Is New Zealand Honey Better Than Regular Honey in Skin Care?

 

I was down, visiting New Zealand, earlier this year and one thing that came out of the trip was how proud the people were of their special honey, also known as Manuka Honey.  This honey is produced from the flowers of the Manuka tree found only in New Zealand and parts of Australia. Manuka honey is said to have better therapeutic and antimicrobial properties than regular honey since it contains Methyglyoxlal and hydrogen peroxide.  

In addition, Manuka honey also contains lots of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B3, potassium, zinc, and antioxidant compounds such as phenols and flavonoids which neutralize free radicals. The  honey helps block the damage these free radicals cause so you don't age as fast.

According to what I could find, this honey helps improve skin that is prone to acne by decreasing the amount of redness and helping inflamed skin. The two compounds mentioned earlier are great at killing bacteria so your skin is better able to heal. There are suggestions that it possibly fights infection while boosting healing.  In addition, it helps repair cellular damage at the same time it encourages skin regeneration. It has such a good reputation for healing that it is often used in clinical settings.  Manuka honey is also known for balancing your skin's pH, while helping get rid of dead skin cells. 

Furthermore, Manuka honey also works as a moisturizer due to it's humectant and emollient properties.  Remember humectants draw moisture from the air and deposit them on your skin while emollients fill the spaces between skin cells so your skin is softer. It is in this dual way that the honey hydrates your skin and causes your skin to look dewy.

You can either use it straight or you can invest in skincare products that contain it.  If you use it straight, you can clean your face by massaging a pea sized amount of honey all over before rinsing it off.  You can also mix the honey with ground oats and lemon juice as a mask. Mix it, apply it all over your face and leave for 15 minutes before washing off.

When shopping for Manuka honey, you want one that has a UMF or Unique Manuka Factor of 15 or more and an MGO or methylglyoxal rating of at least 250. Furthermore, make sure it comes from New Zealand so it is the actual item. It will be a bit expensive and the cheaper ones are not always what you want.  So know you know why Manuka honey is considered better than regular honey, especially for skin care.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.