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Admittedly, Im late to the all-natural skin-care conversation.
Getty / KPS
Plenty of people have been addingcoconut oilandapple cider vinegarto their beauty routines for a while now.
My glycolic cleanser is too harsh, and my foam cleanser isnt tough enough on my oily T-zone.
Like Goldilocks on a skin-care mission, I began searching for a natural cleanser that would bejustright for me.
And peoplehave been using honeyin wound care for centuries, so it seems legit.
Theres even someresearchthat suggests honey has antioxidative, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
But what even is manuka honey?
Dr. Chang suggested that I choose a high-quality honey with an appropriate formulation that wouldnt clog my pores.
The first time I opened the jar, I was surprised.
Manuka honey is almost mustard-colored and more opaque than the stuff I have in my pantry.
I started with a patch test to see to it my skin wouldnt have an adverse reaction.
(Though Im not allergic to bees or honey, its always better to be safe.)
Despite being viscous, the honey went on more smoothly than I expected.
However, a little didnt go a long way.
I needed several large finger scoops to cover the surface area of my face.
I smeared it around for thirty seconds and it felt slick on my wet skin.
To my delight and shock, it rinsed off easilynothing like the sticky mess I had envisioned.
I was hopeful, but alas, I didnt see much of a difference.
The usual pre-period bumps came out to play and overstayed their welcome for 48 hours.
Next: Can manuka honey make my skin less red and irritated?
Unfortunately, after using the honey cleanser for a full week, there was minimal reduction in my redness.
For this reason, I again had high hopes that manuka honey could help my skin.
However, I didnt see much of a difference at the end of the week.
Perhaps to see results, I would have to commit to a longer trial period.
One more test: Can manuka honey hydrate my parched skin?
My experience:During colder months, the dry air and heating do a doozy on my complexion.
Despite my herculean efforts to keep my skin moisturized and hydrated, my face still gets uncomfortably dry.
The day after my first honey face wash, I noticed something promising.
The skin around my nose wasnt peeling as badly.
Feeling optimistic, I took my honey routine one step further.
On my last day, I gave myself a 10-minute honey face mask treatment.
When the time was up, I rinsed it off as usual.
The next morning, my skin felt saturated and silky smooth.
What the science says:Manuka honey may have some serious hydrating power.
The verdict:I was impressed.
But beware that honey, like many botanical ingredients, can causeirritation or even an allergic reaction.
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