Bee Venom beauty products may sound like a gimmick but with the proven anti-ageing and anti-bacterial properties of the venom (or Apitoxin/Propolis to use its scientific terms), bee products look like they’re here to stay… environment permitting.
The environment issue is one that needs to be addressed when talking about such products because yes, it is actual bee venom and no, it cannot currently be synthetically created in a lab. However, contrary to popular belief, collecting the venom DOES NOT kill the bees. Bees only die when their sting detaches after stinging, so, beekeepers have created a way to collect the venom using a thin fabric that does not dislodge the stinger, meaning the bees easily fly away after stinging. The bee venom beauty products do not contribute to the reported colony collapses (parasites, disease and environmental stressors are to blame for that) and actually, as well as no known negative impact on the health of the bees, these bees have also shown to produce more honey over time too.
It’s a delicate issue and ultimately will come down to personal choice but it’s good to know the facts! For me personally, I’m always on the hunt for a good product and with the stimulating, collagen producing and plumping effects of bee venom, I was more than happy to try some out! Here are my favourites…
This one is a mask with a difference! You can apply it am and pm and rinse off after 10 minutes, or apply on top of your serum and moisturiser, or leave on overnight for accelerated results! The inclusion of ‘Abeetoxin®’ creates a botox-like effect of relaxing the muscles whilst also tightening and firming the skin. Abeetoxin® also has amazing healing properties, so alongside the rose and lavender oils, this mask calms and soothes the skin, making it ideal for rosacea and eczema sufferers alike whose choice of anti-ageing products is often very limited. This is literally a mask for every occasion; pre/post party, hormonal, dry, breakouts, angry, dull, this mask treats them all! Rodial has received a bit of bad press in the past over the names of some of their products, but I personally, just think they were bit ahead of the times using quirky, funny names at a time when things were a little more “serious”. I also think they are ahead of the times when it comes to innovative product ingredients -they were certainly the first brand I’d ever heard of that was using Bee Venom, which is one of the most popular ranges of all their products, and I can see why. Every product in this range feels luxurious and comforting on the skin, and they all leave you looking plumped up and glowing, but my absolute favourite is the cleansing balm. It feels like a serum/balm when you first apply it, then turns into a milky toner when you add water. It removes all traces of makeup and leaves you with very soothed, very fresh and very glowing skin- an absolute winner. I’m a big fan of ‘beauty pads’ not least because they are so quick and easy to use but also because they prevent you from overusing product which is a big contributor to skin breakouts (each pad has the perfect amount of product in each disc). The Nip + Fab pads of course contain the bee venom for plumping, and they also contain the propolis extract which is antiseptic and healing for the skin, alongside anti-inflammatory witch hazel and allantoin. You would use them in place of toner after cleansing am and/or pm and they really help to clear your skin- a perfect addition to the skincare routine of someone who feels their skin is starting to age but is also still suffering from breakouts. Nip + Fab is a great little brand, a sister company to Rodial- using all the Rodial knowledge yet finding a way to create products at a lower price point (I’d guess by including less of the active ingredients and using basic packaging) however they do it, it works! Now, if you’ve been tempted (or put off) to try the peel off charcoal masks, take a look at this lovely mask instead! Pure white in colour, it goes on in the same tar-like way as the charcoal masks do and sets in the same way, but this one is not impossible to peel off after! It contains a combination of bee venom and manuka honey, which both have the proven anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits, it also contains kaolin -a mineral clay that has been used in beauty products for years to effectively draw out impurities from the skin. Add to that some vitamin E, hyaluronic acid and silk extract, and you’ve got yourself a soothing, spot fighting, anti-ageing mask that is SO satisfying to peel off!
HEAVEN BY DEBORAH MITCHELL, SILVER BEE VENOM MASK
RODIAL BEE VENOM CLEANSING BALM
NIP + FAB BEE STING FIX TONING PADS
MANUKA DOCTOR PURIFYING FACE PEEL
