Barley & Hops Craft Candles

Man Candles that Women Love

Ramblings

Propolis For Skin & Top 5 Reasons To Add It To your Skincare Routine

Propolis For Skincare

Propolis has been used in Europe for many years and is just now catching on in America. In this article, we will be covering the benefits of using Propolis for skincare.

What is Propolis?

The worker bees make Propolis from tree resins that they collect from leaf buds and tree sap. They collect the resins and carry them back to the hive on their legs in their pollen baskets.  The bees then mix the collected resins with wax, honey, and enzymes from their stomachs (bee spit) to turn it into Propolis.

Bee enzymes contain 13-glicosidase enzyme found in their saliva. More than 300 different compounds have been identified so far in propolis, including

  • Aliphatic acids
  • Esters
  • Aromatic acids
  • Fatty acids
  • Flavonoids
  • Carbohydrates
  • Aldehydes
  • Amino Acid
  • Ketones
  • Chalcones
  • Dihydrochal
  • Terpenoids
  • Vitamins
  • Inorganic substances

The end composition is 50% resins, 30% waxes, 10% essential oils, 5% pollen and 5% plant debris. Wow!

Diagram of How is Propolis Made?
The Propolis Process.

Propolis Fun Fact:

In South Africa, during the Anglo-Boer War, more than
90 years ago, it was used with vaseline for ointment preparation to heal war wounds.
This helped save the lives of many soldiers, since antibiotics were not yet available.

5 Reasons To Add Propolis To your Skincare Routine

Ancient Depiction of an Egyptian Beekeeper

Humans have been using propolis since ancient times, from at least 300 BC, and there are records suggesting that propolis has been used as a medicine in many parts of the world, both internally and externally. In general, propolis contains phenol acids, flavonoid, terpenes, aromatic aldehydes and alcohols, fatty acids, stilbenes, β-steroids, and various other substances 

In other words, Propolis is jam-packed full of good stuff  that can help revitalize our skin at a cellular level, including:

  1. It’s helpful in the anti-aging process. Propolis may reduce the appearance of wrinkles and smooth out skin, Propolis may also help skin retain more moisture to maintain a healthier, more vibrant complexion. Much of the body’s ailments, including visible signs of aging, can be attributed to inflammation. Propolis, rich in anti-inflammatories and antioxidants, may be poised to become aging skin’s greatest ally. 
  2. A true fighter of redness, acne & blemishes. Propolis can be used to treat and prevents blemishes, acne, and redness. Since it’s a naturally-occurring antiseptic, it’s a must-have for those with acne-prone skin.  It has regenerative and healing properties, making it a fantastic smoothing and softening agent.
  3. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. Its anti-inflammatory properties are used mainly for muscles and articulations, and also other types of inflammations, infections, rheumatisms, and torsions. due to its large content of polyphenol compounds.
  4. Propolis has well known wound-healing properties. Propolis can help with wound healing. According to the NCBI, bee propolis has been seen to have a positive impact on the wound-healing process, in part by increasing the collagen content of tissues and promoting wound closure.
  5. Protection from free-radicals. Free radicals are oxygen molecules that damage cell function and your skin’s DNA, and they can be generated by UV exposure. While it as important as ever to wear broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays, we recommend taking things a step further and pairing SPF with antioxidants to help neutralize free radical damage. When exposed to UVA and UVB rays, studies from the NCBI have found that bee propolis contributes to skin protection against free radicals.

5 Manly Candle Problems Solved

I’ve Got Ninety-Nine Problems & A Candle Aint’ One

Burning Candle TipsYou know what I’m talking about. Yeah, you. You with that ugly wax sink hole smack dab in the middle of your brand new manly candle. Not very manly in MY opinion. No, I digress. No one has ever properly schooled you on how to burn that beautiful ball of wax sitting on your Man Cave bar top.

Well, today is your lucky day. We are here to teach you everything you need to know about buying, burning, and getting the most bang for your buck.

It’s The Final Countdown (Candle Burning Countdown That Is)

  1. John Wick & 1/2 – 1/4. People – don’t let other people burn a candle without trimming the wick. 1/8 – 1/4″ outta do it. Trimming the wick will greatly reduce the chances of you burning your house down. Rule of thumb is – the bigger the wick, the bigger the flame. Also, a bigger flame will lead to ugly black soot that will cover the inside of your glass. Not cool.
  2. The Tunnel To Nowhere. Are YOU are real “Nowhere Man?”  Don’t feel bad. The best of us are…especially when it comes to burning a candle. You are probably thinking, “What the hell is she talking about? Don’t I just light the damn thing?” Of course,  you do but that is after you FIRST trim the wick and THEN make sure you burn the candle until there is a nice pool of wax forms across the entire top of the candle. This will take anywhere between 1-2 hours. This will ensure your wick doesn’t fall down the rabbit hole and reducing the life of your candle.

    If you want your candle to burn evenly and last as long as possible, you have to light it for about 3 to 4 hours the first time you burn it. “We say that wax has a muscle memory, and it’s going to burn in the same pattern every time,” says Heyen. “So if you light it for long enough the first time, that will ensure that your candle pools completely across all of the wax, setting it up to continue to do so with each subsequent burn.” Otherwise, tunneling, where the wick burns straight down the center of a candle without creating a full melt pool, can occur. Once your candle starts tunneling, you’re losing all that peripheral wax surface area for future burns. ~ Says Apartment Therapy and we agree. 

  3. Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls Of Black Stuff. Remember that day when that weird looking tarball formed on the end of the wick?  Us here in the candle business refer to this phenomenon as “mushrooming.” If your wick has a giant ball forming on it then it is a carbon build up. This is easily fixed by simply trimming the wick to  1/8 to 1/4 inches after each successful burn.
  4. Don’t Drink & Burn. Yeah, duh. I tell you this because if you leave a candle burning unattended, bad things can happen. Especially if you have animals, small children, drunk roommates, or a clumsy mate.
  5. Nice Drapes, Dude.  If you want to keep them nice, don’t burn a candle by them. This can cause a fire. Now I will venture even further into this very important warning. If the windows are open and there is rain in the forecast, there will be wind. Heck, there might even be wind without a storm. Moral of this very important story, if your candle is left to burn in an area

There you have it. Now that you have been fully informed, go burn that candle! Don’t let it just sit there….burn baby, burn!

Masculine Candles Aren’t Just For Men

Something Other Than A Vanilla Lavender Candle…..Please!

Women Love Masculine Aromas

So, think about it. Women wear perfume and men wear cologne. Women that are attracted to men love the way they smell (well, not ALL of the time but you get what I mean).

Most men really don’t care nor really think much about it but would prefer something other than the honeysuckle orange or lavender vanilla scented candle.

As we said, our masculine scented candle collections are a bit hit for both men and women.

YOU Get To Choose How Your Home Smells!

This leads us to our next point. Women love candles. They love to gift and receive candles. If you are a man looking for a fail-safe gift for your woman or man, pick up a candle. No. Not just “a candle,” pick up a Barley & Hops Craft Candle. You get to CHOOSE how your home smells AND we promise you…she will LOVE it!

Grandfather Smoking Tobacco in Pipe
Grandfather’s pipe.

In fact, our Norwegian Wood & Leather Candle is our best seller for women! We often hear comments like, “OMG, this reminds me of my dad (or grandfather)!” or “My husband will LOVE this!” Another popular masculine scented candle for women is our Oak Barrel-Aged Whiskey Tobacco Candle. 

As a woman, I totally get it. I LOVE how our Whiskey Tobacco Candle reminds me of my late grandfather when he would sit in his oversized leather chair and smoke his fancy pipe.  Actually, this is the inspiration for our tobacco candle!

Let Us Make It Easy For You

These are our top selling manly smelling candles for women.

  1. Norwegian Wood & Leather. Sun-worn leather, light-hearted oud, soft forest pine, cedarwood, and a dash of saffron for character, our Norwegian Wood Leather candle is a smooth, complex, creamy, and commanding aroma that takes you back to Grandfather’s well-worn leather armchair.
    Get it here.
  2. Whiskey Barrel-Aged Stout Candle. Our Whiskey Barrel-Aged Stout candle is a full-bodied and fragrant blend of creamy baked oatmeal, notes of butterscotch, farm-fresh cream, rich Columbian coffee and a dark, fruity, oak-cask aroma of Kentucky whiskey.
    Get it here.
  3. American East-Coast IPA Candle. Fruity and fresh aroma of pithy grapefruit and juicy citrus. The rich citrus character comes from freshly-squeezed red grapefruit and sweet blood orange, along with orange peel and lemon zest. Think juicy-fruit gum meets your favorite East-Coast IPA.
    Get it here.

Hard Cider Candles

The Gluten-Free Candle Alternative

Artisan Cider Candle Line From Barley & Hops Craft Candles

As we highly recommend you NEVER sip any of the candles from our new hard cider candle collection, we do though understand how you might be tempted.

Our hard cider candles are inspired by actual craft cider companies. Every label that hugs one of our cider candles has been given to us to borrow from its owner. We pride ourselves on the fact that we work with craft breweries and craft cider companies.

Why Hard Cider Candles?

The answer to this question really is quite obvious if you have ever had the opportunity to drink a craft hard cider. My first experience was in Fort Collins, CO.  Half expecting the flavor to be overwhelmingly sweet and fruity, I prepared myself for disappointment.  Once I had one, straight from the tap, I was hooked.

What Do Craft Ciders Taste Like?

My first exposure to hard cider was Woodchuck Hard Cider. For me personally – it was a  little off-putting in its sweetness, tasting more like an alcoholic apple cola than apple.

There are a myriad cider styles—and iterations of those styles. It really just depends on the cidery you choose to visit. Some cideries even compare their ciders to sour beers.

To make this easier for me, here is a list of hard ciders and descriptions. All of these hard ciders come from cideries around the world.

Hogan’s Hard Cider: a throwback to the earliest ciders of New England
Mackie’s Mulled Hard Cider: a blend of apples with cinnamon, cardamom, rose hips and lemon peel.
Dry Cider: name says it all; made with Champagne yeast and dessert apples.
Hopped Cider: citrusy Cascade hops added to the cidery’s Dry Cider brand.
Bitter Brothers Bourbon Barrel: a semi-dry cider aged in barrels previously used to age bourbon.
Sugar Shack: a cider made with local maple syrup, ginger and black walnut.
Rhody Coyote Red Apple Cider: the only cider of this winery, made with Champagne yeast.

So, What Do Hard Cider Candles Smell Like?

Read those descriptions above and you will get a good idea as to what our craft cider candles smell like. They are like NO OTHER candle I have ever put my nose too.

Look for our new hard cider candle line to debut Mid-Late August.

Stay tuned!