What’s the Best Ingredient to Have in Face Wash?

There are so many varieties of skin type facial cleansers and key ingredients to boast on the box, but what is actually the best ingredient to have in face wash? While certain acids and peptides are great for keeping skin clear and youthful, there’s really only one that can do it all: anti-aging, acne-fighting, healing, hydrating, and soothing. Can you guess which skin care ingredient checks every one of those boxes?

The Power of Manuka Honey Face Wash

You might have heard of it, though just as a refresher—manuka honey is a honey native to New Zealand with above-average antibacterial properties, making it a natural choice to heal and prevent acne. It’s natural antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and amino acid content make it a powerhouse for all the major skin concerns we all have.

To harness the power of manuka honey in your skin care routine, ideally you want to use it as a cleanser morning and night, or a 20-minute face mask. The natural substance is safe on even the most sensitive skin types and is a main natural treatment for skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea.

All manuka honey is given a bioactive rating that determines the level of antibacterial compounds inside. In order to fight acne and heal the skin, look for Manuka honey with a bioactive rating of 20+.

The concept of pantry skin care is nothing new — people have been using coconut oil for both cooking and moisturizing for years, and apple cider vinegar has long been hailed as the best natural toner around — but it can still be surprising when you hear someone says that they wash their face with manuka honey to combat the dry, itchy rash around their eyes or how it’s their go-to for helping reduce breakouts. Honey is a common ingredient in DIY face masks and usually mixed with yogurt or lemon juice, but cleansing with pure honey? Wouldn't that get sticky?

While this is certainly an option, the most efficient and normalized way to incorporate it is to find a skin care product that has a high density of manuka honey in its ingredient list. When you wash your face with manuka honey twice daily you should see a remarkable difference where perhaps your usual flaky, acne-prone skin is now the bouncy texture and natural glow of your dreams!

If you haven't already, you need to make manuka part of your daily skin care routine stat.

Manuka honey is not to be interchangeable with standard, raw, or organic honey, though. Why? Manuka is a honey specific to New Zealand, made by the bees that feed on the country's native manuka bushes. The level of antibacterial, antimicrobial and its methylglyoxal compound (it's actually been found to kill MRSA-, E. Coli-, and Staph-causing bacteria as well) far exceed any other type of honey on the market. It's been used by locals for centuries as a do-it-all healing balm by being able to treat:

• Infections
• Soothe irritations with anti-inflammatory benefits
• Regenerate damaged skin tissue

In modern times, it's especially known for its skin-healing properties and can be found in burn units to treat severe cases. As a cleanser, mask or even spot treatment, manuka honey has the ability to calm and moisturize reactive skin in more ways than one. It nourishes the healthy bacteria on the skin's microbiome and prevents acne-causing bacteria from multiplying. In addition, this sweet substance is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture from the air, delivers it to the skin, and seals it in for supple, hydrated skin year-round!

It's literally the liquid gold of skin care products.

However, not all Manuka honey has the same skin-saving power. Every jar of Manuka that's made is tested and given something called a bioactive rating, which indicates its level of antibacterial activity. Mild Manuka can have a bioactive rating of 5+, while stronger strains rank as high as 24+. Manuka honey needs a bio active factor of at least 20+ in order to treat acne and inflammation — the go-to jar is Manuka Doctor 24+ for DIY face masks and daily consumption of it for its health benefits.

You can — and should — even ingest the miracle product. A spoonful of manuka honey a day helps rebalance the bacteria in your gut and improve digestion. It's also a must for healing sore throats and has been shown to prevent tooth decay and fight gingivitis! (Is there anything it can't do?)

Using Manuka Honey Face Wash Without the Sticky Mess

A face wash should be able to accomplish two main functions:

• Help take off residual makeup to keep pores clear
• Remove excess oil and buildup without stripping the skin of moisture

Mainstream beauty companies are starting to catch on to the power of manuka honey and yet still dilute their products with preservatives, fragrance, chemicals, and more of weaker ingredients than the ones that should be front and center. At Wild Naturals, manuka honey is the star ingredient and is highlighted prominently in every product. We believe in putting forward skin care and hair care that produce the beautiful results you want for your body.

With manuka honey as the cure-all ingredient for any of your skin concerns, it is — and likely always will be — the only cleanser you need. Shop the Wild Naturals online store to discover the full line of manuka honey skin care products that will transform your skin!