Sweet Treatment: Using Mānuka Honey to Care for Your Skin

Do you remember when “face masks” were something you smeared on your face to soothe and soften it, not something you grab with your keys and wallet every time you leave the house? Let’s revisit those good old days, with a collection of DIY Mānuka honey-based skincare products.

Honey is a popular ingredient for the skincare kind of face mask (the other kind not so much). But not all honey is the same. When bees in New Zealand sip the nectar of Mānuka tree blossoms, they make a very special kind of honey.

What makes Mānuka honey unique? It contains a compound called methylglyoxal (MGO). MGO levels are so protective — both internally and externally — that there’s a whole grading system based on how much a batch of honey has. The higher the MGO number, the higher the grade of Mānuka honey.

At Flora, one of our favourite uses for Mānuka honey is as a moisturising treatment. It’s also a good cleanser for acne-prone skin.* ^<1><2>,<3> How can you use Mānuka honey in your skincare routine? It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Face Masks The simplest Mānuka honey face mask is just the honey itself. Use MGO 250+/10+ UMF (Unique Mānuka Factor) or a higher grade. Spread 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon on your face straight, or dilute it with a little lemon juice if it’s too thick. Leave the honey on your face for 15-30 minutes; then wash off with warm water. Easy peasy.

If you feel like getting fancier, we’ve got a few ideas. (Well, more than a few. We really love playing around with this stuff.)

• To pamper all skin types, try adding spirulina.
• For acne-prone skin, dull skin, and/or dark spots, add turmeric and cinnamon. (Just be aware turmeric can temporarily stain your skin! So maybe don’t use it right before your next Zoom call.)
• For oily skin and clogged pores, try mixing in charcoal.
• For extra-dry skin, add matcha, ground oats, and aloe vera gel.
• To reduce signs of aging and UV damage, use melted dark chocolate or cocoa powder.

2. Scrubs

Your face isn’t the only part of your body that can use some Mānuka love. Body scrubs are a great way to exfoliate that top dead layer of skin, revealing the fresh new skin underneath. And body scrubs with Mānuka are simply heavenly. Try this detoxifying Manuka & Spirulina sugar scrub .

3. Balms and Salves C

happed lips? Cuticles in distress? This Mānuka balm with shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, and almond oil is the softening savior you’ve been looking for!

Get the Real Deal

Because it’s in short supply, there’s a lot of counterfeit Mānuka honey on the market, so it pays to make sure you’re getting the genuine article. Look for the UMF^™ trademark on the jar. Better yet, if the manufacturer uses a traceability system, you can scan a code that will tell you exactly where the honey was made. (How cool is that?) Flora’s UMF^™-certified, traceable, Mānuka Honey comes from eco-friendly, 100% Maori-owned bee farms in New Zealand. It’s available in four grades, from MGO 30+ all the way to MGO 515+/15+ UMF. And it has no additives, preservatives, pesticides, or antibiotics. Sweet!

References

[1] Berkheiser K. 7 health benefits of Manuka honey, based on science. Healthline. 2018 Mar 29. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/manuka-honey-uses-benefits

[2] De Pietro M, Wilson DR. How to use Manuka honey for acne. Medical News Today. 2018 May 29. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321963#_noHeaderPrefixedContent 

3[3] Nunez K, Barr K. Manuka honey for acne and skin benefits: masks, face wash and more. MindBodyGreen. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-16890/manuka-honey-why-its-great-for-your-skin.html