Last month I launched my brand new Nettle Venom Cream. In just a couple of weeks, we’ve seen sales soar, thanks to all the chat on social media, coverage in the national press and even a spot on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. But one of the question’s I’ve been asked by clients is why, when my Bee Venom Masks are so good, did I want to launch a plant-based one?

The answer is simple. I have always wanted to create a vegan version of my world famous Bee Venom but it took me years to actually come up with a formula that would prove a worthy rival.

And yes, while they are both amazing anti-ageing creams they are actually quite different. It’s true that they do work in a similar way; making the blood supply increase and the muscles relax by tricking the skin into thinking it’s been stung. But while the nettles contain serotonin to calm your complexion, the bee venom has naturally-found antibiotics to cure skin conditions.

THE BENEFITS OF NETTLE VENOM

My 100% vegan NETTATOXIN® works because the venom of the nettle causes a reaction similar to that of bees when they sting – the skin goes into rapid repair on first contact leaving you with a lifted, more radiant complexion. By harnessing this natural process in an effective moisturiser, I’ve managed to capture the active nettle venom, carefully collected by hand from hedgerows near my home, without it hurting when applied to the face.

Traditionally, vegan ingredients haven’t made very effective anti-ageing creams but with this the power comes from the skin’s own rebuilding system to tighten and renew.

THE BENFITS OF BEE VENOM

Whether you opt for Silver, Black or Gold, the ingredients in each of my Bee Venom Masks – most notably the powerful ABEETOXIN® – work in synergy to soothe and heal, meaning they’re ideal for even sensitive skin. You can use them in a variety of different ways: simply apply after your cleansing routine morning and evening; layer on top of your daily moisturiser or combine with a serum; leave on for ten minutes and wash off with warm water; or leave on overnight for accelerated results.

And for those who ask, the bee venom I use is extracted without causing any harm to the bees – instead they are encouraged to sting a pane of glass with an electric hum running through it. This means the venom is milked and the bees survive with their stings still intact.

THE ULTIMATE SKINCARE DUO

You can actually used both creams in tandem – this will make your skin think it’s been stung countless times (without the pain, of course); your skin’s own receptors contain proteins – called interferons – that start to reinforce from the inside out. Use one in the morning and one in the evening for a week to restore radiance, then start to double up and in just a couple of days you’ll notice your skin becoming more perfect. I like to think of this as the ultimate anti-ageing regime without the need for injections.

If you don’t already, start adding my Heaven cleansers to your routine. Because Hydro Cleansing Milk is vegan it suits Nettle Venom perfectly, prepping the skin as it cleanses and giving it the perfect undercoat. The Ella Jane Heal Face Wipes will also help calm the skin.

With the Bee Venom Masks, my New Edition Cleanser contains a small amount of ABEETOXIN® so it pre-warns the skin that it may have been stung and alerts it. Combine with the Ella Jane Renew Wipes as they contain this anti-ageing formula too.

Find out more about our new Nettle Venom Cream in our blog – click here to read.