Akron Life November 2023

photos by Kaitlyn Murray

Good Buzz

Between Melinda Lee’s North Canton backyard and her parents’ Canton property there are six beehives and under half a mil lion honeybees. The Lees Bees beekeeper wears a bee suit and uses smoke to calm the bees while removing frames of honey from the hives and extracting the honey for her skin care and honey products. After reading books and learning about the declining bee population due to pests, mites and the use of pesticides, Lee felt drawn to beekeeping to do her part, begin ning with two hives in 2016. “The process of keeping bees starts with a personal interest and a desire to want to help the bees,” Lee says. She harvests honey, beeswax and propolis, which is a substance bees produce from saliva, tree products and plant saps. Lee creates handmade beeswax candles, lotion bars, sugar scrubs, honey-infused lip gloss and more items that are free of harsh para bens, dyes and phthalates. To hydrate her skin daily without leaving oil behind, she

uses her Refine and Restore face serum ($16.99), which contains essential oils such as sunflower oil, hemp seed oil and tea tree oil. Her honey ($6-$65) is a best-seller because it is a tasty alternative to sugar and naturally prevents allergies. It contains pol len, propolis, vitamins, enzymes and more. Lee also offers other natural healthy rem edies like propolis throat spray. Propolis is used as a natural medicine because it helps soothe sores and decrease swelling. “It’s very healthy for us because it’s antivi ral, antifungal and antibacterial,” Lee says. Shop Lees Bees items online or in local stores such as Best Bibb and Tucker in Hartville to enjoy clean skin care and honey products that help save bees. “I love being a part of the community,” Lee says, “and supporting people with their journey having a natural lifestyle.” Gift This: Spiritual Awakening lotion, $12.99, lees-bees.square.site // KM

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akronlife.com | NOVEMBER 2023