Welcome to Robb Recommends, a regular series in which our editors and contributors endorse something they’ve tried and loved—and think will change your life for the better. If you purchase a product or service through a link in this story, we may receive a small commission.
A year ago, Guerlain launched one of my absolute, all-time favorite serums, Abeille Royale Double R Renew & Repair Advanced Serum (and I certainly wasn’t the only fan at Robb Report). Soon after came an equally outstanding face oil, Abeille Royale Youth Watery Oil. So, my interest was instantly piqued at the announcement of this year’s Abeille Royale hair care assortment, which recently launched with four products—a shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and scalp/hair serum..
For the non-Francophones, “Abeille” means “bee” in French, and these “Royal Bee” products harness the many renewing and revitalizing properties of honey (four different honeys, in fact, from Brittany and Corsica in France, as well as two others from Greece and Finland). Guerlain adds its own small-batch protein-rich Royal Jelly to each recipe, too. All in, Abeille Royal’s products are chock full of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that fortify skin and hair alike (and the scalp, at that).
The new hair care products absolutely hold court with the skincare goods. We deployed them into two different heads of hair in my household: Mine with long, straight, thick hair, and my partner’s with short, wavy, fine hair. I think we’ve got three 5-star products on hand, and one 4-star product.
Guerlain Abeille Royale Revitalizing & Fortifying Care Shampoo
Nordstrom
The shampoo: 5 stars
A terrific universal shampoo—and really honeylike itself. I in particular had an easy time getting through my nest of hair and massaging it into the scalp (both tops and sides), which I strangely can’t say for most shampoos. This one doesn’t fuss. And for my partner, who uses shampoo way more frequently than me, this one has prevented any dry spells and flakes by remaining supremely nourishing during its cleansings.
Guerlain Abeille Royale Repairing & Replumping Care Conditioner
Nordstrom
The conditioner: 4 stars
While I like the conditioner overall, I found it to be better suited to my partner, since his hair regimen is less demanding than mine. When I used the conditioner in my full head of hair, it didn’t leave things as smooth as I would have liked; I preferred using it on my ends as opposed to throughout the entire mess. (In theory, that’s where conditioner goes in long hair—the midpoints and ends—but I get frizzy all over unless I condition all over, and I think this conditioner only got me halfway to the point of smoothness as others I use. That’s not to say it’s inferior to those; I just prefer to use a conditioner specifically targeted to my hair type and needs, and this one isn’t it. All said, my partner loves this one, and finds it lightweight enough for his fine strands so that he can still get volume and texture when he styles. So, for most guys, I’d still happily endorse this conditioner. (I think I’m more finicky than most.)
Guerlain Abeille Royale Double R Radiance & Revitalization Mask
Nordstrom
The hair mask: 5 stars
Here’s where we really kick things into high gear. This mask is fun to squeeze out of the bottle, because it’s separated into two halves, both of which you can see from the outside. There’s the translucent honey blend in the outer layer and the opaque balm on the inside, so when you squeeze the tube, you get this blend that looks like a soft-serve ice cream swirl. I used this mask a few times in advance of this writeup (on the non-conditioner days) and had terrific, vibrant hair days on both occasions. Eye-catching healthy shine, minimal frizz, and a noticeable fullness, too. It’s a 10-minute treatment whenever you need a serious re-up. Admittedly, my partner didn’t benefit from it much. His hair looked and felt soft afterwards, but given that it’s maybe 1.5 inches long, there isn’t much wear to repair. So, we’ll just point to the radiance and conditioning bennies.
Guerlain Abeille Royale Scalp & Hair Youth-Oil-In Serum
Nordstrom
The scalp and hair serum: 5 stars
I’ve saved my favorite for last. Here’s a serum that targets the scalp and is meant to create a really harmonious environment for your follicles, so that they can grow thicker, plumper, stronger hairs. Now, I only really put that kind of faith in hair loss medicines, which I take regularly. Plus, I haven’t used this serum long enough to be able to confirm or deny; because I’m tossing that metric out the window, I’m instead more concerned with the serum’s finishing effects on my long hair. It is really non-sticky to apply at the scalp, and easy to massage in without building any residue. Then, when I massage the remaining serum through my strands, I get this lion-like texture and body in my hair, which catches the light at every which angle. It’s even had me wearing my shoulder-length hair down more often than tied back, since I’m reassured that it’s going to stay presentable all day (in a big way, too). My partner found it less valuable for his super short hair in terms of taming, but it did give him a nice, barely-there control, almost like a hair oil or salt spray. Add to that the eye-catching shine, and it’s still a win. Maybe more useful in longer hairs, but still something I’d happily endorse to anyone.
I’ll be curious to see what’s next from the Abeille Royale line. So far, it’s no skips.
