According to the US Department of Agriculture, bees pollinate 80% of the world's flowering plants, which accounts for about one third of our food supply. Factor in the number of bee colonies dying off in the last several years, and these statistics become pretty worrisome. There's still no consensus on the cause of this colony collapse, but one thing everyone does seem to agree on is that supporting sustainable beekeeping practices is one of the best things we can do. One way to do that? Buying honey and other bee products from local bee keepers.
Brad and Anika, Portland Bee Balm's creators, have been hobby beekeepers in Portland, Oregon for years and this love of honey bees was the true genesis for starting Portland Bee Balm. The two set out to create a high quality product that reflected the environmental values they hold true and Portland Bee Balm was born.
The lip balm is made of just four high quality ingredients, all of which come from sustainable and/or local sources: certified organic extra virgin coconut and olive oils, Oregon beeswax, and organic Oregon peppermint essential oil. It doesn't end at ingredients either. Rather than using paper, labels are made of non-pulped wood, which requires fewer chemicals and less energy to manufacture, and the ink used to print the labels is soy-based, reducing our use of non-renewable fossil fuels. Both the labels and handmade displays are made locally in Portland, Oregon.
Setting aside the environmental aspect for a minute, the actual lip balm is excellent as well. It's pretty solid in the tube, but a couple passes over your lips will warm it up and give it just enough slip. My favorite is the Oregon Mint, which has a great fresh peppermint scent, but the Unscented, which smells just like sweet beeswax, is lovely as well. Both scents are very natural and not overpowering in the least. The balms leaves my lips feeling soft and the beeswax feels very protective on the lips, which I think will be especially great once the colder months roll in. I'm pretty sure this is going to be my go to lip balm this winter!
The best part? Portland Bee Balm has offered one of you the chance to try the balms for yourself! The giveaway is going to be US only, but fear not, I've got more great giveaways coming soon that will be open internationally. Fill in the Rafflecopter widget (below) to enter.
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