The bee venom facial is a luxe treatment that counts Victoria Beckham, Kylie Minogue, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kate Middleton among its fans.
Marie-Antoinette Issa booked a treatment with top Facialist April Brodie, who’s known for creating the buzz around bee venom.
How does bee venom work?
The idea behind bee venom in skincare is that it tricks the skin into thinking it’s been stung by a honeybee. This triggers a wound-healing response, prompting the production of collagen and elastin. Both are essential structural proteins promoting younger, firmer and plumper-looking skin.
It goes a little deeper though!
Bee venom also contains over 20 anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and skin-rejuvenating compounds, which work with the skin’s natural healing response to provide glowing results. This is why the bee venom formula is called Abeetoxin. It’s hailed as a natural alternative to Botox, purported to produce similar results to the injectable.
“The process is non-lethal and minimally invasive to the bees,” says April. “The typical extraction method involves placing a glass sheet with a light electric current inside the hive. The bees, including the Queen, will sting the glass and release venom but not lose their stinger and die. This allows for venom collection without harming any bees.”
Bee venom facials: A breakdown
Once my fears around harming bees were quelled, I settled in for the luxe facial. April operates in Sydney, Melbourne and London, flying between each city regularly to cater to her skin-conscious clients. I relaxed into her suite at the Intercontinental in Double Bay as she began cleansing my skin with the premium range, Heaven Skincare by Deborah Mitchell.
The Cleanse
“Cleansing is indeed the cornerstone of any effective skin care routine,” April explained. “It prepares the skin for product absorption by removing impurities like dirt, sunblock and makeup residue. This allows for better penetration of the ingredients in serums, moisturisers and treatments. It’s akin to sifting flour before baking a cake. If you don’t sift your flour properly, your cake won’t rise properly and its texture will spoil. In the same way, improper cleansing can compromise the efficiency of subsequent skin care products. What’s more, cleansing with the correct product helps preserve the skin’s natural barrier preventing dryness, irritation or overproduction of oil.”
April’s massage technique also plays a role in delivering great results, and is pretty easy to implement at home. She massages the cleanser into the skin for at least 60 seconds, ensuring thorough cleansing and better absorption of active ingredients. April also warned against splashing your face with water, or letting hot water from the shower beat down on your face. It can strip the skin of its natural oils and cause dryness and/or irritation. Instead, she suggests using a clean, warm, gentle washcloth to remove the cleanser.
“This ensures a gentle yet effective cleansing process, leaving the skin clean, refreshed, and prepped for subsequent skin care steps.”
The Polish
April applied Bee Polish to my congested skin, a gentle exfoliant enriched with glycolic acid and patented Abeetoxin. This combination aims to minimise the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation while purging toxins without damaging the skin. Bee polish also boosts the skin’s immunity, thanks to a high concentration of Echinacea. This makes it great for those with acne and problematic and irritated skin.
The Mask and Massage
Next, April applied Willow Bee Mask, which is another cleansing/exfoliating step that also infuses hydration into the skin. It truly soothed my skin in preparation for the main event: Gold Bee Venom Mask. This luxe, deeply calming and hydrating mask contains the world’s rarest bee venom, sourced only from the stingers of the Queen bee. In fact, they only produce 500 jars of this annually. It works to tighten, firm and lift the skin, and its healing properties make it ideal for blemished skin, rosacea, eczema and dry and mature skin.
Another notable element of the Bee Venom Facial is April’s distinctive sculpting techniques (and foot massage!). A fusion of expertise and intuition, each of April’s massage strokes propels this skincare treatment into holistic rejuvenation.
“I specifically designed this massage for the Gold Bee Venom Mask to showcase the products’ unique benefits. It includes specialised movements to lift and give the skin a beautiful glow,” April explained.
Is it worth the $800 price tag?
$800 is a lot to spend on anything, let alone a facial… so I was expecting significant results. I wasn’t disappointed. In the weeks that followed, my skin looked radiant, refreshed and noticeably rejuvenated. I can’t be sure whether it was the luxurious products, April’s heavenly, highly-effective massage techniques, or a combination of both. But one thing’s for certain. When it comes to the Bee Venom Facial, the results are un-bee-lievable!
