Manuka Honey is KING
So brief disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist or an herbalist. I am someone who tries to find the simplest ways to get maximum results, naturally. I've been very vocal on this here blog about my skin. That time I called myself not so pretty and healed my face in a week was really the beginning of my slight obsession with natural products. Now I won't say I get all Martha Stewart in the kitchen and make everything myself. I don't have time or patience for that. But I do try to find products that have the least amount of chemicals. And thus began my slight obsession with manuka honey.
One Friday night in, I was watching Hey Fran Hey videos and I came across one about a honey facial. That lead to me doing research on honey facial masks. So I figured, I have honey in the kitchen pantry, I have oats and I have plain greek yogurt. So I watched a few more YouTube videos and applied the paste to my face. Almost immediately after removing it, my face broke out in the craziest rash!! Why? I did not use raw honey; I used the stupid one in the bear bottle. DO NOT USE THIS ON YOUR FACE. Also, I did not like the Chobani brand of plain greek yogurt. Something about their products that smell really spoiled. Only make enough for one mask and make sure you use the yogurt up before it starts to funk up. I recently bought the Kroger brand plain greek nonfat yogurt and there was no smell.So anyway, after doing more research on raw honey's, specifically manuka honey, I came upon Trader Joe's Manuka Honey
What is Manuka Honey
- rare honey produced from the nectar of a manuka flower native to New Zealand
What are the Benefits of Manuka Honey
- anti-microbial
- antibacterial
- antiviral
- anti-fungal
- antiseptic
- anti-inflammatory
- anti-oxidant
- antibiotic
At this point, manuka honey is just showing off. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it were an anti-depressant. You da real MVP, manuka.
Uses of Manuka Honey
- Internally:
- It has been known to be effective in treating stomach ulcers, gastritis and other digestive issues.
- Got a cold? Sore throat? Turns out the 'spoonful of sugar' that helps the medicine go down is actually manuka honey. I totally just made that up. But it is good for those bacterial infections.
- Topically:
- Slather that bad boy on any skin infection, bite or cut and see what it do. Acne, be gone. Eczema, you tried it. Ringworm, please.
- For kissable lips: manuka honey + brown sugar
- For glowing skin: manuka honey + tumeric
- For clear skin: manuka honey + ground cinnamon
How I Apply My Manuka Honey + Yogurt + Oats Mask
- Cleanse the skin.
- Apply the mixture. (I don't measure. Just put enough for one-time use. Research videos on YouTube if you like.)
- Let it sit for 15-20 minutes. You'll know when to take it off. It'll start flaking all over the place.
- Apply your aloe vera gel to seal in moisture.
After doing some more research about different brands, I came across a review for the honey about a brand I considered purchasing. That awkward moment when one of your favorite natural people recommend a brand that is not only advertising falsely but charging people an arm and a leg at that. PLOT TWIST. I won't get into it in this post but she basically gave facts detailing the important things you should know and where to research about manuka honey. You can read that review here.
How to Choose the Right Manuka Honey Brand
- Make sure that it is liscensed. There are 57 registered liscencees. Your jar should have a 4-digit number. Check to see if it is on this list.
- The higher the "unique manuka factor" (UMF), the more healing properties it has.
- Look for the AMHA (Active Manuka Honey Association) seal. The jar you purchase should have a date of manufacturing, a best before date, and a batch number.
My Trader Joe's jar is almost done and I'll most likely purchase the Comvita Manuka Honey 