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Meeting with Propolia

Formulated from what bees give us, the Propolia range of organic beauty products is very varied. Their key ingredients? Propolis, honey, beeswax, pollen or royal jelly. Of course, everything is done with respect and ethics, we can only validate!

Meeting with Propolia

Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?

“I am Simon Bernard, CEO of APIMAB LABORATOIRES which was founded 40 years ago by my father Marc-Alain Bernard. Graduated in industrial innovation engineering, I spent several years in Haute-Savoie in the industry of precision mechanics and bar turning. In 2011 I took over the management of the company surrounded by my 4 brothers and sister:Aurélie, Valentin, Emilien and Guillaume.


I grew up in the world of beekeeping. My maternal grandfather developed one of the first large beekeeping operations in the south of France in the post-war years. I helped my father from the age of 12, when I had enough strength in my arms to make myself useful at the apiary. Subsequently, I closely attended all stages of the company. However, when I turned 30, it was a huge challenge for me to take over from my father and manage around 30 employees.


Together, we have changed society. Rethink the graphic charter to give new impetus to the PROPOLIA brand, continue the development of new products with organic certification, structure the entire company, etc. All these efforts have allowed us to increase the visibility of the brand in our market. To date, we have achieved €3.7 million in annual sales."

We invite you to consult our online store to find the range of organic cosmetics from the propolia brand.

How was the brand born and what are its values?

"PROPOLIA was born in 1979 when my father, a beekeeper by profession, made an astonishing discovery:while he was taking care of his hives, he found in one of them the body of a mouse, mummified in a layer of Propolis, perfectly preserved. It was from this moment that he decided to focus his interest on Propolis. This resinous material which until now was simply considered as "waste" from the hive. studied its different properties and its preservative faculties, convinced that it was possible to develop concentrated and beneficial formulas for men, from Propolis.


Since its creation, APIMAB LABORATOIRES has specialized in the selection and creation of propolis extracts , making the company one of the French pioneers in this field. PROPOLIA, for example, was the very first French brand to offer gums based on propolis. Convinced of the natural virtues of hive products , all of the formulations in the Propolia range have been made from propolis, honey, royal jelly, pollen or even beeswax. Our goal is to introduce as many people as possible to the benefits of beekeeping products by creating care products that are not only natural and organic but also very effective thanks to compositions naturally rich in active ingredients .

Meeting with Propolia

We can cite, for example, hygiene products for the body and the hair, which were among the precursors in terms of organic formulations without sulphates, integrating foaming agents that are better for the skin and for the environment. The range now offers more than a hundred references to cover all needs in well-being, hygiene and cosmetic products.

The values ​​of the company have remained unchanged since its creation! These are those of the beekeeper:a passion for the land, a love for bees, ancestral know-how and unconditional respect for biodiversity and its benefits . For many years, we have been actively involved in the structuring of the organic beekeeping sector, supporting for example at many levels the National Union of French Apiculture (UNAF). We pay them 25 cents for each product purchased on our website. We take part in and sponsor events such as the Concours des miels de France or the “Apidays” days. These days make it possible to inform the general public about the ecological issue linked to pollinating insects. At the same time, we have also maintained our own network of French beekeepers from whom we obtain hive products. In return, we give them products at a very attractive price, which allows them to add complementary products to their honey offer.”

What do you like about your day-to-day work?

”APIMAB LABORATOIRES is not a group or a multinational, but a family SME with around thirty employees. We love all our products and it is important to us to develop beautiful formulations and to delight our customers . We are all involved with a view to constantly improving our quality and our processes. This allows us to have a great team synergy on a daily basis with a real desire to move forward.
As CEO, I appreciate being surrounded by my dynamic, determined team. I love it ! Without it I will not be able to do anything.”

What are the brand's best sellers and what is your favourite?

”Undoubtedly in well-being products, our best sellers are Propolis Gums (available in 7 flavors), Vital Energy which is a concentrate of bee products enriched with vitamin C . Also our Mother Tincture composed with 100% purified and concentrated propolis extract which has just been elected "Best Organic Product 2020". For hygiene and beauty products, our best-sellers are the Lip Balm with propolis, the mild shampoo with honey and bamboo pith and our toothpaste with propolis and mint.
My favorite product is the Nasal Spray! Okay, it's not the most glamorous of the range, but it saves me a lot of inconvenience when I go to work on our lake in the middle of winter!”

A little word for our subscribers?

”We are happy that you can test our lip balm which is our best-seller but which is above all a simple but very active little product! This stick has been formulated with only 7 ingredients which are all of natural origin. It is rich in hive products (propolis and beeswax) that we have combined with shea butter and coconut and apricot kernel oils to restore your lips' suppleness! “

Offering organic and natural cosmetics formulated with bees was obvious to us. Beyond offering you sensory and effective products , we like to support committed companies. You are not unaware that bees are dangerously threatened, mainly because of pesticides and climate change. But we need them! According to Greenpeace “75% of global food production depends on pollinating insects”. It is urgent to put things in place and support companies, like Propolia, which take care of these insects essential to life!

Have you ever tested Propolia brand products? If so, tell us in the comments which one is your favorite and how you included it in your beauty routine!