Beauty
This Revolutionary New Serum Is Powered By Bees — & Beauty Editors Are Obsessed
Turns out, honey is more than just delicious.
Scientific advances in the beauty industry will always garner attention, but more often than not, the “it” ingredient of the moment is one with a surprisingly rich history. Such is the case with Guerlain’s latest launch: a daily serum that’s powered by honey — and has got the beauty industry abuzz.
Honey has been used for centuries in wound healing and disease treatment, but it’s only within the past few decades it’s been put to the test through clinical investigations. For its Abeille Royale Youth Watery Oil Serum, Guerlain conducted 15 years of research, resulting in nine patents and nine publications that support the product’s efficacy in strengthening the skin barrier and plumping up the skin.
Ahead, get the details on what makes Guerlain’s Abeille Royale Youth Watery Oil Serum so effective, shop other products from the line, and learn how the brand is working to protect black bees for generations to come.
The Science Behind The Serum
The main reason honey has become increasingly popular in topical beauty products is that it’s a natural humectant rich in polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Together, these properties can help with everything from moisturizing and strengthening the skin barrier to protecting the skin against signs of premature aging.
But it turns out, all honey isn’t created equal. To ensure you’re getting the most concentrated benefits, Guerlain has spent the past 15 years analyzing over 300 different honey samples collected from all over the world. It’s a combination of three black bee honeys from Ireland, Norway, and Ouessant, an island in France, that have made it into Guerlain’s serum, which has been clinically shown to strengthen the skin barrier and deliver a more plumped-up appearance from the very first use. After one month of using the serum, which is also formulated with ingredients like royal jelly, vitamin E, adenosine, and sunflower seed oil, you can expect to notice skin that’s smoother, firmer, and more radiant. Because of honey’s antimicrobial and wound healing properties, the serum can be used by all skin types — yes, even those who are acne-prone or more sensitive.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that Guerlain has made it part of the brand’s mission to protect the black bees that power its Abeille Royale line (it is Guerlain’s emblem, after all). Through its Guerlain for Bees Conservation Program, the brand has focused on 15 partnerships and initiatives aimed at protecting the endangered species, which is essential to our ecosystems and food security. Chief among those initiatives is Guerlain’s patronage of the Brittany Black Bee Conservation Association, an organization responsible for the development and protection of a natural reserve for black bees on Ouessant Island.
More From The Abeille Royale Line
Yes, you can incorporate the serum into your beauty routine on its own for more radiant skin, but for even more benefits, Guerlain offers a range of honey-infused products that can be mixed and matched.
Guerlain Abeille Royale Cleansing Care-In-Mousse
This luxe cleanser can be used to refresh your face first thing in the morning or to remove impurities and makeup at the end of the day as you prep for the rest of your skin care routine. As gentle surfactants cleanse the skin, a combination of honey extracts from Ouessant Island, Corsica, Ikaria, and Aland helps to restore hydration and reinforce the skin barrier. Tiny golden beads suspended in the gel-like cleanser help to give it a rich lather once you splash on some water, while a honey scent from Guerlain’s master perfumer further adds to the elevated experience.
Guerlain Abeille Royale Honey Treatment Night Cream
After your serum, apply this Abeille Royale Honey Treatment Night Cream to support skin healing while you sleep (there’s also a similar day cream for morning use, FYI). Aimed at preventing collagen loss, the nightly face cream pairs four honey extracts with royal jelly, squalane, hyaluronic acid, and peptides to draw moisture to the skin and keep it there while also stimulating collagen synthesis for a more dewy, plumped-up complexion.
