Guerlain Abeille Royale Serum & Day Cream

I've always been fascinated by the idea of royal jelly. This super-food that makes queens is also full of several types of B vitamins, enzymes and fatty acids. Anti-inflammatory and healing properties also sound pretty good, especially in skincare, which made Guerlain Abeille Royale quite appealing.

I got the Abeille Royale Serum and  Abeille Royale Day Cream (for normal-to-dry skin) after a very pleasurable and impressive Guerlain facial. My skin felt fabulous and looked healthy and happy, so it was an easy sell. Theres' something about these kind of luxury products that encourages you to take the time, pamper your face, load it up with good-for-you nourishment and relax. Maybe the relaxation and careful attention is also a big part of the glow.

The other thing about the Abeille Royale product is that you need to make a commitment and use them consistently. I admit that at times I can be a bit distracted in my skincare routine. It happens when I have too many products and samples that need to be tested, all are shiny and promising, making it hard to stick with one thing for too long. I only started noticing how much my skin and I liked the Guerlain Abeille Royale items once they've become part of my daily regimen.

Both the serum and the day cream (which I also use at night, but the Abeille Royale series also offers a proper night cream) absorb right away and never leave a filmy or greasy layer. The main effects I've noticed are calming and softening. The serum gave me some tingling the first couple of times, but no redness. It also seemed to perform some magic on slightly allergy-suffering skin, so that's a nice benefit.

The serum's pump/dropper is not the most efficient mechanism. I find that one pump is too little and two might be a bit much. I'd much rather have a normal pump (or a regular dropper, though the serum's consistency might not be suitable for that- it's on the lotiony side). Otherwise the packaging is lovely and looks as luxurious as you'd expect from Guerlain. The products are scented (very soft floral perfume, not Guerlain's signature violetish fragrance), so those who are sensitive either to that or to honey-based product should avoid.

Bottom Line: Happy skin.

Guerlain Abeille Royale Serum ($140) & Day Cream ($143) are available at the counters.

Photo: bodyandbeyond.blogspot.com