Neve’s Bees: What is it?
It’s highly likely you recognise Neve’s Bees. They are a favourite of independent shops, garden centres and even pop up at Glastonbury. They offer a range of COSMOS Soil Association Certified 100% natural skincare products made in West Oxfordshire from powerful plant oils, botanicals, clays and — you guessed it – wild crafted beeswax.
But Neve’s Bees is more than just a pretty face and have set out to challenge many of the myths and the greenwashing in the skincare and beauty market.
To summarise the science part, traditional creams and lotions are emulsions of up to 80% water (aqua) with only small quantities of moisturising oils, waxes (or paraffin) or other beneficial actives. This water mainly evaporates, but adding water to skincare means you need to you need to include processing additives such as preservatives, emulsifiers, thickeners and stabilisers too—ingredients that can not only compromise your skin and its microbiome, but can also wash into our lakes, rivers and seas.
Neve’s Bees unique formulas contain no water so require none of these ultra processing chemicals, just pure 100% natural active ingredients that keep your skin naturally healthy and protected, feeling soft, supple and plump. Also, their waterless formulas use considerably less packaging and less carbon in shipping than conventional creams and lotions
Neve’s Bees also donates 10% profits to nature recovery causes to help bring back our nation’s bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
Neve’s Bees best-sellers:
‘Happy Days’ Cleansing Balm
£24
Lemon & Orange Cuticle Butter
£8
Natural Deodorants
from £12
Neve’s Bees: How Sustainable is it?
Since 1950, it’s estimated that the UK has lost 98% of its wildflower meadows. Without these vital habitats, our pollinators, and the creatures that rely on them, are struggling to survive. Neve’s Bees is dedicated to reversing this decline and caring for our fellow inhabitants: from bees and flowers to birds and hedgehogs.
This is vital work. Since 1970, global insect populations are estimated to have declined by more than 50%. (Do you remember when you were younger and used to drive through the countryside and the windscreen of the car was full of bugs? Do you notice that now?) This is a concerning problem because approximately 75% of all crop types grown by humans require insect pollination, and around 35% of the world’s food supply relies on these creatures. Without pollinators, feeding the world’s population will become nearly impossible.
Neve’s Bees works in tune with nature when sourcing ingredients. Being Soil Association organic certified, their entire supply chain is regularly audited for sustainability. They use Oxfordshire beeswax. Their oil supplier, based in Yorkshire, sources ingredients like Moroccan jojoba oil and apricot oil from France and Spain as a byproduct of the jam industry.
Most conventional skincare products combine water and oil, which requires the use of preservatives and emulsifiers. These additives, even in products labelled ‘natural’ or ‘organic,’ are designed to kill cells and can disrupt the skin’s microbiome. Neve’s Bees skips the water, creating potent, plant-powered products without the need for such harmful chemicals, leaving your skin’s natural balance intact.
Every Neve’s Bees product is handmade in their West Oxfordshire workshop, keeping production hyper-local to reduce transport emissions. Even their label supplier is nearby, ensuring regular, in-person collaboration. Neve’s Bees uses plastic-free packaging, opting instead for recyclable tins, aluminium, and card. Their secondary packaging and mailers are made from recycled paper and FSC-certified board.
Committed to their mission of restoring wildflower meadows and supporting pollinators, Neve’s Bees donates 10% of their profits to charities such as Plantlife, The Wildlife Trusts, and the Long Mead Foundation, a local nature recovery charity. These donations help preserve nature reserves, restore meadows, and educate children about caring for the environment.
Neve’s Bees also work to bring back the wild beauty of Britain’s landscapes. They distribute free packs of pollinator-friendly wildflower seeds, encouraging people to plant them in gardens, parks, or roadside verges to help create interconnected habitats that help pollinators thrive. Additionally, they share practical tips to inspire individuals and communities to engage in nature’s recovery and experience the joy of connecting with the natural world.
Neve’s Bees: where can I buy it?
Shop online at: nevesbees.co.uk
