Honey
A natural humectant with antioxidant polyphenols that softens, soothes and hydrates; Manuka honey is the variety most used in skincare.
mel, honey extract, mel extract, Manuka honey, raw honey
Dry & dehydrated skin · Sensitive skin · All skin types
What it does
With skin soothing, softening and moisturising abilities, honey helps protect the skin against free radicals, thanks to its antioxidant polyphenols, all the while helping to keep skin looking and feeling healthy. It’s ideal for dry skin, and gentle enough for blemish-prone and easily irritated skin.
How it works
Honey is mostly natural sugars, with small amounts of amino acids, vitamins, enzymes and antioxidant polyphenols, and is well known for its soothing properties. Honey's reputation in wound care belongs to specially prepared medical honey, a regulated medical product; in skincare, honey is valued as a gentle hydrator. A humectant, honey hydrates and retains moisture in the skin, and can be used on all types of skin from the super dry right through to oily and blemish-prone. Manuka honey, made by bees that feed on the manuka bush of New Zealand and Australia, is the variety most often named in skincare; manuka oil, distilled from the same plant's leaves, is a different ingredient.
MG says
Apply Manuka or raw honey as a mask to nourish and calm dry, stressed skin: a fine layer after cleansing, left for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinsed off before your serums and creams. In a formula, Eighth Day's The Regenerative Serum pairs Manuka honey with peptides and hyaluronic acid; it is a mainstay in my own regime and one we use in many of our studio treatments.
Cautions
Honey is generally well tolerated, but if you're allergic to bee products, such as propolis or royal jelly, or to pollen, avoid it or patch test first. For a DIY mask, use pure honey on clean, unbroken skin and rinse it off thoroughly.
