Manuka Honey is an extraordinary ingredient.
We use the highest grade of Manuka Honey 20+ in many of our natural plant-based skincare products including the Face Wash, Exfoliating Manuka Mask, and Lip Balm.
Manuka Honey comes from New Zealand where it is produced by bees pollinating the Manuka bush. The difference between this honey and the honey you buy at your local grocery store is it has incredible antibacterial properties. Although honey has been used to treat infection for over 4,000 years, it was not recognized until recently that honey produced from the nectar of certain flowers contains a significantly greater ability to aid healing and resolve infection, largely due to a greater concentration of methylglyoxal (MGO). MGO is found in Manuka Honey. The antibacterial properties has earned it the name Unique Manuka Factor (UMF).
Manuka Honey is also known to fight infection by several additional means, including peroxide activity, acidic pH, viscosity, as well as anti-inflammatory properties.
It was approved by the US FDA in 2007 for use in wound dressings, and has been studied extensively in regard to its antibacterial properties. It is known to be effective against the primary bacteria that cause skin infections, such as Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, E. Coli, Pseudomonas, and a dozen more, and without the development of resistance, as is common with antibiotic use.
In addition to its antibacterial properties, Manuka Honey helps decrease inflammation that slows wound healing, and also stimulates the production of cells that can repair wounded skin, leading to quicker, more effective healing. The combination of these healing properties is thought to make Manuka Honey an effective natural remedy for inflammatory skin disorders (such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne) that are often complicated by bacterial contamination. It has even been shown to help prevent dermatitis due to radiation treatment for breast cancer.
In addition to these amazing properties, Manuka Honey also acts as a humectant, meaning it helps your skin retain moisture to stay well-hydrated, without creating an oily feel. This is incredibly helpful with aging skin or other conditions prone to dryness.
OY-L Manuka Honey Face Wash helps to cleanse, purify, soothe, and restore. It’s the perfect honey-oil mix for all skin types. It contains both Manuka Honey and wild-crafted honey, combined with all-natural oils including hemp seed, meadowfoam, grapeseed, lavender, and vitamin E. Reviews for this item are stellar, claiming it is the only thing that has cleared up their cystic acne.
OY-L Exfoliating Manuka Mask combines Manuka Honey with exfoliating agents and fragrances found in nature. Our customers describe it as “addictive.” This mask gently exfoliates your face while acting as a pore clarifier as it hydrates your skin.
Our Lip Balm is available in three delicious scents, Manuka Latte, Orange Rose, and Lemon Mint. Each formula contains Manuka Honey and helps restore moisture to the lips.
Research data compiled from Healthline here and the resources below:
Alvarez-Suarez, J. M., Gasparrini, M., Forbes-Hernández, T. Y., Mazzoni, L., & Giampieri, F. (2014). The Composition and Biological Activity of Honey: A Focus on Manuka Honey. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 3(3), 420-432. doi:10.3390/foods3030420
McLoone, P., Oluwadun, A., Warnock, M., & Fyfe, L. (2016). Honey: A Therapeutic Agent for Disorders of the Skin. Central Asian journal of global health, 5(1), 241. doi:10.5195/cajgh.2016.241
