Honey-Infused Beauty Products Worth ALL The Buzz — As Seen On CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin”
September is National Honey Month, so this busy bee stopped by CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin” today to chat about some honey-infused beauty products that are worth buzzing about!
While you may pour some honey into your hot tea to sweeten the beverage (or to soothe a sore throat or cough), you may not be fully aware of honey’s many medicinal and therapeutic properties. Ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, and Chinese all relied on honey to help with a variety of illnesses — not to mention to clean wounds and help fasten the healing process. Nowadays, we know honey isn’t just effective in terms of healing lesions, but it can also help to treat acne, eczema, psoriasis, and skin dryness. Part of honey’s powers stem from its antibacterial qualities, which are the result of two factors: first, honey contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide and hence can fight germs and fend off infections; second, honey has a low pH and, as a result, bacteria cannot survive in its presence (hence why we don’t refrigerate honey!). But that’s not all: honey is also loaded with antioxidants, amino acids, and B vitamins that strengthen the skin and protect it from UV rays and other environmental aggressors (such as harsh winds, dust, smog, and so on). It’s also a natural humectant, so that it pulls moisture from the air and locks it into skin, keeping skin nourished and supple.
So, with all these factors in mind, let’s talk about some of the honey-infused products I’m totally sweet on. Trust: they’re the bee’s knees!
NUBIAN HERITAGE HONEY & BLACK SEED BATH AND BODY COLLECTION
During the segment, I showcased some of the offerings in the Nubian Heritage Honey & Black Seed Bath and Body Care Collection: theNubian Heritage Honey & Black Seed Body Wash and Body Lotion ($9.99 each at Vitamin Shoppe stores and VitaminShoppe.com), the Nubian Heritage Honey & Black Seed Bar Soap ($4.29 at Vitamin Shoppe stores and VitaminShoppe.com), the Nubian Heritage Honey & Black Seed 24 Hour Natural Deodorant ($8.99 at Vitamin Shoppe stores and VitaminShoppe.com), and the Nubian Heritage Honey & Black Seed Infused Shea Butter ($12.99 for 4 oz. at Vitamin Shoppe stores and VitaminShoppe.com).
All the products in the collection contain Arabian honey, which draws moisture to the skin so as to replenish and soften, and black seed oil (otherwise known as cumin seed oil), which is considered the “seed of blessing” in many Arabic countries due to its many curative properties. Together, these two ingredients nourish, hydrate, and soothe the skin. Interestingly enough, both Nefertiti and Cleopatra were said to incorporate both honey and black seed oil into their beauty regimens so, by relying on these natural ingredients, you’ll be following in the footsteps of two extraordinary, powerful women whose beauty is the stuff of legends.
True to Nubian Heritage’s history, all the products in the collection feature fatty acid-rich, organic shea butter, which is ethically sourced from 15 women’s co-ops in Northern Ghana.
I love the smell of the body wash and body lotion, both of which leave my skin feeling silky soft, and I’ crazy about the deodorant because it’s aluminum-free, it taps into honey’s antibacterial properties so as to eradicate any odor-causing bacteria, and the shea butter in the formula moisturizes and softens my delicate underarm skin.
FARMACY HONEY POTION RENEWING ANTIOXIDANT HYDRATION MASK & HONEY DROP LIGHTWEIGHT MOISTURIZER
The ideology behind skincare brand FARMACY is to create products that are “farmer cultivated and science activated,” and so they use farm fresh ingredients while relying on scientific research to maximize the potency of those ingredients. The brand’s signature ingredient is Echinacea GreenEnvy, a strain of Echineacea Purpurea that has 300 times more Cichoric Acid than any other variant of the plant. What is Cichoric Acid? Well, it’s a phytochemical with powerful antioxidant properties that helps to support the skin’s collagen, protecting collagen from free radicals, inhibiting the enzyme responsible for collagen degradation, and encouraging cellular regneration. FARMACY’s honey-based skincare offerings, then, are quite unique in that they feature honey made by bees that pollinate the Echinacea GreenEnvy flowers exclusively. This honey, then, contains many of the same antioxidants found in the blooms from whence it came.
In the segment, I raved about the glow-boosting FARMACY Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask ($56 at Sephora and FarmacyBeauty.com), which is absolutely divine. To use, you spread a thick layer of the slightly sticky, viscous mask onto the face, and then massage the product onto the skin for 1-2 minutes. As you do, the mask’s texture transforms and it develops a cream consistency and a white, lather-like color. Moreover, as you massage it onto your face, the mask warms up, which creates a soothing sensation but, moreover, helps to make the treatment more effective — after all, that heat opens up the pores and stimulates circulation, ensuring that the ingredients in the mask penetrate deeper into the skin. After massaging for a few minutes, you can kick back and let the mask work its magic. After 10-15 minutes, you rinse off and enjoy your newly luminous complexion!
Next, I touched upon the FARMACY Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer ($45 at Sephora and FarmacyBeauty.com), which contains Echinacea GreenEnvy honey, as well as a triple hyaluronic acid complex to moisturize the skin, improve its elasticity, and boost radiance. Hyaluronic acid is a powerhouse humectant, so that a single molecule can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, and hence it’s become a common ingredient in skin care. So what makes the HA here so unique? Well, the FARMACY masterminds used hyaluronic acid molecules of different weights so as to target different layers of the skin. This lotion also features cupuaçu butter, which is rich in fatty acids that soften the skin and help to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier.
Because FARMACY is so committed to exploring all the wonders nature has to offer, the company is doing its part to create the next generation of environmental activists. Through December 17th, the brand will donate $1 for every honey products sold to City Growers for the development of their Bee Education program, which is designed to teach city kids about nature, give them better exposure to where our food comes from, and help them understand the need for a balanced ecosystem.
DR. HAUSCHKA REGENERATING SERUM, DAY CREAM, AND HAND CREAM
Dr. Hauschka is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, so the natural beauty brand has quite a formidable legacy already, with its products being sold in over 40 counties. Manufactured in pharmaceutical-grade facilities in Germany using a time-tasted rhythmical processing method that harnesses the vital power of plants, Dr. Hauschka’s skincare offerings are free of synthetic preservatives, dyes, and fragrances.
All Dr. Hauschka products are certified natural and organic by NATRUE, a non-profit association that strives to regulate the cosmetic industry by helping customers identify those products that truly live up to their “natural” and “organic” claims. To obtain a NATRUE certification, then, products must meet the organization’s strict criteria both in regards to their formulations and in terms of their on-site production methods. The NATRUE certification on Dr. Hauschka’s products are a guarantee that they contain only pure plant-derived ingredients.
In the segment, I discussed three great Dr. Hauschka products that contain clover blossom honey.
I started with the Dr. Hauschka Regenerating Serum ($90 at Whole Foods Market locations), which is designed to combat visible aging signs via a combination of clover blossom honey, a nutrient-rich humectant; red clover, which is rich in isoflavones that increase the skin’s collagen content, smoothing fine lines and giving the complexion a lift; and quince seed extract, which helps the skin achieve an ideal moisture balance.
In the morning, after applying the Regenerating Serum, you can complete your skin care regimen with the Dr. Hauschka Regenerating Day Cream ($85 at Whole Foods Market locations), which again contains clover blossom honey, along with jojoba and avocado oils that nourish the skin, antioxidant-rich raspberry seed oil, and fatty acid-rich shea butter.
To give dry hands and cuticles some much-needed relief, meanwhile, there’s the Dr. Hauschka Regenerating Hand Cream ($29 at Whole Foods Market locations), which contains honey, cocoa butter, and olive and avocado oils to moisturize and soften hands while improving the skin’s resilience.
NOT YOUR MOTHER’S NATURALS ROYAL HONEY & KALAHARI DESERT MELON REPAIR + PROTECT COLLECTION
Not only is honey great for the skin, but it also does marvels for the hair. A prime example of honey’s hair-strengthening wonders is the Not Your Mother’s Naturals Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert Melon Repair + Protect collection, which is designed to help reconstruct damaged strands, enhance moisture, and boost shine.
By drawing moisture to strands, the honey in these products helps to strengthen hair and, in turn, make it more resistant to breakage. And, because honey has antibacterial and antioxidant benefits, these products help to unclog hair follicles, hydrate the scalp, strengthen hair follicles, and promote hair growth.
As for theKalahari desert melon extract in the formula, it also increases moisture within hair strands, giving thirsty locks exactly what they crave!
All the products in the collection are made in the USA, and they’re cruelty-free, environmentally friendly, and free of sulfates, silicones, parabens, gluten, and synthetic dyes. They also smell so great that your mouth might water as you cleanse and condition your strands in the shower! I particularly love that the collection incorporates a Leave-In Conditioner since those of us with color-treated and dry hair know that an extra surge of moisture is often needed in order to comb an untangle strands, prevent frizz, and keep hair healthy.
The Not Your Mother’s Naturals Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert Melon Repair + Protect Shampoo, Conditioner, and Leave-In Conditioner retail for $9 each and are available at ULTA stores.
JOHN MASTERS ORGANICS HONEY & HIBISCUS COLLECTION
Last but certainly not least, I chatted about the John Masters Organics Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructing Shampoo ($26 at JohnMasters.com) and the John Masters Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor ($28 at JohnMasters.com), both of which are designed to breathe life back into dry, damaged, and color-treated hair. Both of these products are packed with organic plant extracts that renew and revitalize hair — among them honey, which acts as a humectant and which contains amino acids that fortify strands, and hibiscus extract, which is also rich in amino acids that fill in porosities along the hair’s cuticle layer, making strands smoother and more resilient.
These products are also unique in that they contain linoleic and hyaluronic acids, which are found in abundance in young hair, but which diminish as we age. The goal, then, is to reconstruct damaged hair using the same nutrients you’d find in virgin hair. A genius approach, right?
The ultra-gentle shampoo is sulfate-free and contains honey, hibiscus extract, and 9 other certified-organic plant extracts and oils — among them soy, rice, and oat proteins to fortify strands. It also features sulfur, which is necessary for the body’s production of collagen and, in turn, helps to form keratin (hair’s primary constituent!).
The Hair Reconstructor, meanwhile, is a powerful treatment with honey, hibiscus and 16 other certified organic plant extracts — among them kelp extract, which softens strands and boosts shine; soy protein, which strengthens hair follicles and makes hair look fuller and bouncier; wheat amino acids that give lackluster strands some much-needed shine; silver linden bud extract, which helps hair retain moisture and protects it against environmental aggressors; and cupuaçu butter, which nourishes and hydrates the scalp. This treatment can be used as a daily conditioner or as a weekly mask depending on the condition of your hair and how much TLC is in order.
