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!

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

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.