Two months ago, we had the privilege of accompanying Guerlain to Brittany in France to discover its newest product launch. What we knew was that it was to be part of its Abeille Royale range but what we didn’t know was just how revolutionary the product is.
Enter the Double R Serum, a hard-working, two-part formula that fuses the benefits of science with nature for a product that delivers undeniable results. The R’s stand for Renew and Repair and its ingredients are designed to do just that. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), including lactic, glycolic and citric, are fused with natural ingredients to deliver double the results in less time.
Undoubtedly the most impressive natural ingredient present in the product is royal jelly. But just what is it? “Royal jelly is the component bees develop and produce especially for the queen. It’s much more rich in active ingredients — it helps to stimulate the reproduction of cells,” explains Sophia Kremser, Guerlain’s International Spas & Institutes Program Director. This ingredient is exclusive to Guerlain, harvested from their own dedicated bee colony on Ouessant Island, an hour off the coast of Brittany. It’s worth noting that bees are an integral part of Guerlain’s beauty philosophy, with the brand dedicating endless hours of time and research to ensuring the species’ survival. Laurent Boillot, the President and CEO of Guerlain, explains, “Biodiversity is at the heart of our creations. And the bee, the environmental sentry, is at the heart of biodiversity. Reflecting our era, it is in danger today. It seemed obvious to us that we needed to do our part (and even more) to protect it.” The company does it part through the newly developed Bee Universities and the Bee School, as well as on Ouessant Island.
And speaking of Ouessant, the ecological conditions of the island are about as pure as they come, almost entirely free from pollution, meaning the ingredient is in its most authentic state.
Interestingly, when developing the Double R serum, the research team at Guerlain uncovered the TIEG1 gene’s role in skin repair. That being that TIEG1 decreases with oxidative stress and photo exposition. So, the team was tasked with finding an ingredient that would help it do the exact opposite and lo and behold, royal jelly does exactly that. As a result, the ‘repair’ side of the serum “helps to both stimulate the synthesis of hyaluronic acid and repair fragmented collagen.”
It’s important to note however that Guerlain doesn’t just rely on the natural. In fact, says Sophia, if you’re looking for an effective skincare regime, going au naturale just won’t cut it. “We cannot be in a completely natural, vegan state. It’s not possible. If you only use natural ingredients you don’t reach the necessary layers of the skin and you don’t get results.”
This is why it’s important for consumers to understand the role chemicals play in skincare, and to not be afraid of the word to begin with. “Chemicals just means that we took some elements from the natural and we changed them,” explains Sophia. The AHAs in the new Double R serum have been specifically engineered to be slow releasing, meaning they’ll hit the skin continuously over the course of nine hours after application. Why? “Acid hits the skin at different times to deliver performance in a staggered manner,” Dr Fréderic Bonté, Guerlain’s Director of the Scientific Prospective and Communication, explains. It has been formulated in this way to ensure the formula reaches the deepest layers of the skin for maximum efficacy. Furthermore, the slow release techonology ensures skin is not harmed by the acids which is a common side effect of improper use of AHAs.
“If you only use natural ingredients you don’t reach the necessary layers of the skin and you don’t get results.”
The bottle has been designed to ensure that through one pump, both the repair and the renew formulations are expelled in just the right amount for your skin. The brand deliberately kept the two formulations separate so as to ensure each one’s integrity right until the moment of application when they combine.
We’ve been using the product since our trip and can confirm that our skin is both firmer and more radiant. Perhaps most impressively however, the redness from acne scarring has significantly reduced. Plus, it applies like a dream and smells so very good. If you’re looking to make a skincare investment anytime soon, we suggest you start with this.
Guerlain’s Abeille Royale Double R Serum is now available across the Middle East.
