Meet PollenNation Skin’s Queen Bee, Ezra Eldridge!
Celebrating the sweet things in life is central to our brand founder, Ezra Eldridge. Enjoying a morning coffee or afternoon tea. Devouring a homemade treat baked by someone special. Appreciating moments of self-care.
Ezra’s favourite things have something in common - they all embrace the gooey goodness of honey, of course! Discover how her experiences with beekeeping, learning about skincare, and working as a nurse led her to create PollenNation Skin – a brand that features the golden elixir. (You’ll learn a few honey hacks, too!)
Sweet start
Growing up in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland, Ezra learnt the craft of beekeeping from the family beehive. She appreciates everything from the pollination process to the sticky, syrupy final product that we enjoy.
Ezra has a particular love for Australian manuka honey, made by bees who pollinate native tea trees (Leptospermum scoparium bush). This variety of honey is considered premium because it contains very high levels of beneficial compounds.
“Manuka honey is such a versatile and skin-loving ingredient that's suitable for use on any skin type,” she explains. “It acts as an antibacterial, it’s a natural humectant, it’s full of antioxidants, and it boasts anti-inflammatory properties. Of course, it’s also edible, with so many more benefits when it’s consumed.” Manuka honey is used as a sore throat soother, a general antiviral, and a contributor to good gut health.
Discovering skincare
Before becoming knowledgeable about honey and its benefits for the skin, Ezra admits she, “had no clue what skincare was. When I was younger, I remember occasionally wearing moisturiser and my mum always reminding me to always use SPF.”
Ezra’s first introduction to skincare and skin conditions was at 12-years-old. She found out she has psoriasis on her scalp, which caused her to feel insecure about having her scalp showing.
“Being an auto-immune condition, my psoriasis often flares up, causing constant itching and redness,” she notes. “Currently, there isn’t any treatment that can cure it, but I’ve learnt to embrace it and normalise it. From then on and growing older, I became very dedicated to caring for my skin. Having sensitive skin and psoriasis, I am always cautious about what I use.”
Ezra knows what it’s like to feel insecure about how her skin looks, and that it can impact her self-confidence. She’s now passionate about encouraging other people to embrace their skin and celebrate themselves as they are. It’s one of the values that PollenNation Skin is built upon.
Honey hero
Ezra has been a Registered Nurse for five years, with most of her career to date spent as a Community Nurse. Her love for skincare and honey intersects in her work, where manuka honey can be used in medical settings for wound care.
“I have used manuka honey in my professional practice as a nurse, and I have first-hand experience witnessing its wound-healing properties,” she adds.
Having a family beehive has also taught Ezra other interesting ways to utilise honey in everyday life. She always adds a teaspoon of honey to warm lemon water in the morning, and to her daily oat latte. Her mum always cooked treats with honey – a tradition Ezra’s kept up.
“My favourite part about cooking honey-based treats is they tend to stay fresher and moister for longer,” Ezra enthuses. “That’s because honey absorbs moisture from the air (the scientific term is ‘hygroscopic’). This is why it also acts as a natural humectant in skincare, drawing moisture from the air to our skin!”
In her free time (which there isn’t much of!), Ezra tends to her beehives and keeps fit with boxing and Pilates. She loves catching up with her best friends for brunch or spicy margaritas and adores spending time with her cute and cuddly German Shorthaired Pointer pooch, Digger.