IF YOU were to compare your skin with that of a child's, you'll find that blemishes and scars take a much longer time to go away. Think about it: if your skin doesn't heal well, it's not going to age well, either.

According to French skincare brand Guerlain, research has demonstrated that the tissue reconstruction process, responsible for the repair of both wrinkles and loss of firmness, shares biological factors with the healing process.

As the dermal tissue which supports the epidermis ages, it becomes less destructured due to micro-trauma to the fibres and macromolecules. The tissue becomes less plump and firm, and wrinkles deepen.

According to Professor Alexis Desmoulière, a physiology professor at the pharmacy faculty at the University of Limoges in France, a wrinkle is mainly a problem on the dermal level, which contains fibroblasts and the matrix that supports and nourishes the epidermis. The dermis is the location of micro-tears, which can lead to the appearance of wrinkles over time. This can gradually cause a deterioration of the epidermis. Micro-tears are the result of tissue breakdown produced by internal tension and stress to which the skin is subjected every day.

Guerlain believes in harnessing the best that nature has to offer and this has led it to identify natural bee products, which are known to be some of the world's most effective natural healing substances.

The ingredients of the Pure Royal Concentrate (royal jelly) act on key biological factors involved in tissue reconstruction: migration of cells to damaged areas that will help reconstruct the skin, tissue reproduction whereby the skin repairs itself and tissue remodelling to ensure skin firmness. This concentrate is found in Guerlain's latest Abeile Royale Youth Serum Firming Lift, Wrinkle Correction.

The concentrate acts like an "orchestra leader" to set into motion and activate the combination of these mechanisms that participate in the skin's self-repair and stimulate the activation of target genes, said Dr Frédéric Bonté, director of Guerlain Research.

The brand also discovered an extraordinary bee - the Black Bee from Ouessant - that are free to gather nectar from the wilderness to produce honey of exceptional purity. To guarantee the highest quality, only royal jelly of French origin with controlled traceability is used.

The formulation integrates repairing active ingredients in an "oilin-water" emulsion formula. This emulsion serum instantly disappears on the skin surface, envelops it in freshness and leaves only an intangible film on the skin for ultimate comfort.

In a four-week test on 52 women, 98% of women reported skin that felt "rich and fresh" and 50% said the skin was more hydrated.

The serum is dispensed via a dropper to ensure just the right amount for a single application. It can applied on the face and neck every day before the day and night cream. The bottle is sculpted in a honeycomb shape and crowned with the Abeille Royale seal.

Priced at RM448 (S$190) (30ml), the serum is available at all Guerlain counters.