Savannah Bee Company - Southern Living

Art Meripol, Ralph Anderson

The "Honey Man"

Ted Dennard loves being a sweet guy. Known as the “honey man,” he created Savannah Bee Company out of his lifelong passion for beekeeping off Georgia’s St. Simons Island. Initially, Ted cooked up honey lip balms in a slow cooker using recipes he found in a 19th-century remedy book. Now his line of skin care and artisan honey can be ordered online or bought in Savannah at the company’s new store, the Honey House.

Art Meripol, Ralph Anderson

Why We Love It

Honey contains vitamin E and is hygroscopic, which means it softens skin by pulling moisture from the air. It also contains hydrogen peroxide, which works like an antiseptic to kill bacteria on the skin. The company’s hand salves and creams use additional by-products from the beehives including royal jelly and propolis, a resin that helps cure skin viruses.

Soaps sold exclusively at the Savannah shop come in three fresh-from-the-garden scents: Mint Julep, Orange Blossom, and Clementine.

Art Meripol, Ralph Anderson

Honey House

“Honey is like concentrated sunshine to me,” says Ted. “You can cover yourself in honey and get in a warm shower, and when it melts off, you’re clean and moisturized.” His personal routine: using the company’s Royal Jelly Body Butter in his hair instead of gel and pure Georgia wildflower honey on his face after shaving.

Find a full range of the company's products at Honey House: 104 West Broughton Street, Savannah, GA 31401

Art Meripol, Ralph Anderson

Artisan Honey

Artisan honeys add a healthy sweetness to tea or biscuits.

Art Meripol, Ralph Anderson

Our Picks

Try these buzz-worthy products that have our Southern stamp of approval. To order, visit www.savannahbee.com, or call 1-800-955-5080. Check the Web site for a list of retailers.

Savannah Bee Lip Balms and Lip Tints The lip balms are certified organic and the all-natural tints give a sheer pink or peach coverage. Our favorite: Tupelo Honey Lip Balm.

Tupelo Honey Lip Tint, Blackberry Beeswax Lip Tint, $5.95 each; Mint Julep Certified Organic Lip Balm, $4.75 each

Art Meripol, Ralph Anderson

Royal Jelly Body Butter

Normally reserved to feed the queen bee, royal jelly is one of the finest of all bee creations. This “Cinderella” substance is a silky skin softener. Secret ingredient: pecan seed oil.

Isolate Royal Jelly: $25 for 6.7 oz.

Art Meripol, Ralph Anderson

Raw Honeycomb

You can eat the entire thing or use it on your skin. “I dabbed a little on a blemish I had on my face, and the next day, it was gone,” says Assistant Features Editor Allison Barnes.

Raw Honeycomb: $24 for 12 oz. (comes boxed)