Should I Use Manuka Honey For My Skin?
As the beauty industry continues to move toward clean formulas and transparency with ingredients, you're going to start seeing more words listed on your product's packaging that you associate with food, not skin care, because they're packed with beauty benefits. Manuka honey is one of them.
Manuka honey, which originates from Australia and New Zealand, has started popping up in more skin care products, like moisturizers, cleansers, and face masks, because brands are catching on to the power of this natural ingredient. While regular honey boasts soothing, brightening, and moisturizing properties, manuka honey packs a perk that makes it more unique.
Keep reading to find out what that is and why manuka honey should be part of your skin care routine on a daily basis!
Understanding Why Manuka Honey Is Different from Other Kinds of Honey
They call honey the “nectar of the Gods,” and based on its myriad benefits, it makes perfect sense why. Beyond simply being a natural sweetener for your tea, honey is a decadent beauty elixir with countless healing properties. Specifically, there are particular benefits of manuka honey for skin that go above and beyond. For some quick background: Manuka honey is a stronger, darker variety created by bees that feed on manuka flowers, which are found in New Zealand.
It’s made by bees that pollinate the flower Lemtospremum scoparium, which is also known as the manuka bush. The honey's antibacterial properties make it distinct from regular honey.
This key difference between the two comes from an enzyme in the manuka, or tea tree, bush. The nectar from Tea Tree Bush flowers creates an extraordinary enzyme called methylglyoxal (MGO), which gives manuka honey more antimicrobial properties than any other variety of honey. Traditionally, it has a long history of use by the Maori people of New Zealand for its wound-healing abilities, but it's grown in recent popularity for its ability to reinforce the skin's lipids (hydration) while also clarifying and soothing the skin — an ideal combination for use in skin care.
Interestingly, the use of honey in skin care dates back to ancient times. Ancient cultures around the world have appreciated honey’s benefits, and it has been used for skin ailments like wounds and burns since B.C. The great news is that you don’t have to rely exclusively on DIY recipes to incorporate it into your skin care routine; it’s now easier than ever to find manuka honey in elegant formulas.
It's been popping up in products like soothing shower gels and nourishing body lotions and conditioners, all that are infused with the skin-loving ingredient! More on that below, along with some of the key skin care benefits we love manuka honey for, such as:
A Potent Antibacterial
Manuka honey has many skin benefits, but its main benefit is related to its ability to fight off bad bacteria, fungus, and other microbes that might grow on compromised skin. Manuka honey, in other words, is an ideal ingredient for a body wash. Just don't rely on it as your sole defense against bacne. While it does have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, it may not be a replacement for traditional acne treatments.
A Moisturizer
While it’s good for all skin types, those with dry skin will especially love its humectant qualities, which help draw in moisture. Manuka honey is effective at hydrating the skin, which is why we’ve started to see this ingredient pop up in many face masks, moisturizers, and body washes. And while it may not replace a higher medical therapy for eczema sufferers, those with eczema or psoriasis may actually also benefit from the hydrating qualities of a manuka-honey-infused body wash. Wild Naturals is a sulfate- and paraben-free formula that helps relieve stressed, dry skin in seconds. Just lather it up all over, and then rinse!
A Skin Healer
An interesting quality of manuka honey is that it actually helps skin repair itself. Its potent anti-microbial effect helps wound healing by encouraging the skin’s natural repair mechanisms to work at their best. This quality makes manuka honey inherently soothing.
An Exfoliator
There is also evidence that manuka honey has mild exfoliating effects. Its anti-microbial properties help slough away dead skin cells. Try a rich body cream like our Psoriasis & Eczema Cream with Manuka Honey, Coconut Oil & Shea Butter, which helps renew stressed skin and help heal those stubborn dry patches. The added bonus of shea butter and manuka honey is that they act as an anti-inflammatory. Simply massage all over your skin anytime of the day or night! (It’s non-greasy too.)
If you want to start incorporating the powerhouse ingredient into your routine, try one of the manuka honey skin care products from Wild Naturals and see the amazing results for yourself!
