A Facelift in a Bottle?

We all love to pamper and treat ourselves, so when at Bloggers Fashion Week I was gifted with organic products from Heaven Skincare, I was pretty excited. Alas, I decided it was in everyone’s best interest to hand them over to skincare guru, Lucy Meering, for her opinion. Lucy is my younger sister, and whilst I, aged 4, was making high-heeled boots out of knee-high socks and cotton reels, she was making her own lotions and potions and even completed a course in aromatherapy. She is my go to when I need a make over, facial or just some good old fashion advice. Here’s what she has to say:

I love the chance to try a new product and so was more than happy to receive Deborah Mitchell’s Heaven Skincare.  They are organic products containing Bee Venom, an alternative to Botulinum Toxin (‘Botox’), it promises to lift and firm facial muscles – a face lift in a bottle.

I was suitably intrigued. Everyone’s skin can do with a little help, and mine is no exception. For years I had very oily, blemish-prone skin, but more recently it’s started to dry out and fine lines around my eyes have depressingly appeared! And who wouldn’t want to try the beauty products used by Kate Middleton before the Royal Wedding?*

The Products:

• New edition Cleansing Cream (£37 for 120ml) this has a lovely ylang ylang scent without being over-powering. It claims to be the ‘first Bee Venom cleanser in the world’, which is certainly a unique selling point; I was a little sceptical as a cleanser is only in contact with your skin for a minute. However, it’s creamy and washes off easily. Skin is left feeling comfortable rather than tight.
• Bee Polish (£37 for 30ml) – ABEETOXIN & glycolic acid gently exfoliate without the usual grittiness. The tingling sensation was certainly a bit of a shock the first time I used it and I quickly washed it off, but it’s not unpleasant or painful, and the sensation reduces over time, allowing you to leave the product on for longer with each use.
• Chamomile desensitizing hydrogel (£28 for 150ml) can be used as a toner or to prime skin before foundation or make-up. However used, it’s very soothing and feels velvety soft on skin, although I didn’t notice any improvement to my make-up application or how long it stayed in place.
• Age Defiance Cream (£25.30 for 15ml) is richer than my usual moisturizer, and especially lovely to use around my eyes. It takes a little longer to sink in, but isn’t at all heavy.
• Silver Bee Venom Mask (£55 for 30ml) – I was most excited to try this cult product. After all, who doesn’t want a ‘helping hand from heaven’*from their skincare routine? This mask is gorgeous, it tones and tightens skin and I didn’t have a single spot throughout the week I used it.

The Evidence

Is there any evidence that a product containing Bee venom has any proven anti-aging effects?

In my mind, a clinical trial is the only way to settle this, in order to eliminate the hype, cult following and clever marketing which inevitably surround such products. Heaven said, “Clinical trials [..] are often undertaken to prove the products safety rather than its effectiveness. The ingredients of Heaven Skincare, are natural, and it’s the knowledge, effectiveness and experience of Deborah working with the natural ingredients in specific ways over the last twenty years, that led her to create the products.”

The verdict:

I have to say, the appeal of using organic products containing unique and interesting ingredients is great. It’s also hard to ignore the fact that a number of celebrities use this range and are queuing up for facials. Personally, I love the Bee Polish as it leaves my skin incredibly smooth. The Age Defiance Cream is also fantastic, particularly when I use it around my eyes, providing brilliant levels of moisture & a great base for make-up. Concealer doesn’t collect into the fine lines around my eyes anymore. That’s definitely a winner for me and a product I’ll buy again. As for the Silver Bee Venom Mask, the luxury of this is hard to deny and I’ll certainly miss it when it’s gone; but I’m not sure I can bring myself to pay £55 for it.

*http://heavenbydeborahmitchell.me/slideshow/

*http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2014111821987/deborah-mitchell-kate-middleton-facial/