Chiltern Bee: Hyper-Local Apiary and Cosmetic Manufacturing
“Chiltern Bee is a specialist craft manufacturer based in the Chiltern Hills. Founded by beekeeper John Lovell, the company operates around 30 hives across the Hambleden Valley, producing small-batch beeswax candles and skincare. Unlike commercial brands that 'buy in' wax, Chiltern Bee uses its own harvest, managing the entire transition from hive to hand-finished product.”
1. The Heritage
Chiltern Bee began as a personal mission to support the native British honeybee (Apis mellifera mellifera).
Founder John Lovell established the apiary by placing cards in village shops to find local landowners willing to host hives. This grassroots approach has grown into a specialized manufacturing operation that treats beeswax not as a by-product, but as a primary material for high-performance cosmetics and traditional chandlery.
2. The Location
The brand's production is intrinsically tied to the Hambleden Valley, South Chilterns. The hives are situated across seven primary sites near Henley-on-Thames and Marlow, and the final processing—including the meticulous five-stage filtration of the wax—is conducted in their local workshop. This "single-origin" model ensures that the carbon footprint of the raw materials is measured in meters rather than miles.
3. The Difference
The "Naked Bee" Philosophy: Many so-called ‘natural’ cosmetics contain numerous stabilisers. Chiltern Bee’s Naked Bee range is formulated with the minimum of ingredients (often just three: local beeswax, a natural oil and a butter), the aim being to maximise the therapeutic properties of the wax.
Wax Grade Selection: They distinguish between the Brood Wax (used for candles due to its rich, darker color) and the Capping Wax (the purest white wax used for honeycombs). Only the Capping Wax is used for their cosmetics, filtered five times for purity.
Native Bee Support: All bees are raised and open-mated within the Chilterns, to protect the genetic integrity and health of the local pollinator population.
Small-Batch Transparency: Each product features a provenance label that can often be traced back to the specific hive location, season, and even to the Queen of the colony.
4. The Hero Products
Naked Bee Skin Balm: A deeply nourishing multi-purpose balm made from Sweet Almond Oil, Coconut Oil and pure Chiltern beeswax. It’s designed for hardworking hands and parched skin, providing a breathable protective barrier without synthetic additives.
Pure Beeswax Honeycomb Candles: Hand-poured using Brood Wax, these 100% pure candles burn at a higher temperature than paraffin, resulting in a cleaner, soot-free flame and a natural honey aroma.
Chopping Board & Furniture Conditioners: Using food-grade mineral oils and microbiology-tested beeswax, these conditioners are designed to preserve British hardwoods, drawing on the founder’s family heritage in the restoration of fine antiques.
5. The Essentials
Accreditations: Member of the British Beekeepers Association; Hand-filtered in the Chilterns.
Product Index: Beeswax Lip Balms, Skin Balms, 100% Beeswax Candles, Furniture Polish, Leather Conditioner, Chopping Board Conditioner, Local Honey, Hand-cut Honeycomb.
