Can we take a moment to thank the bees?
These industrious little insects pollinate flowers, helping plants grow. Without them, a lot of foods we take for granted would disappear. Can you imagine living without berries, avocados, and tomatoes?
Plus, bees give us honey, a natural sweetener that makes our mornings delicious. Not to mention, bee venom, royal jelly and all that bunch of stuff that’s a treat for your skin, too.
Case in point: Bee Yu Hydrating Day Creme. This rich moisturiser is loaded with bee-derived ingredients, including Manuka honey and bee venom, that make it a godsend for dry skin. Here’s why:
What’s In Bee You Hydrating Day Cream?
CAMELLIA SEED OIL
Camellia Seed Oil makes up the base of Bee Yu Hydrating Day Creme. It’s a golden-yellow oil derived from the Camellia tree. Its nickname? The olive oil of Asia.
Like olive oil, Camellia Seed Oil is super moisturizing. It’s rich in fatty acids, like oleic acid, that create a protective barrier on the skin to lock moisture in. The result? Softer, smoother skin.
Plus, this oil has a significant amount of Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that fights wrinkles and hydrates skin.
In other words, it’s a nourishing treat for dry skin.
P.S. Camellia Seed Oil isn’t the only oil in Bee Yu Hydrating Day Creme. This baby also contains Jojoba Oil, Blackcurrant Oil, and more.
Related: 4 Reasons To Add Vitamin E To Your Skincare Routine (And 1 Why You Shouldn’t)
MANUKA HONEY
Honey is a thick, golden liquid bees make from the nectar of flowers. It’s mostly sugar, with some antioxidants and vitamins thrown in for good measure.
Here’s everything honey does for your skin:
- Antibacterial: It inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi, helping wounds heal faster. Some say it works against P.Acnes, the bacteria that causes acne. The scientific jury’s still out on this but it seems honey may help create an inhospitable environment for P.Acnes.
- Anti-inflammatory:Â It soothes pain and reduces swelling, speeding up the healing process.
- Antioxidant: It contains a small amount of antioxidants to prevent premature wrinkles.
- Humectant: It attracts water from the air into the skin. This keeps skin well hydrated, plumps it up and makes it softer to the touch.
Fun fact: Manuka Oil, the type used in Bee Yu Hydrating Day Creme, has a stronger antibacterial activity than other types of honey. Good choice, Bee Yu!
Related: The Complete Guide To Honey In Skincare
HYALURONIC ACID
Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant.
Hume… what?
Humectant is scientists’ way of calling hydrating ingredients that attract water from the environment into the skin. Hyaluronic acid’s so good at this, it holds up to 1000 times its weight in water!
All the extra moisture makes your skin very happy: it makes it plumper, softer and brighter.
Related: Why You Need Hyaluronic Acid In Your Skincare Routine, No Matter Your Skin Type
BEE VENOM
A defensive toxin produces by bees, bee venom contains mostly peptides. It fans say it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Here’s how the theory goes: when you put bee venom of your skin, you replicate the effects of being stung by a bee (without the excruciating pain). This increases blood flow, which in turns stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, the proteins the keep skin firm and elastic.
More collagen and elastin = fewer wrinkles.
Does it live up to the hype in practice? It’s too soon to tell. There are a number of studies that show bee venom helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles, but they were either done in vitro (in a petri dish) or without a control group.
The verdict: preliminary research on bee venom is promising. But I wouldn’t splurge on a cream just because it has bee venom yet.
Texture
Rich yet fast-absorbing. It glides smoothly on my skin and doesn’t leave a greasy residue behind.
Fragrance
Subtle. Fresh. Clean.
How To Use It
In the morning, after cleansing and serums. Do a patch test first. Bee-derived ingredients may cause allergies in some people.
Who Is This For?
It’s most suitable for dry skin.
Who Is This Not For?
- If you’re allergic to bee-derived ingredients, DON’T use this!
- May be too rich for oily and acne-prone skin
Performance & Personal Opinion
I admit it: when I first slathered Bee Yu Hydrating Day Creme on my slightly dry skin, I was a bit scared the rich texture would turn my face into a pimple fest. It’s not like it hasn’t happened in the past…
I shouldn’t have worried. A month later, not a single zit has made its unwanted appearance on my chin (or anywhere else, really). Phew!
You know what happened instead? Softer, smoother skin. I put it on in the morning, after cleansing and Vitamin C serum. Then, I venture outside into the freezing cold weather.
The cream helps strengthens my skin’s protective barrier, so it can stay soft and healthy even as the freezing winds are doing their best to tear it down. I have a feeling they’re not going to win. 😉
The extra hydration also helps to plump up my skin, so that my fine lines look smaller. But, alas, the effect is only temporary…
Packaging
Bee Yu Hydrating Day Cream comes in a sleek gold jar. I’m not too fond of jars – they’re not the most hygienic. But given the richness of its texture, it’s probably the best type of packaging for this formula.
Does Bee Yu Hydrating Day Creme Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| The cream’s rich texture is suitable for all skin types, is easily absorbed into the skin and is a great base for makeup. | It absorbs easily and makes a great base for makeup, but it’s most suitable for dry skin. |
| 100% pure royal jelly from New Zealand honey bees helps to tighten fine lines and wrinkles and protects your skin from daily pollutants, while bee venom stimulates the skin, creating increased blood flow to boost the production of natural collagen and elastin.  | Note the clever marketing. Bee Yu is telling you what these ingredients, not the cream, can do. Unfortunately, both ingredients are present in tiny amounts here. |
Price & Availability
£76.00 at Bee Yu Skincare
Do You Need It?
Need is a strong word… But if you’re looking for a very moisturising cream for dry skin, Bee Yu Hydrating Day Creme is well worth a try.
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Dupes & Alternatives
Ingredients
Aqua, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil (Camellia Seed Oil), Mel (Manuka Honey), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomers, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil (Meadow Foam Oil), Ribes Nigrum Fruit Oil (Blackcurrant Oil), Hyaluronic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba Oil), Heptyl Undecylenate, Royal Jelly, Natural Parfum, Calodendrum Capense Nut Oil (Cape Chestnut Oil), Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Metrosideros Excelsa Extract (Pohutakawa Extract), Phormium Tenax Extract (Harakeke Extract), Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Bee venom.
