What is beeswax
Beeswax or beeswax is a bee product with which these creatures build their nests or hives. Natural wax is generally yellow in color and very soft. Wax does not dissolve in water and alcohol and is considered an insoluble substance.
Table of Contents
The word (wax) is derived from the old English word (Wax). Therefore, beeswax can be considered as base wax. Waxes are water-resistant materials that are used to cover and protect the leaves of plants and fruits (cuticle), in their structure bees, insect protective fats, animal skin fats, bird fat glands, whale oil and some crabs, fungi and bacteria are used.
Regarding what is beeswax, we must say that this substance is actually a natural wax that is made by bees from honey combs. Bee wax is produced by 8 wax production glands in the abdominal parts of worker bees, which is discharged into the hive. Hive worker bees build shelf-like cells to store honey and protect their brood and brood inside the hive. Chemically, beeswax is composed of fatty acid esters and long chain alcohols and has many uses in the food and flavor industries and is used to treat some diseases.
In a general classification, waxes can be divided into four categories, beeswax which is a bee product and natural, vegetable or vegetable waxes which are a product of plants and natural, artificial or synthetic waxes and petroleum waxes which are also synthetic. In this article, we will talk about beeswax and try to provide you with useful information about it.
Getting to know the benefits of beeswax
What are the benefits of beeswax for the environment?
Since these products are natural or so-called organic, they can be called environmentally friendly. In fact, for the extraction, processing and production of these products, no damage has been done to nature, which is a great advantage for any commercial product. Also, another important point about natural wax and products derived from it is that all these products are recyclable and can return to nature; without harming it.
Another thing that should be mentioned is that there are no hydrogenated or bleaching substances in the structure of natural waxes used in making candles, while these substances are used in making paraffin candles, palm candles, soy candles, etc. .
Candles made with natural wax have a long and useful life and will never spoil. Generally, the lifespan and burning time of candles made of natural waxes is three times longer than the lifespan of candles made of paraffin.
Candles produced with these waxes have the natural scent of flower nectar and can also scent the environment with this scent. Flower pollen and flower nectar are the two main aromas of these candles, which are considered a clean fuel and have no side effects on humans and the environment. To these things, we should also add air purification, which is a great advantage for these products.
Benefits of beeswax candles for the consumer
People who are sensitive to smells will have no problem smelling natural candles, as these smells are mild and pleasant. Also, candles made with beeswax are anti-allergic and are useful for this category of people and also remove air pollution. In addition to this advantage, candles that have no additives and are made only of beeswax will also absorb unpleasant odors in the environment. This feature is mostly used for people who keep one or more pets at home, and their home may have an unpleasant smell due to the presence of animals in the home. These smells are removed by lighting candles made with natural wax.
Also, by placing candles made on the basis of natural wax in rooms and bathrooms, their space can be purified and air conditioned without using chemicals.
Another advantage of using candles made of natural wax is to eliminate the harmful effects of direct sunlight exposure. Burning a natural candle can heal skin damage caused by sunlight. Also, the negative effects that ultraviolet lamps have on indoor environments are also reduced by using these candles.
According to research, it has been proven that burning natural waxes in the form of candles stimulates the human pituitary gland and this stimulation increases people’s concentration and makes them more creative. Also, having a peaceful and proper sleep is one of the consequences of using these products.
Beeswax has countless properties, some of which include the following:
Considering that beeswax contains vitamin A and is effective in collagen production, it can be used to reduce the signs of cracking, especially for cracks on the body caused by obesity or pregnancy.
Itching and skin infections can be treated using wax, because this substance has anti-inflammatory properties. You can mix some beeswax and olive oil and apply it on the affected area and do this three times a day for four weeks to see the effect of this substance in improving itching and fungal skin infections.
Another property of beeswax is to help relieve joint pain, so patients with arthritis and arthritis can use beeswax as medicine to relieve pain and reduce joint inflammation.
Beeswax is used to treat skin problems such as eczema. For this purpose, you can mix some wax with honey, pollen and olive oil.
Studies conducted on beeswax show that this substance is useful in improving liver problems and by normalizing liver function, it helps to improve the symptoms of fatty liver disease.
It is better to know about the properties of beeswax for the stomach, this substance plays an important role in the treatment of stomach ulcers. Although beeswax cannot control stomach acid, it is effective in healing stomach ulcers, and its oral consumption together with sesame oil strengthens the stomach and also improves digestive tract ulcers. Due to the antiseptic and antibacterial property of beeswax, this substance can destroy the microbes in the stomach. People who have stomach pain and inflammation can mix some raw honey with a small amount of beeswax to relieve this pain.
Based on the research conducted on beeswax, the elements in this valuable substance can help to balance blood sugar cholesterol levels. The aliphatic acids in beeswax are effective in reducing low or bad density lipoproteins and cause cholesterol to reach 21 to 29% and increase high density and increase good lipoprotein cholesterol to 8 to 15%.
Another property of beeswax is to help heal and relieve gout pains. You can mix beeswax, honey and pine gum together and put the obtained substance on the pain area and then cover it with a bandage. This ointment reduces the pain of gout and helps to improve it.
Whitening teeth, strengthening and strengthening gums, relieving shortness of breath, increasing body metabolism, improving blood circulation, cleaning nasal and pharyngeal passages, and improving colds are other properties of beeswax.
Cosmetics
The use of wax in the cosmetics industry
Today, it has been proven that the use of beeswax in creams and other protective cosmetics has become much more widely used than in the past, and products that have wax in their structure can replace creams that are made on the basis of natural oils such as petroleum gel. .
Lip gloss, lip repair, hand creams, moisturizing creams, eye shadow, blush, eyeliner… are among the cosmetic items that beeswax is involved in making. In addition, natural wax is also used to make mustache ointment for men and hair ointments that are used to make hair look shinier and smoother.
It should be noted that beeswax has other uses, some of which we will mention. The use of wax in pharmaceutical industries such as coating on tablets, making ointments and creams, and similar cases, or in dentistry, wax is also used to make molds of teeth and mouths.
Production of chewing gum, production of ink, production of waterproof materials and tools, production of various types of industrial adhesives, as well as use in the paper industry are other diverse uses of natural waxes.
In metal casting, beeswax is also used to make molds. It should also be noted that wax is also used in the textile industry.
Another use that should be mentioned for natural waxes is their use in making various types of waxes and polishes. It is also possible to polish and clean household items with wax and to polish thread and leather with waxes.
Essential points about beeswax that you need to know
Tips on natural wax
Among the factors that influence the color of natural waxes, it should be mentioned the change of season and the migration of bees to different regions. In both of these cases, the type and color of the plant that the bee goes to will be different, and this difference will be visible in the color of the honey and wax produced by these bees.
Since no combustible materials are used in making natural candles, to have a better flame, you can occasionally drain the liquid wax that has collected under the candle flame.
Beeswax is made up of different materials which are as follows. Hydrocarbon 16%, special alcohols 31%, various acids 31%, hydroxy acid 13%, diols 3% and other substances 6% of natural wax components.
Taking into account the issues raised during this article, we can conclude that candles made with beeswax, like candles made with chemical or paraffin wax, do not have a purely decorative use, and these products have other positive functions in addition to beauty. They help a lot to maintain human health.
Treading wax
Treading wax in the form of plates is the second stage of wax processing after its extraction and purification, which is done with manual or electric treading machines. In automatic devices, melted waxes are usually converted into sheets and immediately pressed and treaded with a special roller. The treading roller in manual and electric devices is similar and contains cells the size of the bottom of a worker bee’s cell or a male bee (for raising male bees).
Wax quality control
To control the quality of wax, in addition to paying attention to the physical and chemical properties, the ratio of esters to acids is also an important factor. Usually, high heating during processing (for example, 100 degrees Celsius) causes a numerical change in the ratio of esters to acids, as well as destruction and destruction of hydrocarbons. In other words, it changes the physical and chemical properties of wax, in such a way that it destroys some useful properties, volatile substances and wood substances. Beeswax should also be free of chemical-pharmaceutical substances and poisons, the diagnosis of which requires precise chemical-pharmaceutical tests.
How to use beeswax
Regarding the way to use beeswax, you should pay attention to the fact that beeswax has three different types and each of them is produced from raw wax, the first type is called yellow wax and honey is extracted from them raw. The other two types are called white wax and the other is alcohol wax, which is obtained by combining yellow wax with other materials so that they can be used in different applications.
Therefore, the most used of this material is yellow beeswax, which is sold in the market along with honey. But white wax and alcoholic wax have mostly non-edible uses, so any type of beeswax cannot be edible and usually most beeswax is used topically.
Effects of beeswax
Although beeswax brings many benefits to humans, it may be harmful in some cases. Based on this, we will explain some of the side effects of beeswax for you dear ones:
If you want to use this substance topically, it is better to first apply it on your wrist or the inside of your elbow for a day or two, and then use it after making sure you are not allergic to beeswax. Because this substance may cause side effects such as swelling, redness, itching or skin rash or cause a burning sensation in your skin.
If you want to consume this substance orally, it is better to know that some pollen, propolis and sometimes bee bread are found in this substance. So, if you are one of those people who are allergic to bee products or even one of these products, it is necessary to make sure that they cause allergic and sensitizing reactions in you before consuming beeswax or any other bee product or not.
Why should you not use paraffin candles?
Disadvantages of paraffin candles
Now, considering the advantages mentioned about candles made based on natural waxes for the environment and humans, we also state some of the disadvantages of using chemical and paraffin candles that are made using unnatural waxes.
According to the scientific research conducted on paraffin candles, it has been shown that using them indoors causes the destruction of air particles and creates pollution in the environment. If these candles have scent and essential oil, their contamination and destruction will increase.
Among the other harms caused to humans by adding aromatic and synthetic oils to paraffin, it should be mentioned the occurrence of abnormalities and defects in the genital areas of people and their pregnancy. These aromatic and synthetic oils are added to these candles in order to increase the smell, stability and longevity, but they will increase the amount of damage by several times.
Physical properties of beeswax
Freshly secreted bee wax is white, and after the first period of laying eggs or storing honey, it turns yellow, during many periods, it turns brown and finally black. The standard wax color is light yellow to light brown. Fresh waxes are soft and crispy, have a special taste and smell (a little bit of henna taste) and gradually become harder. Wax is usually brittle in cold weather and softens in warm weather. But it should not be greasy or sticky. Western bee wax usually melts at a temperature of 62-65 degrees Celsius and evaporates at a temperature of 250 degrees Celsius. Its density or specific gravity at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius is 0.950 to 0.966 and on average is about 0.96 grams per cubic centimeter. Therefore, it is lighter than water. Beeswax, like other waxes, is insoluble in water and resistant to many acids.
What do you expect from the honey solvent? Beeswax is slightly soluble in cold alcohol and soluble in hot ether, and the beeswax solvent can be aromatic, chloroform, ethane, benzene, carbon disulfide, Carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene and turpentine oil. It dissolves in these, and if the beeswax solvent is heated, it also dissolves in alcohol and liquid oils.
No comment