I Spent A Week With | bee yü

Beauty : News

08 April 2020

One positive of lockdown, is that I’ve finally made the time – using the fact that I haven’t got much better to do – to Marie Kondo my beauty shelf. Due to my job role, I’m in the privileged position of being able to test run beauty products that are new to the market, but in reality, this often results in them being transported home and put alongside all the other products that i’ve also previously brought home meaning to test. And with my pre-lockdown life being a lot busier than my current actuality, its resulted in an accumulation of stuff that needs using.

Hence, the invention of this new series, where I’ll spend a whole week – which feels like three in quarantine time – putting my face through the trials and tribulations of skincare, to decipher what will bring (my skin) joy. My first venture, is the bee yü Firming & Regenerating Face Masque, formulated to deliver a healthier, and youthful appearance.

The millennial in me was instantly drawn to the brand's mellow yellow aesthetic and minimal packaging, and was further impressed to find upon opening a pump, rather than the conventional but unhygienic pot that you’d have to stick your fingers into. With a couple of pumps, I plastered the mask over my face and went to continue watching an episode of my, and the nations obsession, Tiger King. Barely five minutes had passed when I noticed my face tingly and feeling unusually warm, and it wasn’t until the 10 minute marker, when I went to inspect the results that I realised why I'd been feeling said sensations.

Disclaimer: I didn’t fully read the directions on the side of the packaging before using. If I had, I would have been prepared to have seen my face appearing 4 shades redder than it was before, but without such knowledge, I was shocked to say the least. Upon further inspection of the bee yü website, I learned that the redness and tingling is a natural effect of the main ingredient, bee venom, which it naturally causes blood to rise to the surface. Its presence causes for the body to think it’s been stung, therefore, making it go into ‘repair mode’, which stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, resulting in a youthful glow that we (i.e any human guinea pig that's willing to take the risk of looking like beetroot) are all aspiring for.

Approx. 1.5 hours after taking off the mask: skin is still slightly red but noticeably smoother and brighter.

Even after removing the mask off my face, it did take some time – 2 hours to be exact – before I could notice my skin looking more normal, and less like I had been on a 12k run. It’s some very strangely timed luck that I tried this when I literally have no where to go, as I can’t imagine how positive I’d feel about this product if I’d tried it as a quick treatment before going out. However, I’m glad to say that after a week of trialling, my skin is very much happier for it.

The bee venom (as well as other accompanying ingredients: 20+ UMF Manuka honey, clover flower extract and swertia chirata extract) have sustained their promise of fuller and firmer skin. After using twice a week (as per packaging states) my skin was positively glowing, and worth the trauma that I first entailed. It’s fair to say, that this will be a new regular within my beauty routine, red face and all.