EDUCATION
4 minutes
Essential Takeaways
Cold weather can dehydrate our skin, leaving it dry, cracked, and uncomfortable, particularly during the winter months.
Manuka honey has moisturising qualities, and its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties make it a fantastic natural skincare remedy.
By simply mixing UMF™ manuka honey with other natural ingredients, you can make your own soothing manuka honey skin balm at home and kiss goodbye to dry winter skin.
As the cold weather sets in, our skin often bears the brunt.
It can get dry, irritated, and in desperate need of some good old tender loving care.
In this article, we'll explore why cold weather tends to leave our skin parched and how you can craft your very own natural skin balm using the golden goodness of manuka honey.
Plus, other natural ingredients that will boost its effects and what to avoid.
In guide to your DIY manuka honey skin balm, you’ll find:
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Why does our skin get dry in winter?
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4 ways a manuka honey skin balm can help
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Make your own manuka honey skin balm recipe
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2 things to avoid when making your skin balm
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The best manuka honey for your skin
Get ready to soothe and hydrate your skin with this DIY remedy.
Why Cold Weather Causes Dry Skin
Cold weather brings a drop in temperature and humidity, creating a harsh environment for our skin.
Here's why it becomes a dry skin culprit.
Low humidity
Cold air holds less moisture, leading to decreased humidity levels. This can leave your skin feeling tight and dry.
Hot showers
In an attempt to escape the cold, many of us indulge in hot showers. But hot water can strip away your skin's natural oils, making dryness even worse.
Wind chill
Windy conditions can accelerate moisture evaporation from the skin's surface. This can make keeping skin hydrated much harder.
4 Ways a Manuka Honey Skin Balm Can Help
Manuka honey, a true gem from nature, possesses unique properties that make it an excellent choice for soothing and hydrating your skin.
By creating your very own natural manuka honey skin balm, you can unlock all these benefits.
1. It’s a natural humectant
Manuka honey draws moisture from the air into your skin, helping to keep it hydrated even in dry conditions.
2. It’s antioxidant rich
Packed with antioxidants, manuka honey combats free radicals that can cause skin damage. Hello healthy complexion!
3. It’s anti-inflammatory
It has anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe irritated skin and reduce redness. It’s so powerful in fact, that we explore how it can be used for sinus infections, canker sores, and even fungal infections.
4. It’s antibacterial
Manuka honey's natural antibacterial qualities help prevent infection in dry or cracked skin. By sealing the area with its humectant properties, manuka honey keeps it clean, hydrated, and safe for healing.
DIY Manuka Honey Skin Balm Recipe
Always start with clean and dry skin.
Then gently cleanse your face using a mild cleanser followed by patting it dry with a soft towel.
This ensures your skin is prepared to absorb all the good stuff in the manuka honey skin balm.
Basic ingredients
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2 tablespoons New Zealand Honey Co. manuka honey
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2 tablespoons coconut oil
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1 tablespoon shea butter
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1 teaspoon beeswax pellets
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5 drops of essential oil (see suggestions below)
Optional extra ingredients
Why not mix it up?
Try some of these extra ingredients each time you make your manuka honey skin balm for a benefits boost and beautiful aroma!
Ylang ylang essential oil
Adds a sensual floral fragrance and can help balance skin's sebum (oil) production.
Rosemary essential oil
Provides a fresh, herbal scent and may improve circulation and skin texture.
Peppermint essential oil
Offers a refreshing, invigorating aroma and can help soothe itching and inflammation.
Lavender essential oil
For that smell we associate with a good night’s sleep, lavender is associated with improved circulation and a youthful complexion.
Instructions
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Melt the coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax pellets over low heat.
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Once melted, remove from heat and let it cool without solidifying.
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Stir in the manuka honey until well combined.
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Add any extra custom ingredients.
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Pour the mixture into a clean, airtight container and let it cool and solidify.
Enjoy your nourishing manuka honey skin balm!
2 Key Considerations for Your Manuka Honey Skin Balm
It’s important when creating your own natural skincare to bear two key things in mind.
1. The comedogenic scale
Be cautious with ingredients that rank high on the comedogenic scale. This scale shows how likely something is to clog your pores, which can lead to break outs. Different people might experience ingredients differently, so try a few things out when making your skin balm, and stop using if it causes irritation.
2. Citrus essential oils
While essential oils like lavender can provide a pleasant aroma and added benefits, avoid citrus oils in your balm. They can make your skin more sensitive to UV rays and potentially cause irritation in cold, dry conditions.
Get the Best Manuka Honey for Skin from New Zealand Honey Co.
Manuka honey skin balm could be a game-changer for tackling your dry skin needs.
Just make sure you get the right manuka honey. And that’s the UMF™-graded kind.
Why?
Because honey is one of the most faked foods out there, and manuka honey is famed for its beneficial properties. Those properties are only as powerful if they’re raw and uncontaminated.
The UMF™ grading system ensures that your honey is raw, pure, and 100% monofloral manuka honey from New Zealand.
The real deal. And that’s all our manuka honeys.
Unsure which grade is right for you?
Your wellness journey starts with a spoonful a day.
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