Ingredient Spotlight: Manuka Honey

Honey has been used for healing wounds for centuries. New Zealand Manuka honey is particularly effective, as some strains of it contain a Unique Manuka Factor (UMF). The higher the UMF number, the stronger the healing and antiseptic properties.

I have a jar of UMF 20+ Manuka honey, which I use for putting on cuts and burns. I used to use it as a weekly facial mask, but now I use a clay mask instead.

At the end of October last year, Manuka honey brand Comvita launched Huni, a skincare range using UMF 20+ Manuka honey as a signature ingredient. To quote their website (http://www.comvitahuni.com/):

'Huni™ is made in New Zealand and the natural ingredients are free from parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate detergents, artificial colours and genetically-modified plant materials.'

The packaging is pretty funky, with hexagonal bottles (imitating the shape of the beehive - it actually took me a while to figure this out!) and colours that evoke honey.

The range consists of:

Everyday Cleanser $38.99
Any Time Toning Mist $28.99
Every Day Moisturiser $45
Every Night Moisturiser $48.99
All Day Body Lotion $35
Every Day Soaps (available in Every Day Kowhai Soap, Every Day Propolis Soap, and Every Day Royal Jelly Soap) $9.99 each
Every Day Whitening $48.99
Night & Day Serum $69

I found those prices on their website - they will probably vary from store to store. The products can be bought from Life Pharmacy and Health 2000 stores. I'm quite keen to try the Every Day Whitening, which is intended to help reduce the effects of pigmentation. I have quite a few red marks on my face from acne (which is now gone, but the red marks are still there, if you follow), and a product like this might help to fade them. However, it is intended for normal to dry skin, so I'm not sure if it would be too pore-clogging for me. It is also quite pricey, though I guess a little probably goes a long way, as you're supposed to apply it to specific dark spots, rather than over the entire face.

Another range that uses Manuka honey as a signature ingredient is Living Nature. A number of their body and haircare products contain Manuka honey, as do all of their facial skincare products (except for Night Radiance Oil), and men's products.