Have you tried manuka honey yet? Of all people, it was my grandad who first introduced me to the sweet, almost citrus-dipped honey that hails all the way from New Zealand and New Zealand alone. As he’s got older, he has become more conscious of the foods he eats, and a high grade manuka honey is great for its antibacterial health properties as much as well as just being delicious.
With the cold weather making its way to the UK, manuka honey is showing as an innovative ingredient in natural skincare, with some really great benefits too. New Zealand-based certified natural brand Living Nature is leading this innovative crossover; they’ve been formulating products with botanical extracts and manuka honey since 1987 and on their 30th birthday, their range spans from cleansers to spot creams, toning gel to pure manuka oil.
I’ve been really enjoying their Manuka Honey Oil and Vitalising Cleanser as of late, both being gentle on my skin and helping me to protect my face from all the wind and rain I’m putting it through when I’m cycling! Here are my top reasons why I’ve been loving both so much, and will continue to explore Living Nature’s manuka range…
1. It’s antimicrobial
That means it’s good for keeping germs at bay! Manuka honey is famous for being naturally antimicrobial, which is great for both the harsher weather, as well as stuffy home and office environments that promote the growth of bacteria and in turn, poorer health.
2. It’s gentle
Like much of the Living Nature range, their manuka skincare is paired with natural ingredients to be kind to all skin types. The cleanser leaves me feeling clean, but not dried out, while the manuka gel, which contains manuka honey and manuka oil, is light and quick to absorb.
3. It’s good for spots
Let’s admit it: sometimes I get spots, and you probably do too. When I’m stressed, when I’m eating too much sugar, when I’m on my period… hello spots. Luckily, the manuka gel I’ve been using is specially formulated for spot-prone skin, keeping redness calm and helping my spots to heal faster.
4. It reduces redness
I used to have a real problem with redness – I’ve never been sure whether it’s to do with my gut health, but I’ve found over the years that exercise, eating well, and a good skincare routine have reduced the problem a lot. Manuka honey skincare is the holy grail if you have the same issues as I once did – the honey helps pores to receive oxygen while preventing microbes from causing inflammation.
5. It heals skin
It might not be the elixir of life, but it certainly is good for helping your skin look after itself. Manuka honey skincare can help skin heal quicker due to its antimicrobial properties, which in turn can improve skin’s appearance quicker and even reduce scarring.
This post is sponsored by Botanical Brands, sole UK distributor for the Living Nature range.
