Bee venom: the new ‘natural botox’

You’ve probably heard of bee venom creams. Since Gwyneth Paltrow or Kate Middleton revealed that it is one of their beauty tricks, the fame of this ingredient has not stopped growing.

Bee venom is not exactly a novelty, as it was used thousands of years ago in Ancient Greece and China as a natural medicinal remedy. It contains an anti-inflammatory substance called melittin, whose main function is to visibly smooth wrinkles, fine lines and even acne marks.

As a cosmetic ingredient, it acts on fine lines and wrinkles to firm and rejuvenate the skin. What this magical ingredient actually does is to increase blood circulation and tighten the skin, in addition to stimulating the production of natural collagen and elastin. The skin looks much firmer and plumper, making small wrinkles disappear.

Although it can be used to treat different aspects of the skin, this poison is widely known as ‘natural botox’, as its effect on the skin may resemble that of botulinum toxin when injected into the skin. It also has a paralysing function that works as a muscle relaxant, reducing the expression wrinkles that appear on the face.

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