell us it’s the feel of our creams that they fall in love with and this is all thanks to the gorgeously creamy texture of beeswax. No ‘nasties’ like petroleum or parabens needed here - beeswax will seal in moisture and make for a cream that’s naturally easy to apply, that’s easily absorbed and won’t feel heavy on the skin.

 2. Honey

Are we allowed a second star ingredient?  Nature’s very own anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent - Honey! Our face creams for all skin types benefit from the amazing nutrients contained in our raw Welsh honey – thank you bees!

Dry skin? Raw honey will moisturise and hydrate. Oily breakout-prone skin? Raw honey will provide natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties and accelerate healing. Sensitive skin? Raw honey will soothe and calm irritation. Ageing skin? Raw honey will promote new tissue growth, collagen production, increase elasticity and improved circulation.

Honey applied to the skin constitutes, ‘a match made in heaven’ as human skin contains contains all the right elements needed to activate honey’s moisturising and healing magic.  Interested in the science behind this? To read more about the beneficial catalytic reactions taking place between honey and your skin have a look at THIS blog by experienced formulator LisaLise.

 3. Cocoa Butter

Say hello to one of nature’s ultimate moisturisers extracted from the beans of the Cacao tree! You know that delicious feeling when creamy chocolate melts in your mouth? Cocoa butter lends this meltingly magic consistency to our face creams, leaving your skin velvety soft and intensely moisturised. Also a well tolerated and non reactive ingredient, making it suitable for all skin types , particularly sensitive as, ‘this butter is one of the most stable fats known and has a reputation for being an excellent soothing ingredient for those with sensitive skin (Benefits of Cocoa Butter - Green People). Tired and dull skin? A seriously hydrating powerhouse, ‘commonly used on scars, wrinkles and other marks, cocoa butter is also known for its amazing ability to nourish and hydrate tired skin’ making it ‘feel soft, supple and smooth' (Top 5 Natural Moisturisers - Peace with the Wild).

 4. Rapeseed Oil

Our face creams contain a generous helping of natural rapeseed oil which is rich in the essential fatty acids omega-3 and Omega-6, that the body cannot naturally produce and are important for maintaining healthy skin. Forget harsh retinols and try rapeseed oil as a natural solution for ageing skin – experts praise the use of rapeseed oil (also rich in vitamin K and vitamin E) in skincare for its ability to boost collagen production in the body, and its high level of antioxidants that help prevent skin from sagging by enhancing the strength of facial skin tissue (Why Rapeseed oil is Essential for the skin).

5. Preservative Eco

We only use a preservative in our products when completely necessary, and in our face creams, a small amount of preservative is vital to protect our customers given the presence of pure water in our formulations.

Let's explain:  in any hydrous (one containing water or water based ingredients) formulation (be it natural, organic or not) a preservative is needed to prevent bacterial growth and the product spoiling.  It is what type of preservative that is chosen that spells the difference  between a potentially harmful face cream and a natural, safe one.  We do not use any of the questionable, commonly found synthetic, chemical preservatives mentioned in our ‘dirty dozen’ in our face creams but rather only ever use a carefully selected natural, non-irritating plant based, low odour  COSMOS and ECOCERT approved preservative known as ‘preservative eco.’ 

What makes our Creams smell so delish? 

We often are asked this and the answer is nature’s amazing plant oils.  Our aromatherapeutic essential oils are specifically chosen not only for their delicious scents and aromatherapy benefits but also due to their properties to suit different skin types. And, did you know we use only natural essential oils that are expertly extracted, ethically harvested (thank you Naissance Wales!) and are completely free of synthetic chemicals?


Joyful Rose Geranium and Myrrh

This hugely popular essential oil scent combination features in our Bumble Bee face cream for dry skin.

 
Joyous Rose Geranium smells like an idyllic summer’s day; it is made by steam-distilling the leaves of the beautiful Rose Geranium plant. Often referred to as ‘the happiness oil’ by aromatherapists (LisaLise: the Joys of Rose Geranium), it is known for its ability to lift the spirit and will act as a rosy scented ‘pick-me-up’ on application of this luxurious face cream.  What’s more it’s particularly suited to benefit dry, sensitive, mature skin by aiding cell regeneration, moisturising and calming skin, fighting wrinkles and diminishing broken capillaries. Natural skincare formulation exert LisaLise refers to this heaven scent oil as a ’beautiful smelling, mood lifting, fountain of youth in a bottle.' Does it get any better than that?




The rose geranium is combined with myrrh – harvested from the resin of the tree Commiphora myrrha this essential oil is made from the sap via steam distillation – it contains active compounds known as ‘sesquiterpenes’ proven to have an effect on our ‘emotional centre in the hypothalamus, helping us remain calm and balanced' (10 Proven Benefits of Myrrh essential oil - Dr Axe). A welcome start to the day as you pop on your face cream!  And, what about the benefits of this oil for your skin? Myrrh helps soothe dry skin; in fact a 2010 research study discovered that topical application of myrrh essential oil helped elevate white blood cells around sore skin, leading to faster regeneration.

For a peak at the 5 star reviews have a look at our bestselling, award winning face cream with rose geranium and myrrh HERE.

Refreshing Lavender and Bergamot

What about for those of us with oiler/combination skin? Try our Busy Bee cream! For our Busy Bee face cream we call upon the beautifully fragrant pure essential oil combination of lavender and bergamot.



Why lavender? As well as a serene calming scent, lavender essential works to kill bacteria, helping prevent outbreaks and acne, ‘it unclogs pores and reduces inflammation’ when used in skincare and aids in evening out skin tone, reducing inflammation and blotchiness' (How to improve the health of your skin with Lavender Oil- Healthline).

Bergamot essential oil offers a lively, exotic citrus scent – think Italian orangeries, a heady combination of sweet and spicy floral aromas harmonising together to brighten your day. But, what can it do for your skin? It’s packed with flavonoids to soothe and calm skin, working well as an anti inflammatory to soothe combinations skins. In fact in a study researchers found that bergamot oil, when applied to the skin, reduced the expression of the inflammatory
COX-2 enzyme by at least 25%.




Check out 'Busy Bee' for normal and combination skins and see what our what our lovely customers are saying about it HERE.

What if you have very sensitive skin?

For those of us with sensitive, reactive skin, we offer our 'famous five' face cream formulation without the addition of any essential oils or fragrance. Our customers have found it: ‘fab as my skin is very sensitive and I find that other creams can cause redness or aggravate my skin further. I used this product and it doesn’t leave a greasy look on the skin which is amazing and leaves my skin feeling very soft and feeling calm' - big thanks Eden for your review! View our Sensitive Bee cream and all the reviews in full HERE.

Happy Faces

Isn’t it fascinating looking at the benefits nature has to offer us for moisturising and soothing our skin in place of harsh chemicals – we hope you enjoyed discovering which natural goodies we use to formulate our face creams, why we use them and how they might be able to help you.

Did anything in our ‘dirty dozen’ list shock you, have you had experiences with reactions to certain ingredients in face creams you have tried? Or, maybe you have your own favourite face cream ingredient? Where do you stand on using retinol? Please share your thoughts with our HBB family and let us know by hitting reply!

For more shocking , thought provoking revelations on chemicals in our skincare and how , 'the cosmetics industry is destroying women’s cells' have a watch of the 2020 powerful award- winning documentary ‘Toxic Beauty’ on Amazon or Apple TV which condenses a three year investigation of the virtually unregulated personal-care products into 90 minutes.

Here’s to the power of nature and happy faces!
Much love,
Cath, Bec and the bees xxx

P.s Need help choosing the right face cream for your skin? Simply drop us a line if you would like any advice on our range or ingredients, or take our free Skincare Quiz HERE and find a treat waiting for you  at the end!

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