Manuka honey comes from bees that feed on the flowers of New Zealand's manuka bush, and it carries far more of a compound called MGO (methylglyoxal) than regular honey does. As food, the two are nearly the same thing; the real differences are in how manuka is tested and priced, and in why it has become a favorite ingredient for dry, sensitive skin.
If you're in the honey aisle wondering whether the pricey jar is worth it for your tea, it probably isn't. On dry skin, though, honey's knack for pulling in moisture and holding on to it starts to matter.
The quick comparison
| Regular honey | Manuka honey | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it comes from | Bees visiting many kinds of flowers, such as clover or wildflowers | Bees feeding mainly on the manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium), native to New Zealand |
| What makes it distinct | Flavor and color depend on the flowers | Naturally high in MGO |
| Taste and texture | Sweet and runny, with a mild taste | Thick, creamy, darker, earthy and a little bitter |
| How it's graded | Mostly by color and flavor | Lab-tested and labeled with an MGO number or a similar rating |
| Price | Inexpensive | Often several times the price, rising with the number |
| Best used for | Everyday cooking and your morning tea | When you want manuka specifically, on the spoon or in skincare |
Is manuka honey better than regular honey?
Nutritionally, there's very little between them. Both are mostly natural sugars, with about the same calories per spoonful. If you want a sweetener, regular honey does the job for a fraction of the price.
The gap is in the chemistry. Everyday honeys have only traces of MGO. In manuka, that compound is what the number on the jar measures, and it's most of what you're paying for.
For skin, what matters most is something every honey shares: it naturally attracts and holds moisture. Manuka just brings that in a thicker, richer form.
What does the number on a manuka label mean?
"MGO 263+" means the honey was tested at 263 milligrams or more of methylglyoxal per kilogram. Higher number, more MGO.
Some jars carry a different rating instead, from a grading scheme run by a New Zealand industry association. That scheme also checks a natural marker that shows the honey really is manuka, and its numbers map onto MGO ranges. Either way, you're looking for a number that came from a lab test.
Which number do you need?
For eating, a low or mid number is plenty. The top grades cost a lot more and won't taste better.
In skincare, the grade describes the honey before it went into the formula, so it can't tell you how a cream will feel. Ask any brand which grade of manuka they use and where it sits in the ingredient list.
Why is manuka honey so expensive?
Supply is small and demand is big. Manuka honey comes mainly from one plant, native to New Zealand, and a poor flowering season means less of it, while buyers all over the world want it. On top of that, graded manuka has to be lab-tested, and the number on the jar costs money to prove.
How can you tell if manuka honey is real?
Because it's pricey, manuka gets imitated and blended. Before you buy a jar, check for:
- A number with testing behind it. Look for an MGO figure or another lab-tested rating. Vague words like "active" or "total activity" with no number don't tell you much.
- A licence number, if the jar carries an industry grading mark. Licensed jars show the licensee's number.
- Made and packed in New Zealand. Look for "Product of New Zealand" and a New Zealand packer.
- A price that makes sense. A high grade at a supermarket-honey price is a red flag.
- A thick, creamy texture. Manuka is usually noticeably denser than runny table honey, though texture alone can't prove it's real.
Manuka honey vs raw honey: aren't they the same thing?
"Raw" describes how a honey was handled: it isn't heated or heavily filtered. "Manuka" describes which flower it came from. A jar of manuka can be raw or heated and filtered, and a raw honey doesn't have to be manuka at all. We go deeper in Manuka Honey vs Raw Honey: The Difference in Benefits.
Can you put manuka honey on your face?
Plenty of people smooth a thin layer of straight honey over clean, slightly damp skin and rinse it off with warm water after 10 to 15 minutes. Do a small patch test first, and skip it if you're allergic to honey or bee products.
Straight honey is sticky, though. It drips and gets in your hair, so you can't wear it out the door. On your body it's even less practical, which is why most of us meet manuka in a cream rather than a jar.
What manuka honey does in a skin cream
A good cream has two jobs. It has to bring moisture to dry skin, and it has to keep it there long after you've rubbed it in. You know the cream that feels lovely for ten minutes, then leaves your skin as tight as before? That's a cream doing only the first job.
Honey helps with the first job: it naturally draws moisture in and holds it. Butters and oils handle the second, softening rough patches and slowing the dry-out. Put them together in the right base and you get rich moisture that soaks in instead of sitting on top.
Our Manuka Honey Cream is built exactly that way, and the label shows it:
- Aloe vera is the first ingredient. Most creams start with water. We don't add water; we use organic aloe instead.
- Manuka honey from New Zealand.
- Shea butter and coconut oil to soften rough, dry patches, with hemp seed oil to help dry skin feel softer and more supple.
- Cehami flower extract, an Australian botanical we include for its soothing feel on dry skin.
- pH balanced and fragrance free. You'll notice a light, natural smell with a hint of honey.
- Made without petrolatum, mineral oil, PEGs or parabens.
It's fast-absorbing and non-greasy, so it won't leave a film on your sheets or your sleeves. It comes in 4 oz ($24) and 8 oz ($38). On orders from our website, our return window is currently 60 days (see our return policy).
A simple routine for dry, sensitive skin
- Keep showers short and warm, not hot. Use a gentle, sulfate-free wash instead of bar soap.
- Pat dry and leave skin a little damp. Honey holds on to water, so give it some to hold.
- Moisturize within a few minutes. A fingertip of cream is enough for an elbow or a shin. Work it in until it disappears.
- Go heavier at night on the roughest spots. On hands and heels, put on a thicker layer and slip on cotton gloves or socks before bed.
- Use the face version on your face. The Manuka Honey Cream is fine on your face, but if you want something lighter, the Manuka Honey Face Cream (2 oz) is made for it.
- Judge it after a month, not a morning. Use it every day for at least 30 days. That's how you find out whether the softness lasts past the first ten minutes.
FAQ
Is manuka honey better than regular honey for skin?
Both honeys attract and hold moisture. Manuka is thicker and richer, and it's the honey many skincare makers choose. What matters more is the formula around it: what the base is and what's been left out.
Does a higher MGO number mean a better skin cream?
Not on its own. The number describes the honey before it was blended into the cream. Check where manuka sits in the ingredient list, then judge the cream by how your skin feels an hour later.
Does a manuka honey cream smell like honey?
Ours has no added fragrance. Most people notice a light, natural smell with a hint of honey from the manuka itself.
Will a honey cream feel sticky?
It shouldn't. In a well-made cream, honey is one ingredient among many and the texture comes from the whole formula. Ours soaks in and isn't greasy.
Start with the label. Ours starts with aloe, not water. See the Manuka Honey Cream's full ingredient list