Through some alchemic force, Guerlain, a brand I welcome into my home and daily skincare routine, has chosen my to be 1 of only 10 Guerlain Bees in Canada. It is such a privilege to be part of the Guerlain family and I claim my Bee title as a badge of honour!

It started as a small perfume business in Paris in 1828 by Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain. Creating fragrances for the Queen and other mega-famous people of the time, Guerlain became a household luxury name that everyone knew was THE perfume to have. It was all about fragrance, luxury and opulence; one of the bottles was specially designed for the Empress Eugénie – that bottle dates us back to 1853, where the first bee found its home with Guerlain.

It is of remarkable history that Guerlain has been one of, if not the olfactory Mecca for centuries. Even more incredible is their ongoing commitment to conserving our environment and preserving the bees. With full transparency, Guerlain’s promise is to continue to create more natural formulas (continue, because they already have such an effective sustainability action plan), a healthier product lifecycle (from manufacturing and packaging to transportation), and limited impact on our environment. Their emphasis is on their relationship with bees and their motto is “Bee Respect.”

I’ve had a love affair with Guerlain for upward of 5 years now and the more I learn about them, the deeper I fall. The Abeille Royale Eye R Repair Serum is made up of 94% natural ingredients and with one single dose, you can see the effects and feel the exceptional quality. Part of a skin care regime that reduces the signs of aging, the Double R – Renew and Repair Serum features a Ouessant Black Bee honey repair serum technology. Every day, the Abeille Royale team works to make your skin firmer and more radiant, reducing imperfections and visibility of large pores. Add the Youth Watery Oil to the mix and you’ll plump, smooth and illuminate with that same boosting Black Bee technology with exclusive Royal Jelly.

Guerlain’s commitment to protect the bees seems like an obvious initiative, but they have taken it above and beyond what can be expected from an international luxury fragrance house. They have several dedicated partnerships and meaningful initiatives dedicated to bees. From the creation of Bee School and Women for bees in partnership with UNESCO and in collaboration with the OFA to their support for the ELYX Foundation and sustainable development philanthropy programme with the Ouessant Island Brittany Black Bee Conservatory Association (to name a few), they are doing everything they can to put their love of our planet and bees at the core of their values.

Guerlain has big plans for the future and intends to derive all iconic raw materials from certified sustainable sectors by 2026 and be the benchmark in the preservation of bees worldwide. Bees are no longer the only raw material they use for the creation of their sensational collection, and so their commitment extends to all raw material including the Orchid, the queen of the climbing flowers.

They’ve had a long-standing commitment to our environment through recycling platforms (did you know you can return your empty bottle?) and their new 100% glass bottle made of recycled material and/or reduced weight.

In full transparency, Guerlain’s products and materials are all traceable, because they’ve got nothing to hide. Aligning with likeminded sustainability-oriented companies, I know that when I smooth a touch of Guerlain on my skin, I am doing right for my body and our planet.