11/02/2026
I have a confession to make: I have a real soft spot for bees.
My father raised bees for years, up at his mountain retreat — bears and all. Every year we waited for the sourwood honey. Three of my own products still contain beeswax.
But more and more of you ask me for products without it. So this week's issue of What's That Smell? is about what happens when you take the beeswax out.
Short version: it's not a simple swap. Plant waxes like candelilla and carnauba behave very differently, and using the same amount can give you something closer to a candle than a balm.
Read it here:https://sallylarsen1.substack.com/p/so-you-dont-want-beeswax-now-what
Sally B