The idea of using honey for aging skin may be new to you, but it's an age old tradition, for some people.
It fell out of favor simply because putting honey on your face isn't that pleasant.
People recommend mixing it with all kinds of other things to make a mask, but it's hard to apply and even harder to remove.
In other words, it's not a pleasant experience.
The medicinal value of honey has to do with the plants from which the bees collected the pollen.
Many different varieties have been scientifically evaluated for their medicinal activity.
Primarily, there is antibacterial and antioxidant activity, but the activity varies greatly, even among the same variety.
When the pollen is gathered primarily from clover, there is very little antioxidant or antibacterial activity.
The highest activity is found in a variety known as manuka.
The pollen is gathered from a bush native to New Zealand and the medicinal activity is now called the Unique Manuka Factor.
In order to make manuka honey for aging skin, without having it feel sticky, a US company is able to dehydrate it without destroying its medicinal activity.
Then they ship it back to New Zealand, where the powder is added to rich emollients.
The resulting creams and gels can be used under the eyes to reduce bags and dark circles, on the face as a nourishing night cream, and all over the body to stimulate the immune system, prevent blemishes and soothe irritation.
If you are currently using an antibacterial cleanser that contains triclosan, I would like to ask you to please consider stopping.
Triclosan is a synthetic chemical.
Its use is so wide-spread that it is becoming a serious water pollutant.
It is not bio-degradable and causes the release of dioxins that are harmful to the fish and wildlife.
You can use manuka honey for aging skin and take advantage of its antibacterial activity without concern.
It is obviously biodegradable.
When you wash it off, it breaks down quickly without posing any threat to the environment.
It is the antioxidant activity that is most beneficial for preventing and repairing the damage that causes the signs of age.
Antioxidants neutralize free radical molecules.
Dermatologists have seen that older skin contains more free radicals and fewer antioxidant molecules.
This imbalance causes damage to collagen fibers and DNA strands within the cell.
All of this molecular activity leads to wrinkle formation and sagging.
But, using honey for aging skin is not the only naturally beneficial ingredient.
Basically, the skin's cells need a little more nourishment than they used to.
The nourishment should come in the form of protein, vitamins and minerals, which are properly formulated to penetrate deeply and be readily available for use by the skin's cells.
There are some companies that include these nourishing ingredients, but it's basically a waste, because the molecules are too large to penetrate the skin's layers.
If you want the best honey for aging skin and the other beneficial ingredients, you'll need to do a little shopping around.
It fell out of favor simply because putting honey on your face isn't that pleasant.
People recommend mixing it with all kinds of other things to make a mask, but it's hard to apply and even harder to remove.
In other words, it's not a pleasant experience.
The medicinal value of honey has to do with the plants from which the bees collected the pollen.
Many different varieties have been scientifically evaluated for their medicinal activity.
Primarily, there is antibacterial and antioxidant activity, but the activity varies greatly, even among the same variety.
When the pollen is gathered primarily from clover, there is very little antioxidant or antibacterial activity.
The highest activity is found in a variety known as manuka.
The pollen is gathered from a bush native to New Zealand and the medicinal activity is now called the Unique Manuka Factor.
In order to make manuka honey for aging skin, without having it feel sticky, a US company is able to dehydrate it without destroying its medicinal activity.
Then they ship it back to New Zealand, where the powder is added to rich emollients.
The resulting creams and gels can be used under the eyes to reduce bags and dark circles, on the face as a nourishing night cream, and all over the body to stimulate the immune system, prevent blemishes and soothe irritation.
If you are currently using an antibacterial cleanser that contains triclosan, I would like to ask you to please consider stopping.
Triclosan is a synthetic chemical.
Its use is so wide-spread that it is becoming a serious water pollutant.
It is not bio-degradable and causes the release of dioxins that are harmful to the fish and wildlife.
You can use manuka honey for aging skin and take advantage of its antibacterial activity without concern.
It is obviously biodegradable.
When you wash it off, it breaks down quickly without posing any threat to the environment.
It is the antioxidant activity that is most beneficial for preventing and repairing the damage that causes the signs of age.
Antioxidants neutralize free radical molecules.
Dermatologists have seen that older skin contains more free radicals and fewer antioxidant molecules.
This imbalance causes damage to collagen fibers and DNA strands within the cell.
All of this molecular activity leads to wrinkle formation and sagging.
But, using honey for aging skin is not the only naturally beneficial ingredient.
Basically, the skin's cells need a little more nourishment than they used to.
The nourishment should come in the form of protein, vitamins and minerals, which are properly formulated to penetrate deeply and be readily available for use by the skin's cells.
There are some companies that include these nourishing ingredients, but it's basically a waste, because the molecules are too large to penetrate the skin's layers.
If you want the best honey for aging skin and the other beneficial ingredients, you'll need to do a little shopping around.