If mānuka isn’t already part of your skincare routine, your skin has been missing out. Mānuka has traditionally been used in New Zealand as a natural remedy for generations, but it’s starting to gain popularity in the skincare world – and for good reason. The potential health benefits of putting mānuka honey on skin range from assisting in the healing of wounds and scarring through to helping with eczema. Even better – the use of mānuka oil for skin health exceeds these benefits due to its strong antibacterial properties. Research has found that mānuka oil is a strong antioxidant with antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory qualities. It’s even been shown to reduce signs of premature aging caused by sun damage. Keen to learn more? Keep reading.
Begin your mānuka oil skincare routine
Is putting mānuka honey on your face good?
Anyone who explores homemade skincare recipes will quickly notice that honey is a frequently mentioned ingredient. Research suggests that mānuka honey in particular can help with a variety of skin health concerns related to skin irritation and wound healing. It also makes a great homemade face mask due to its antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
Multiple studies have explored the effects of applying mānuka honey to skin wounds and scars. One paper, which looked into the effects of mānuka honey on eyelid wounds and scarring, found that it may provide benefits when it’s applied early.
Research has also found that mānuka honey can potentially be helpful when applied to eczema. When adult volunteers applied mānuka honey to their eczema every night for one week, their eczema significantly improved in comparison to volunteers who didn’t use it. However, further research is needed.
Scientists praise mānuka honey as being antimicrobial, antibacterial and a strong antioxidant – all properties which help to support skin health. Antimicrobial peptides help to protect your skin from infection, antibacterial properties can help wounded skin to heal and antioxidants can be great for supporting the health of your skin cells.
Is mānuka oil stronger than mānuka honey?
If the thought of spreading mānuka honey on your face now sounds tempting – think of mānuka oil as an upgrade. Distilled from the mānuka plant, mānuka oil (specifically East Cape Manuka oil) has up to 1000 times more effectiveness as an antibacterial than mānuka honey. Because mānuka oil has such strong antibacterial properties, mānuka oil skincare products are a great choice over mānuka honey skincare products when addressing concerns related to bacterial-related skin issues such as healing skin wounds and scars, and keeping skin clean.
How can two products be so different when they both come from the same tree? The way they’re made plays a big role. Mānuka honey, obviously, comes from bees that feed on mānuka flowers. Mānuka oil, on the other hand, is the result of a unique steam distilling process that allows the oil to retain many of the plant’s key benefits – such as its strong antibacterial properties.
Mānuka oil benefits
While the mānuka plant has a long history in New Zealand of helping to heal cuts, sores, colds and more – mānuka oil is now increasingly being investigated for its skin health benefits. It’s a gentle skincare option for those with sensitive skin who want to experience quality results – and it’s already been explored in over 1000 peer-reviewed studies. So far, research has uncovered some seriously exciting benefits.
UV radiation (too much sun exposure) is thought to be one of the leading causes of skin aging – and early research suggests that mānuka oil significantly helps with this. One study found that manuka oil reduced the size and depth of wrinkles while suppressing UV-related skin inflammation. If premature skin aging related to sun exposure is a concern for you, mānuka oil is a safe and gentle approach to potentially mitigate this.
Beyond premature skin aging, it’s an interesting time for mānuka oil skincare research. Scientists have concluded that “manuka oil products may have efficacy in the treatment of many cutaneous skin infections” – and research is currently being carried out to delve deeper into its potential benefits against eczema and acne.
According to a comprehensive review of manuka oil by the National Institute of Health, mānuka oil provides an antioxidant effect and “clearly demonstrates a broad spectrum of antibacterial, antifungal, anti-parasitic/insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and spasmolytic activity” – making it a great choice for any skincare routine, regardless of what stage of life you’re at.
East Cape mānuka oil
Of course, not all mānuka oil is made equal – or sustainably. Manuka Rx’s East Cape mānuka oil skin care products receive rave reviews and are made ethically. Locally grown, sustainably harvested and scientifically formulated to retain potency – our mānuka oil is made with people and the planet in mind (For every order placed, we plant a native mānuka tree – we’ve already planted over 5,000,000!).
Produced in partnership with Iwi landowners in the East Cape, our mānuka is carefully harvested in a way that enables plants to continue growing and flourishing. From there, the leaves are ground up and harvested in a distillery where the oil steams for 5-6 hours – creating a mānuka oil unlike any other. In addition to being ethically and sustainably sourced, our oils contain exceptionally high amounts of β‐triketones – which gives them not only higher antibacterial properties than mānuka honey – but than any other mānuka oil we know of. This is the result of our mānuka plants being grown in the East Cape’s high UV environment.
Once distilled, we combine our East Cape mānuka oil with high-quality ingredients to create skincare products designed to address specific skincare concerns: whether that be hydration, acne or simply an everyday nourishing skincare routine for any stage of life.
Depending on your skin needs, here’s how we recommend including East Cape mānuka oil in your daily skincare routine:
Mānuka oil skincare routine for fine lines and wrinkles
Morning skincare routine:
- Cleanse with Manuka Rx Soothing Cream Cleanser
- Gently apply Manuka Rx Restorative Eye Cream
- Follow with Manuka Rx Firming Day Cream
- Finish with a few drops of Manuka Rx Restorative Skin Oil
- Don’t forget to apply sunscreen!
Evening skincare routine:
- Cleanse with Manuka Rx Soothing Cream Cleanser
- Gently apply Manuka Rx Restorative Eye Cream
- Follow with Manuka Rx Nourishing Night Cream
- Finish with a few drops of Manuka Rx Restorative Skin Oil
Customer review:
“I am onto my 4th order and just love the products. My skin is so smooth and my skin looks amazing for my age. I use the whole face range. And love that it is New Zealand made.” – Carol B., New Zealand
Mānuka oil skincare routine for acne
Morning skincare routine:
- Cleanse using Manuka Rx Foaming Face Wash
- Apply small amounts of Manuka Rx Blemish Gel on breakouts/blemishes
- Follow with Manuka Rx Clearing Face Cream
- Finish with a few drops of Manuka Rx Blemish Oil
- Don’t forget your sunscreen!
Evening skincare routine:
- Cleanse using Manuka Rx Foaming Face Wash
- Apply small amounts of Manuka Rx Blemish Gel on breakouts/blemishes
- Follow with Manuka Rx Clearing Face Cream
- Finish with a few drops of Manuka Rx Blemish Oil
Customer review:
“I have a variety of skin issues and ManukaRx has been amazing. My skin has never been this hydrated and blemish free. It smells so good too. My make up sits perfect now. I can’t recommend this enough! Especially those with sensitive skin. It’s a product that works and doesn’t set off my skin.” – Dany G., New Zealand
Mānuka oil skincare routine for dull skin and dark spots
Morning skincare routine:
- Cleanse using Manuka Rx Vitamin C Gel Cleanser
- Apply Manuka Rx Skin Brightening Vitamin C Serum
- Gently follow with a small amount of Manuka Rx Brightening Eye Cream
- Finish with Manuka Rx Daily Glow Brightening Cream
- And, of course, remember to apply sunscreen before you head out the door!
Evening skincare routine:
- Cleanse using Manuka Rx Vitamin C Gel Cleanser
- Apply Manuka Rx Skin Brightening Vitamin C Serum
- Gently follow with a small amount of Manuka Rx Brightening Eye Cream
- Finish with Manuka Rx Daily Glow Brightening Cream
Customer review:
“The manuka RX products are really good I just started two weeks ago.” – Rupinder K., New Zealand
Where to buy mānuka oil
The easiest way to ensure you’re applying quality mānuka oil to your skin is to try Manuka Rx’s skincare range. All of our products contain East Cape mānuka oil (the most potent antibacterial mānuka oil in the world, as far as we know) which has then been combined with other carefully selected ingredients – chosen for their ability to provide the best skin care results. You can purchase Manuka Rx’s skincare online or through local retailers.
Manuka Rx’s skincare sets have been scientifically formulated to address specific skin concerns such as sensitive skin, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, dark spots and more. Nourish your skin with our skincare products or take our skincare quiz to find the perfect product for your skincare routine.