Royal Jelly for Skin Health

Research suggests that royal jelly and its derived peptides show some promise for skin health, though the evidence base is limited and mixed in places. Two relevant studies were identified: a 2024 laboratory study found that trypsin-hydrolyzed royal jelly peptides reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in human dermal fibroblasts, with the hydrolyzed form outperforming unhydrolyzed royal jelly protein, and a 2025 small clinical study of 40 women using a multi-ingredient bee-derived face serum reported positive self-reported improvements in fine lines, dryness, and overall skin appearance, though objective dermatologist assessments yielded more inconsistent results across measures like pigmentation and redness. It is worth noting that the clinical study tested royal jelly alongside manuka honey and bee venom, making it impossible to attribute any effects to royal jelly alone, and laboratory findings do not always translate to real-world skin outcomes. A third linked study concerned unrelated neuroscience research and contributed no relevant evidence. Overall, the current human evidence is preliminary and limited, and more controlled clinical trials isolating royal jelly as an ingredient would be needed to draw firmer conclusions.