Manuka Valley Bee Venom Mask

USEFUL FOR: PLUMPING, MOISTURE LOCK

Part two of nature's venomous skincare series looks at Manuka Valley Bee Venom Mask.

Since its induction into the skincare belt 3 years ago, this product has had releases by various brandnames. While there are major luxury brands touting their best, I bought the Manuka Valley brand, as it is a "Made In NZ" product, boasting both locally produced bee venom and active Manuka Honey.

New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world which has 100% organic produce. While this normally covers vegetation and plant goods, it also extends to its other produces such as animal products. Safe to say, I am confident in NZ goods based on this promise. And the purer the skincare, the better it is for the skin. On the ingredients list, bee venom is number 2, highest only to water. That is a really good sign.

The product arrived in a slightly different jar than the above (50g). But everything else was accurate to the description. The jar is a thick apothecary glass, brown-tinted to protect the cream from light degradation. It is quite handsome, something out of a traditional gentleman's parlour. The cream within is white, somewhere between a light but stiff consistency. It is not runny and scoops out quite easily, eliminating any kind of drips.

Application for the product is in two ways: as a facial mask, and a leave-in mosturiser. Having tried both, the first suggestion of piling the product on as a mask and then rinsing it away after 20 mins was a bit of a waste. Especially for 50g product. Opting for an in-between usage, the cream was used instead with a gentle massage, basic firm stroke upwards in areas where both "lift" and "freeze" is desired.

Effect:

After 1 week of use, the areas around the mouth and jaw, where the formations of jowls occur, are lifted slightly. It is also helped more by the plumping effect, that is encouraged with the massage. The cream, after being absorbed, does sit on the skin a bit, so it is best applied at night or during dry seasons. I would imagine this would be a good humectant for winter.

I used this every night for 1 week, after a face cleanse before bed. Massage is also an excellent way of relaxing the face, so it was multi-tasking at its best: Relaxation, Moisturising & Tightening. Upon waking, the product is less greasy on the skin. A quick rinse with cold water that's all, before applying sunscreen.

It does work, but give it time. I expect better results with extended use. It is however not the answer to Botox, although it has above average plumping effects.

www.manukavalley.com

MANDESCRIPT REVIEW