Get the Buzz On One Beauty Company That’s Helping the Planet, One Bee at a Time

If you snack on avocados, apples, or hundreds of other fruits and veggies, you probably have a honeybee to thank. Unfortunately, the buzz about this insect population is it’s on the decline—the New York Times reports a mysterious plague called “colony collapse” has killed billions of bees every year for the past decade.

This news comes as no surprise to Burt’s Bees, a 33-year-old company that makes some of our favorite personal care products with the help of one key ingredient: beeswax. To keep these insects thriving and pollinating, Burt’s Bees is on a mission to help change the world by caring for its employees, its customers, and the environment. Here are three ways Burt’s Bees has earned its stripes.

Uses simple, natural ingredients
From the classic Beeswax Lip Balm, to the Intense Hydration Nourishing Facial Water—Burt’s Bees has stayed true to the simple idea that what you put on your body should be made from the best nature has to offer. Formulated with multitasking food- and plant-based ingredients like aloe, cocoa butter, and honey, these products steer clear of the nasty stuff like parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, and phthalates. Plus, there’s no animal testing, which our furry friends appreciate.

Follows the bees’ lead
Have you ever seen a bee’s footprint? That’s because they don’t have one. Burt’s Bees follows this lead and aims to source ingredients and packaging as responsibly and sustainably as possible. And, 89% of their primary packaging is made with recyclable materials. Co-founder Burt Shavitz used to say “sometimes what’s on the outside counts just as much as the inside.”

Prioritizes the greater good
Education about the important role bees play in our planet’s food supply is the first step to protecting them, so Burt’s Bees started The Burt’s Bees Greater Good Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting human and honeybee health through research, programs, and conservation. It’s also partnered with other sustainably-minded charities and organizations, like Habitat for Humanity and Farmer Foodshare, to offset environmental impact.

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