Manuka Honey for Acne – Does it Work?

Acne is often the skin’s reaction to factors such as stress, poor diet and hormonal changes. According to Health Engine, it is estimated that 95-100% of 16-17-year-old boys and 83-85% of 16-17-year-old girls are affected by acne in Australia.

While there are many medical products on the market to treat acne, Manuka honey may be an effective natural remedy for teenage skin.

People have used Manuka honey for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, so we thought we’d give it a go!

We started using AB’s Honey Manuka Honey on the face of a family member who suffers from occasional teenage acne. She used AB’s Manuka Honey MGO 900+ daily as a cleanser and spot treatment over a trial period of one month.

What we saw…

• Improvements to the skin’s appearance after just one week
• Visibly reduced pimples and redness after just one week
• Skin was more moisturised and not so oily
• A happy teenager!

We all know Manuka honey has long been touted as a super-honey, and for good reason. Our family member swears she won’t use anything else! Scroll down for our DIY Manuka Honey face masks.

How to use Manuka honey for acne

People can use Manuka Honey MGO 900+ for acne and skin conditions in many ways, including:

As a spot treatment

Try dabbing a small amount of Manuka Honey MGO 900+ on a pimple and leaving it on to dry.

As a cleanser

Massage a pea-sized amount of  Manuka Honey MGO 900+ into the skin for a minute and then rinse it off to help cleanse the face.

As a mask

We’ve come up with a few DIY face masks to try…

DIY Manuka Honey Face Masks

1. Manuka Honey Face Mask

Ingredients:

• AB’s Manuka Honey MGO 900+

Method:

1. Just lather your face in AB’s Honey Manuka Honey, sit back and relax for 30 minutes
2. Rinse off with warm water

2. Manuka Honey & Banana Face Mask

Ingredients:

• ½ banana
• 2 tablespoons AB’s Honey Manuka Honey MGO 900+
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Peel the banana and mash it in a bowl
2. Add the AB’s Honey Manuka Honey and cinnamon and mix together
3. Apply to face, leave for about 15 minutes, then wash off with warm water

3. Manuka Honey & Green Tea Face Mask

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of Matcha Green tea powder
• 2 tablespoons AB’s Manuka Honey MGO 900+
• Water – add one teaspoon to check consistency. Add if required.

Method:

1. Mix AB’s Honey Manuka Honey and green tea together. Add water if the paste is too thick.
2. Leave on for 15-20 minutes then wash off with warm water.

Australian vs New Zealand Manuka Honey

Leptosperin has been linked to the authentication of Manuka honey and to it’s human health benefits. New research from the the University of the Sunshine Coast shows Leptosperin levels in Australian Manuka were up to nearly three times that found in New Zealand Manuka Honey.