Burt Shavitz, Namesake Of Burt’s Bees, Has Died

The beauty industry lost one of its greats over the weekend. Burt Shavitz, the namesake and cofounder of cult-favorite brand Burt's Bees passed away on Sunday. The news was announced on the brand's Instagram. Burt's Bees started out quietly in the summer of 1984 in Maine, when Roxanne Quimby started using leftover beeswax from Shavitz's honey bees to make candles. The demand exploded, and the duo eventually transitioned to lip balm (the best-seller to date), and then to other personal-care items. In Burt's Bees, consumers found a brand that focused on simple, natural, and responsible beauty, from the formulas right down to the packaging. Not an editor among us hasn't carried a Burt's Bees Lip Balm (especially the tinted variety) in our bag at one time or another. The brand's hand cream keeps our palms soft and smooth in the winter, and the delicious-smelling Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream may be one of the best things our brittle nails have encountered. The bearded man, who got his start as a bee farmer, has touched generations — both beauty fanatics like us and more casual consumers. Although his legacy will live on through his brand, he will be sorely missed.