THIS IS THE BEES KNEES
Family-hive Propolis.
Grass-fed Tallow.
Nothing else.
Two extraordinary ancestral ingredients brought together in one dense, deeply nourishing balm.
The Propolis comes from our family hives here in South Gippsland, tended by a Slavic beekeeper from a culture where this remarkable bee resin has lived in the household apothecary for generations.
The grass-fed and finished Australian tallow is slowly infused with that precious Propolis to create something beautifully simple.
Rich.
Fudgy.
Resinous.
Substantial.
Open the jar and you can smell the hive.
Warm a tiny amount between your fingertips and the dense balm begins to soften, creating a rich protective-feeling layer across dry, rough and weather-beaten skin.
Land.
Animal.
Hive.
That's it.
No synthetic fragrance.
No preservatives.
No fillers.
And because the Propolis comes from our own family hives, The Bee’s Knees is made only when we have enough to make her.
Small batch.
Seasonal.
Limited.
When this batch is gone, we wait for the bees.
The Bees Knees.
Crafted in South Gippsland.
Rooted in Slavic tradition.
NEW TO TALLOW?
Read the guide here >>>> A BEGINNERS GUIDE
The Bees Knees | Propolis Infused Tallow Balm
I really can't take full credit for this one.
The Bees Knees began when my Slavic father-in-law (who keeps bees) shoved a jar of Propolis in my face and announced, in his deep, thick Russian accent:
“Here. You must put this in your tallow.”
Right then... we be making Propolis balm.
And then he showed me how.
How to prepare the Propolis.
How to extract it.
How to slowly infuse it into the tallow using the very particular temperatures he had been taught to work with.
He was adamant that this precious material needed to be handled carefully.
So I listened.
And The Bees Knees was born.
The formula is almost ridiculously simple.
Propolis.
Grass-fed tallow.That's it.
And somehow those two ingredients create one of the most decadent balms in the entire CVO range.
The texture reminds me of warm fudge.
Dense. Rich. Softening between your fingertips as you warm it.
And the aroma is extraordinary.
Naturally sweet. Resinous. Almost honey-like.
It smells like the hive.
People absolutely love this balm.
The great irony?
I can't use the bloody thing.
I'm allergic to our Propolis - it gives me HIVES. LOL
So one of the most loved little balms I've created is also one I have to admire entirely from the sidelines.
The Bees Knees is simple skincare with a very old story behind it.
Two ingredients. One traditional method. One very clever father-in-law.
~ Meeka
Founder & FormulatorThere is a reason Propolis has been treasured in traditional households for generations.
Bees create this extraordinary resinous material from the botanical world around them, using it within the hive as part of their own protective environment.
And chemically?
Propolis is fascinating.
It contains a complex collection of naturally occurring plant compounds, including flavonoids, polyphenols, phenolic acids and aromatic compounds.
Modern research has become increasingly interested in Propolis for its antioxidant activity and its potential applications in the care of skin.
WHY HAS IT BEEN SO REVERED?
Long before anyone was analysing flavonoids in a laboratory, cultures across Europe and beyond had already found a place for Propolis in traditional preparations.
In Slavic households particularly, bee products have long carried a special kind of respect.
Honey.
Beeswax.
Propolis.
Simple materials gathered from the hive and passed through generations of practical knowledge.
That is the tradition my father-in-law brought to me when he insisted:
“You must put this in your tallow.”
Turns out, the man knew a thing or two.
WHY PUT IT IN TALLOW?
Tallow gives The Bee’s Knees its rich, nourishing foundation.
Propolis brings the extraordinary botanical complexity of the hive.
And together they create something completely distinctive.
A dense, decadent balm for dry, rough, weather-beaten and hardworking skin, leaving it feeling softened, conditioned and beautifully protected.
The texture is almost like warm fudge.
The aroma is naturally sweet, resinous and beautifully honey-like.
And the ingredient list?
Propolis. Tallow.
Sometimes skincare really can be that simple.
The bees did most of the complicated work for us.
The Bees Knees is one of the richest, simplest balms in the CVO range.
Just Propolis and grass-fed tallow, slowly brought together to create that decadent, warm-fudge texture people fall in love with.
Reach for The Bees Knees when your skin feels:
• Dry, rough or depleted
• Weather-beaten from wind, cold or the outdoors
• Tight and craving a richer layer of nourishment
• Coarse or hardworking, particularly on hands and exposed areas
• In need of something beautifully simple and substantial
• Ready for a dense balm that leaves skin feeling soft, conditioned and protectedFACE. BODY. HANDS. ANY TIME.
Warm the tiniest amount between your fingertips and let that fudgy balm soften.
Massage it across your face, neck and décolletage, or work it into rough hands, elbows, knees and dry areas wherever they appear.
Use it morning, night or whenever your skin asks for it.
And breathe her in.
That naturally sweet, warm, resinous, almost honey-like aroma comes entirely from the Propolis itself.
No added fragrance required.
PARTICULARLY LOVELY FOR...
People who love minimal skincare.
People whose skin enjoys rich tallow balms.
People who spend plenty of time outdoors.
People fascinated by traditional ingredients and old-world formulations.
And anyone who opens the jar, feels that warm-fudge texture, smells the hive and immediately understands why people keep coming back for it.
Two ingredients. Ridiculously decadent skincare.
The Bees Knees is dense, decadent and beautifully concentrated.
Start tiny.
FOR YOUR FACE
Warm a pea-sized amount or less between your fingertips.
Give it a moment.
That dense, almost fudgy texture begins to soften with the warmth of your hands, transforming into a rich balm that glides slowly across the skin.
Massage gently over your face, neck and décolletage, preferably while your skin is still slightly damp.
Then breathe her in.
Warm. Sweet. Resinous. Almost honey-like.
That beautiful aroma comes naturally from the Propolis itself.
It smells like the hive.
FOR HANDS, BODY & WEATHER-BEATEN SKIN
Work a small amount into dry hands, elbows, knees or anywhere your skin feels rough, dry or exposed to the elements.
The richer texture makes The Bee’s Knees particularly satisfying on those areas that seem to drink up a substantial balm.
MORNING. NIGHT. WHENEVER.
Use The Bees Knees whenever your skin is asking for richer nourishment.
During the day, start with the tiniest amount and allow it to settle before applying anything over it.
At night, massage a little more slowly and let that rich Propolis-infused tallow become your final skincare layer.
A LITTLE GOES A VERY LONG WAY
If your skin feels overly heavy or greasy, use less next time.
Warm it well. Massage it slowly. Add more only where you need it.
Two ingredients. Warm-fudge texture. The scent of the hive.
Sometimes the simplest ritual feels the most decadent.
The Bees Knees contains Propolis, and Propolis can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
I know this one personally.
I’m allergic to the Propolis from our own family hives, so I can’t use The Bee’s Knees myself.
If you have a known allergy or sensitivity to Propolis, this balm is not suitable for you.
If you have a history of allergies or sensitivities to bee products, resins, fragrances or botanical ingredients, please take extra care and patch test before use.
Apply a small amount to a limited area of skin first and observe for any signs of irritation or reaction before using more widely.
Discontinue use immediately if irritation, itching, swelling or another reaction occurs.
For external use only.
The bees made something extraordinary. Your skin still gets the final say.
Grass-Fed & Finished Australian Beef Tallow (Suet)
Propolis ExtractThat’s it.
Two ingredients brought together using the traditional extraction and slow-infusion method I was taught by my Slavic father-in-law.
No added fragrance.
No preservatives.
No fillers.The rich, warm-fudge texture comes naturally from the formula.
That beautiful sweet, resinous, almost honey-like aroma?
That’s the Propolis.
Nothing added to make The Bee’s Knees smell like the hive.
It simply does.
Two ingredients.
One extraordinary little balm.
The Bees Knees is a cosmetic skincare product intended to moisturise, soften, condition and protect the skin from moisture loss.
For external use only.
This product contains Propolis, a recognised contact allergen. Do not use if you have a known allergy to Propolis. Patch test before use, particularly if you have sensitive or reactive skin or a history of sensitivities to bee products.
Discontinue use immediately if irritation or an allergic reaction occurs.
References to Propolis, its traditional uses and botanical research are provided for ingredient education and do not mean that The Bee’s Knees has been clinically tested or will produce the same results as Propolis preparations used in published research.
The Bees Knees is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition.
The Bees Knees carries a story much older than this little jar.
Propolis has held a treasured place in Slavic folk tradition for generations, particularly through harsh winters and in household preparations passed from one generation to the next.
I’ve written more about the history behind this balm, the Slavic traditions that inspired it, our family hives and why Propolis and tallow make such an extraordinary pairing.
