In honor of National Honeybee Day on August 18, we're profiling one of the newest beauty trends: skincare cream containing bee venom. All the rage in China & the UK, look for these products to be available in North America any day now. In fact, Gwyneth Paltrow and other movie stars (who import it from England for personal use) say they swear by it.
Effective enough to be hailed as "the new Botox", here's how it works: the bee venom tricks your skin into believing it has just been stung, which causes the skin to release certain chemicals that tighten the area to combat the sting. In particular, bee venom stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, resulting in smoother, firmer skin. When applied to the face, the cream feels nourishing and the venom provokes a slight tingling sensation followed by a tightening. It can be used as a mask, or as a day or night cream. Some people say they notice a positive change in their skin after five to seven days using bee venom. Others say it takes weeks or months to make a difference. The venom has a cumulative effect. Each time it is applied, more collagen and elastin are produced.
For those of you worried about the little pollinators, supposedly, the bees are not harmed during the venom collection process. To harvest the venom, beekeepers put a glass lid over their hives, preventing the bees from leaving. Frustrated, the bees sting the glass. Releasing its stinger normally kills a honeybee, but the stinger can't penetrate the glass and remains in the bee. The venom collects on the glass.
Queen of The Hive by Wedder-spoon will retail in health food stores for $77.99, but you can get it online for $72.99 for 50 ml (www.wedder-spoon.ca). You may feel a sting in your wallet, though. But what price beauty?
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/auty+product+puts+sting+lines/6644054/story.html#ixzz23jGx7Y12
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/auty+product+puts+sting+lines/6644054/story.html#ixzz23jGx7Y12
