Background: Beeswax is a naturally occurring product secreted from worker bees that has varied uses in modern day. In skincare, its function ranges from its role as an occlusive, helping to create a semi-occlusive skin barrier that minimizes transepidermal water loss; as a humectant, locking in hydration; and an emollient to soften and soothe the skin. As a natural substance, its use has been shown to help alleviate symptoms associated with common cutaneous conditions like dermatitis, psoriasis, and overgrowth of normal skin flora.
Aims: In this narrative review, we aim to describe current uses of beeswax in skincare that has been published in the literature.
Materials and methods: A review of beeswax related publications was performed by searching the PubMed database studies.
Results: A total of five clinical studies were included with three studies on animals and two studies in humans.
Discussion: Several studies show the benefits of topical beeswax in supporting the skin barrier.
Conclusion: Beeswax can be a low-cost, natural ingredient for use in products. Further studies with topical beeswax are warranted.
Keywords: beeswax; dermatitis; microbiome; skin barrier; skincare.
© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.