It Happens Here: Everything is made from honey at Ivyees in Braintree
BRAINTREE - Ivyees in the South Shore Plaza in Braintree is the mother of all honey stores. Everything there is made from honey.
There are skin creams, deodorants, soaps and even toothpaste made from honey.
It all started in Jamaica for owner Ivy Lawson. She was born there and then moved back there as an adult to become a beekeeper.
She uses that honey in many of her products including their top-selling item - creamed floral ginger. Lawson says her kids eat it "right out of the jar."
For her skin care line she uses manuka honey from New Zealand.
"Manuka honey comes from the pollination of the manuka plant, indigenous to New Zealand," Lawson told WBZ-TV. "It's the most tested honey for skin."
"Honey is great because it's got so many amazing properties, anti-humectant properties, anti-inflammatory properties, it's got enzymes and vitamins, every single vitamin you can think of," Lawson said.
That manuka is also in her hair products -- shampoo and both wash-out and leave-in conditioners, which can help with dandruff.
And as passionate as Lawson is about honey, she's just as passionate about her staff, helping train Zuleka and Kara as the next generation of entrepreneurs of color. They're also helping Ivyees grow on social media.
For more information, visit their website.