Sustainable Skin Care Workshop

I presented my Sustainable Skin care workshop this past Sunday and we all had a great time making natural products and dining on some pure honeycomb to keep the winter blues away. Guest came from as far as NY state, some were beekeepers and others just looking for more information about living more sustainably. I made some new friends and spent time with old ones.

We mixed up three different products all using what I call the Holy Trinity- "Vegetable oils, Beeswax and Vegetable butters." These three ingredients mixed in various combinations make a base for almost any cleanser, moisturizer or mask. Salts, flower petals, honey and essential oils are what personalizes your creations.

First recipe was an easy rosemary lip balm then we whipped up a lemon scented facial scrub using vitamin packed orange blossom honey. It is fun to watch the enthusiasm of each student as they helped mix and test samples as they were ready. Last but not least, we mixed up a lavender bath salt with powdered buttermilk sprinkled with chamomile flowers. Everyone took home samples of each of the potions we made during the workshop along with recipes and sources for supplies; most you will find in your own kitchen.

Honey Scrub Mask

Yield: nearly 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup dead sea salts
2 tablespoons powdered buttermilk, goat milk (or powdered whole milk)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup sunflower oil or your favorite oil

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in small bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Add more honey and/or oil as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Be sure to stir well to combine.
3. Store in airtight jar in refrigerator if not using immediately.
4. To use, scoop out a handful of scrub and apply to damp face, neck hands, and/or whole body! Rinse well with warm water and pat skin dry with a soft cloth or towel.

If your a purist then Rossape will be your passion.
For more information about Red Bee's Rossape Skin Care collection
and Sustainable Skin Care Workshops visit:
www.redbee.com.

I Love you, Honey!

We are celebrating LOVE at Red Bee® this Valentine's Day! Romance and passion for all things sustainable and sweet...we're talking Honey, nature's oldest sweetener. Luscious honey that should be drizzled on your sweethearts breakfast waffles or in their evening bath. Honey is good for you inside and out...really! Sexy and sticky, honey is a romantic treat to be enjoyed by all true lovers.

Here are a few gifts suggestions from Red Bee® for yourself or your special Valentine। We have put together our favorite romantic products from our Rossape™ skin care collection to create a true spa experience. Light our pure beeswax candles and begin with a warm bath sprinkled with our European bath salts, chamomile flowers, buttermilk and honey, gently scented with lavender essential oils. Or would you prefer a massage with our sweet almond body oil or a lemon and peppermint foot rub worthy of any Queen bee?

To keep your skin perfectly smooth and hydrated spread our honeybee butter balm on elbows, knees, heels and even your face. You'll shine like silk and smell like divine rose oil. Our secret recipe includes coconut butter and grape seed oil for a deep hydration. A bottle of our artisanal honey is included...so use your imagination. Relax, unwind and rejuvenate body and soul. If you are a purest Rossape™ will be your passion.



Honey for your Honey, give the gift that keeps on giving...all year long! Our Honey of the Month Club is a spectacular way to say I Love You! Each month we will send one of our Red Bee® artisanal honeys to that special someone along with tasting notes and pairings। Blueberry, Clover, Goldenrod or Tulip honey, what could be more decadent? Choose 4, 6 or 12 months.

Join me at my next event

VALENTINE’S DAY HONEY AND WINE PAIRING EVENT AT CELLAR 58

February 14, 2010 at 7pm-9pm

Owner Maria Pezzella and Chef Andrea Tiberi of Cellar 58 is delighted to present a cooking demonstration with Red Bee artisanal honey. Joining Chef Andrea will be Marina Marchese, owner and founder of Red Bee Honey. Guests will be treated to a 3-course cooking demonstrating with Red Bee artisanal honeys with Chef Andrea. Marina Marchese will discuss details of her new book HONEYBEE and present a honey tasting and cheese pairing.

Space limited. Please register by Thursday, February 11, 2010

by calling 212-420-1300. Tickets: $35/per person. Special for 2: $60.

Includes three-course meal, honey and cheese pairings,

plus one glass of wine per person.

Red Bee’s signature honeys will also be available,

as well as Cellar 58’s extensive wine list.

So Bee good to yourself or your Valentine...everyday with a Red Bee® gift.

For more info visit www.redbee.com

THEECOLUXELIFE and Red Bee

We are pleased to announce that Red Bee will be partnering with The Eco Luxe Life an on-line Ecouture retailer who will be distributing a selection of our Rossape collection of sustainable skin care products. The Eco Luxe Life is a green company that is run by three woman, Alex, Lauren and Synde who offer everything for a healthy lifestyle from beauty to bags for pets and even people. Their tag line is "IF you need it-we can green it." I already spied a Garden-in-a-pail kit that is a must have. Can you tell I am ready for spring? I am loving the Bioplanet spoons made from 100% corn. These will make earth friendly honey tasting spoons at our events we have coming up. See calendar below....

So take a peek at The Eco Luxe Life's one stop shopping and your Red Bee products can be shipped along with your other favorite items. The benefit is in the time saved and the combined shipping cost is a saving in your pocket cost. Take a peek here at http://theecoluxelife.com.

There are many new exciting events and media features planned for 2010. We will keep you posted here on our blog or friend me on facebook if you have not already "Red Bee Marina" or become a fan of my book "HONEYBEE Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper."
Come by and say hello at one of my upcoming Red Bee events:

JANUARY 26
Back Yard Beekeepers Association
+ Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 7:30p + FREE
Honeybee book discussion and honey tasting
Norfield Congregational Church, Weston, CT

FEBRUARY 26
Great Chefs 2010
+ Friday, February 26, 2010 at 6:30p
Red Bee signature Honey Tasting Table
Hyatt Regency Old Greenwich to benefit the wellness
programs offered by Community Health at Greenwich Hospital.
For tickets contact Jackie Hvolbeck at 203.863.3863.

This is a spectacular fundraiser for the Greenwich Hospital We are excited to be donating our time and artisanal honey for the fifth year. We are in good company, over 50 of the finest restaurants, catering companies and wine distributors from Fairfield and Westchester counties will gather to promote their venues, wines and signature dishes. The special guest chef and honoree for this event will be Rafael Palomino (Proprietor and Chef of Greenwich Tavern, Greenwich, CT; Sonora, Port Chester, NY; Blackrock Tavern, Fairfield, CT; and Pacífico, New Haven, CT and Center Valley, PA). Dancing and a silent auction will round out the event. Tickets for Great Chefs are sold in advance only and space is limited to 500 guests. RSVP is necessary.

Red Bee Marina and Chef Peter Gorman are serving decadent honey with farm cheeses to guest at our signature honey tasting table.

Queen Bee Foot Rub

I know winter has officially arrived when my skin is dry and my feet begin to crack and peel. Nothing makes me feel better than my own home made Queen Bee Foot Rub. This easy to make product requires a few simple ingredients and can be whipped at home in less than 30 minutes. If you notice that store bought moisturizing products simply sit on your skin then wash off later as a waxy mess. This is PARAFFIN wax...or simply industrial waste! It never penetrates your skin and actually prevents the beneficial oils from moisturizing. My wax of choice is pure beeswax. It's is pure, natural and emollient. Beeswax completely dissolves allowing the moisturizing oils to penetrate your skin and promote relief and healing. You will feel the difference!

Try this recipe:

Ingredients:
6 ounces olive oil
1 ounce beeswax
1/4 teaspoon lemon essential oil
1/4 teaspoon peppermint essential oil

Tools:
Wire whisk
Heat proof glass bowl
Cooking pan with water or double boiler
Stainless teaspoon

Method:
1) Measure the oil and beeswax to a heat proof measuring glass bowl and place the bowl into a bath of boiling water.

2) Mix well with a wire whisk until the wax is nearly completely melted. Remove the bowl from the water and stir the ingredients to thoroughly combine. Add the essential oils with teaspoon and stir well.

3) While still warm and liquid pour into small plastic or glass jars being careful not to spill. Mix will harden slowly as it cools. Place caps on jars when mixture becomes room temperature.

This recipe can be easily adapted to your own preferences in scents by adding in your favorite essential oils. I use peppermint to aid in circulation and lemon as a natural antiseptic. Enjoy!

Holiday Open House

Red Bee is opening it's doors for our friends! Come visit, enjoy a cup of tea and our own honey while sitting near a warm fire. We are offering a spectacular selection of our own products handmade here at our charming red cottages.

Your favorite olive and honey soaps, honey facial scrub mask, body oil, bath salts, lip balms our signature honeybee butter balm, rescue salve and lip balms. Pure beeswax candles dinner tapers and lovely pine cones and asparagus shapes.


We will treat you to a honey tasting of our our own estate and
limited harvested wildflower and clover honey and honeycomb.

Delicious blueberry, goldenrod, clover, alfalfa, buckwheat, tupelo and
orange blossom served with cheese and crackers.
This will be a special treat and a weekend not to be missed.

Come pick up a signed copy of my new book
HONEYBEE Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper!

RSVP...Let us know your coming!
redbee@optonline.net

Dry Skin IS Scary...Honeybees can Help!

Halloween is on it's way and the air has suddenly become cold and dry. If you are anything like me your skin is feeling a bit scary lately and you may feel like hidding behind a mask. Autumn weather always makes me itchy and uncomfortable and I need extra moisture. Over the years, I have tried every fancy and expensive product and nothing is nearly as moisturizing as the raw thing. When I say raw, I mean the basic ingredients minus the perfumes, alcohols, preservatives, fillers etc. Ingredients that a normal human can actually read and understand. Things found in your own kitchen cupboards or ingredients one might eat as well as put on their skin. The truth is that what you put on your skin absorbs into your body so you want to be sure that your skin care is good for you too, inside and out. We all heard the saying "you are what you eat" well, "you are what you wear on your skin too." Around here, we wear the purest skin care. Red Bee ® products are made with pure ingredients from nature.

Have you tried our new Honey Facial Scrub Mask? Made with pure creamy honey crystallized into tiny granules that gently exfoliate. Honey is hydroscopic meaning it actually absorbs moisture to it while on your skin and the avocado oil and coconut butter hydrate deeply into your skin. All these good things are held together with pure beeswax...NOT paraffin. You will feel the difference immediately. Our customers have raved about this new product and it takes only a few minutes to clean and hydrate in one easy step and so worth it. I wore it on my face while writing this post. So treat yourself to something sweet for Halloween! A Creamy Honey Facial Scrub from Red Bee. www.redbee.com

Goddess Yogurt Honey Mask

Cleopatra was know to have beautiful skin because of her famous baths of milk and honey. This recipe is so simple and really does rejuvenate your skin.

Servings: 1
Prep Time: 1 minute
Shelf Life: None

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon yogurt, plain whole milk
1 tablespoon honey 1 drop Rose or lavender essential oil, optional

Directions:
Add all ingredients together at room temperature.
Pat this mask onto the skin for a moisturizing, penetrating,
hydrating, soothing application that will also help to clear
up skin problems. Leave on face for up to 20 minutes.
Rinse in the shower or with a warm clean face cloth.
Moisture as you wish.

HONEY IS YOUR GOLD

Bee~auty and the Honeybee

Dry, flaky, skin? Honey will sooth your dry, flaky skin by naturally adding moisture. You thought honey was only good for afternoon tea on a cold winters night. Well, honey has been used as a healing aid since the days of Cleopatra and it continues to be used today in products for skin and hair care. Because of the hydroscopic qualities of honey, it absorbs water and causes the skin to hold moisture.

Try this easy Springtime Refresher

Honey Aloe Facial Mask

Honey Aloe Facial Mask, with its blend of fresh aloe and honey, was so soothing and brings immediate relief to dry or chapped skin. The whipping cream will soften as well. You can add a few drops of your favorite essential oils if you'd like.

Servings: 16 oz.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Shelf Life: None, keep refrigerated

Ingredients:

13 ounces aloe fresh leaf aloe from your aloe plant or store bought aloe gel

1/4 cup of Red Bee® Honey

1/4 cup organic whipping cream

1 cup rolled oats, uncooked

Blending Procedure:

Cut the aloe from your plant and weigh 6 ounces. Wash the aloe under warm running water. Place entire aloe leaf in a food processor and process until very watery.

Add honey and cream and process further to mix. Add oats and process until a paste-like mixture forms. If mixture is too runny, add more oats and process until it thickens. If it's too thick, add more cream or a bit more aloe. To use, apply a smooth layer to freshly cleaned face and rest for about 15 minutes until mask hardens. Remove with a soft towel soaked in water or remove simply by rinsing from face until mask is gone. Pat excess water from face and follow with moisturizer of your choice.