Tried and tested – the bee sting facial
A big fave for celebs, the famous Heaven bee venom facial is available at the Grand Brighton. We thought we should test it out
It’s one of those beauty treatments I’d been wanting to try for a while, the bee sting facial. Never mind the fact that it’s a favourite of Kate Middleton’s or Camilla’s – actually the idea of anything giving the old phizog a bit of a lift and tighten is enough to have me reaching for the phone to summon my limo. I’ve also been hugely curious about the products. Do they sting? Does it work?!
So when I heard that the Heaven brand – and with it the bee sting facial – were now available at the Grand in Brighton I was straight on it. They held a lovely evening at their spa, where Heaven brand creator and celeb beauty therapist Deborah Mitchell came along and talked about her life and her work, and her extraordinary experiences treating stars like George Michael, Dannii Minogue and the boys from Duran Duran. And the goody bag was to die for. And I finally got to book myself the bee sting facial!
No bees are killed in the making of this product. It’s one of the first things I asked
Talking of dying, I want to tell you that no bees are killed in the making of this product. It’s one of the first things I asked when looking into this – how on earth do you get bee venom out of a bee without pulling out its sting and killing it. Bearing in mind that bees apparently hold the key to our continuing earthly existence this seemed nihilistic to a ludicrous point.
But no, it’s fine – mostly. They are agitated in a controlled environment in their hive and they sting a sheet of glass, releasing the venom onto the surface but without having their stings pulled out. And then on they go with their day. I have been assured – by Deborah Mitchell herself in person – that they take very good care of their bees. So I’m going to take her word for it, as she seems like a jolly nice lady, and at least I can now pass on this information to you too.
ABOUT THE BRAND
So – to the details. The products contain bee venom that works to control the facial muscles for immediate lifting, tightening and firming, whilst getting to work on frown lines and wrinkles – and it’s called Natural ABEETOXIN, a natural alternative to injectables like Botox. The facial promises instant anti-ageing effects as it firms and releases collagen, relaxes muscles and even has an analgesic which can help with aches and pains. Every practitioner of the Heaven treatments is trained by Deborah herself, and the standards are high. So you know if you’re getting a treatment, you’re getting the royal treatment.
THE FACIAL
The facial kicks off with a relaxing spray, then a good old cleanse using the Organic Neroli and Mandarin foaming cleanser. There’s an optional part here, which is the Bee Peel. I went for it, and was totally glad I did, although it might be a little full-on for sensitive skins. Personally I love a good peel and resurface but talk to the spa team about this if you’re not sure.
Following the peel I had a lovely face and foot massage (actually snored at this point, it was so amazingly relaxing) before then having the Bee Venom Mask and eye cream applied.
I’ve had a lot of facials but this is without a doubt one of the best
THE RESULT?
I’ve had a lot of facials but this is without a doubt one of the best – if not THE best. The peel was a good choice (for me) and my skin felt really soft afterwards. And I just love the Mask – I’ve got some at home and I use it often. That stuff is magic.
More than that though – and this is an important part of the holistic experience that Deborah is keen to highlight – it was a lovely experience from start to finish. Excessively relaxing, lots of time taken over each step, and then a lovely relax in the spa afterwards. In fact I’d planned to do stuff after the treatment and changed my mind, ordering some food and relaxing with a magazine instead. If you’re like me and rush around a lot, you’ll know that sometimes it takes a lovely thing like this to knock you onto your back and MAKE you stop for a bit! I can’t wait to go again.
Bee Sting facial – the low-down
This unique facial has been specially created using natural and organic ingredients to increase collagen, reduce sun damage and pigmentation, combined with Deborah’s own massage techniques to provide an instant anti-aging effect, leaving you looking and feeling instantly younger.
£95 (60 minutes). Upgrade to a Bee Peel for £10 extra
The BeePeelTM, containing the patent adaptogen ingredient; ABEETOXIN®, resurfaces the skin to brighten and illuminate, eradicating lines, scars, dullness, blemishes and enlarged pores.
Grand Brighton Spa