◊ By Staff Correspondent

Visit ORGANIC SHOP by Pure & Eco India

• Last Forest’s beeswax lip balms are the bestselling product of their entire product range. Strawberry, Mint and Chocolate flavours are bestsellers.

• Made from beeswax of the local honey bee, Apis dorsata.

• Handcrafted by tribal women of forest villages in the Nilgiri hills.

• All beeswax balms of Last Forest are 100% organic.

Beeswax is a valuable byproduct of honey harvesting. It forms a natural base for various balms and ointments, and helps to seal and protect the skin. Unlike petroleum-based products, which harm more than nurture, beeswax has a wonderful nourishing effect on our skin, as it possesses natural moisturising properties.

The rich beeswax used in Last Forest lip balms comes from the indigenous honey bee, Apis dorsata, com­monly known as the Giant Indian Rock Bee. The wax is processed in a manner that its natural oils are not lost.

Organic olive or organic coconut oil is blended with the beeswax and natural extracts to enhance the flavour and bind the balm together naturally. It is not bleached and no chemicals are used during its production.

The beeswax balms are 100% organic and are also cruelty-free, as they are not tested on animals at any stage.

HANDCRAFTED BY INDIAN TRIBAL WOMEN

Last Forest, along with its parent NGO, Keystone Foundation, has been working with indigenous communities in and around the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve (NBR) since the past 25 years.

The indigenous tribal women of the Blue Mountain independently manage their respective production cen­tres, which are situated in forest villages. The production of these lip balms, as well as, the other products of Last Forest contributes to their empowerment and employment at the grassroots level.

The honey hunters of the community have been long involved in harvesting honey from forests. After collect­ing honey, beeswax was usually thrown away, as the focus was on honey.

Efforts were then taken to market and create value added products containing beeswax, such as body balms, lip balms and natural soaps, in order to increase employment opportunities for the ethnic communities in the region.

LIP SMACKING LIP BALMS ARE BESTSELLERS

Its buttery lip balms are one of the bestselling products of Last Forest. This is due to their superior quality and also because people want to use organic products, as they are chemical free.

The range of lip balms by Last Forest includes 9 flavours—Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint, Orange, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Lemon, Honey and Strawberry. All of these are available in individual petite 5-gm glass jarlets or as gift packs of three. The gift pack comes in an artisanal handmade paper case imprinted with intriguing tribal art.

Last Forest products can be purchased online on www.lastforest.in. They’re also available at Last Forest’s retail outlets in Coonoor, Ooty, Kotagiri and Coimbatore in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Try out Last Forest’s beeswax lip balms at www.lastforest.in and suggest new flavours at

[email protected].