What is honey in skincare?
Honey is a supersaturated sugar solution made by bees from floral nectar, containing glucose, fructose, organic acids, enzymes, amino acids and polyphenols. Its low water activity and its glucose oxidase enzyme – which slowly releases hydrogen peroxide – give it genuine antibacterial activity.
Manuka honey is distinguished by methylglyoxal, a non-peroxide antibacterial compound. Medical-grade honey is sterilised and standardised, which matters if the purpose is treatment rather than comfort.
What skin concerns does honey treat?
It is a humectant, so it hydrates; an anti-inflammatory, so it calms redness; and an antibacterial, which is why it helps mild acne. Its enzymes provide very gentle exfoliation.
Its strongest evidence is in wound healing, where medical-grade honey is used clinically on burns, ulcers and slow-healing wounds. For everyday skincare it suits dry, sensitive, irritated and mildly breakout-prone skin.
What ingredients are best paired with honey?
In masks it is traditionally combined with oatmeal, yogurt or turmeric, all of which reinforce its soothing effect. In formulated products it sits well with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and niacinamide.
Rinse it off rather than leaving it on, since raw honey is sticky and its sugars attract dust. Avoid raw honey on broken skin – use a medical-grade product if you are treating a wound. Take our Skin Quiz.
What is hormonal acne?
Hormonal acne is acne whose timing and pattern track with hormonal activity rather than with cleansing habits or diet alone. It typically appears along the lower face – jawline, chin and upper neck – as deep, tender papules and cysts that flare on a predictable cycle.
It is most recognisable in adult women, where breakouts often arrive in the week before menstruation and settle again afterwards.
What causes hormonal acne?
Androgens – testosterone and DHT in particular – bind to receptors on the sebaceous gland and increase sebum production. When androgen activity rises or oestrogen falls, oil output climbs and follicles clog more readily.
Menstrual cycles, starting or stopping contraception, pregnancy, perimenopause and PCOS are the usual contexts. Stress raises cortisol, which amplifies the same pathway. Persistent hormonal acne with irregular cycles or excess hair growth is worth investigating medically.
What ingredients are best for hormonal acne?
Retinoids are the most effective topical, because they stop the plug forming regardless of how much oil is being produced. Azelaic acid reduces inflammation and the marks that follow, and niacinamide helps regulate sebum.
Salicylic acid keeps pores clear between flares, and benzoyl peroxide targets bacteria in inflamed lesions. Because hormonal acne is driven from the inside, topicals manage rather than cure it – consistency across the whole cycle beats spot-treating during a flare. Take our Skin Quiz.
