Natural skincare made from British Ingredients · Sustainable · Bee-Friendly

Why aren’t your balms vegan?

In order for a product to be vegan, it has to be free of any animal or animal derived products and this includes honey and beeswax made by bees both of which we include in our balms. We have thought long and hard about this, and although veganism is on the up, some vegan ingredients come from a rather murky place. Take candelilla and carnauba wax for example, both vegan alternatives to beeswax. However, these waxes are shipped from North Mexico and Brazil respectively, travelling thousands of miles to the UK and leading to a huge carbon footprint. To add to that, the production of candelilla wax has come under scrutiny with workers provided with inadequate protection from the sulphuric acid they have to use to extract the wax. Carnauba wax is often processed by very poorly paid workers and large swathes of land are used to grow the trees due to its low yield (which could have otherwise been used for food or even better… left wild!).

We decided to use ethically harvested beeswax, from a local beekeeper as a more sustainable option. We know exactly where it has come from, how it has been harvested and the carbon footprint is next to none. We are also supporting a local beekeeper, who is at the forefront of protecting our dwindling bee numbers.

Just because something is vegan, doesn’t always make it the most sustainable or ethical choice. Do your research!

I've got really sensitive skin, will your balms be suitable?

Our balms are free from parabens, sulphates, harsh chemicals, petroleum-derived materials, preservatives and synthetic aromas. These ingredients are often added to skincare products to increase shelf life or improve texture however they are often the cause of irritation for people with sensitive skin.

We prefer to stick to natural ingredients, oils, including essential oils and beeswax, that's it!

We have had lots of lovely positive feedback on our products from people with sensitive skin and we are confident that our balms suit all skin types. That said, as with any new skincare regime, please do a patch test and if any irritation occurs, cease use immediately.

How long does my order take to ship?

We aim to get your order lovingly hand-packaged and walked down to the post office within 3 working days. As soon as your products are shipped you will be notified and Royal Mail should get your package to you within 3-5 days with second class postage.

What's the deal with bees?

I first became aware of the plight of our bees some years ago, and have been a little bit obsessed with it ever since. Bees are what we call 'pollinators'; they are crucial to the reproduction of plants, and therefore many ecosystems depend on them for survival. Humans also depend on them; it is estimated that 1/3 of food is pollination dependent, for example, fruit, vegetables, and the crops that we and our livestock eat.

The overuse of pesticides and continuing changes in our climate are some of the reasons to blame for the decline in bees.

We can all do our bit - plant 'bee-friendly' flowers (note - your average supermarket plant purchase is not bee-friendly, they have been cultivated for colour and not for pollen and nectar production), provide shelter for bees such as 'bee houses' or leave parts of the garden wild.

Hedgewild only sources ingredients from British growers that are committed to bee-friendly farming practices, for example organic, reduced pesticide use, biodiverse and sustainable farming. In addition we source our beeswax from a local beekeeper; the forefront of helping to protect our bee population. We donate a proportion of our profits to bee conservation projects.