HONEY

Description: HONEY — hydration, antimicrobial, soothing.

All Functions: hydration, antimicrobial, soothing

Quick Facts:

• Category: humectant

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Honey is a natural mixture of sugars (mainly fructose and glucose) plus proteins, amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, and minerals
• It has antimicrobial properties that work against bacteria, including some resistant strains
• Research supports honey’s use on burns and certain types of wounds, with evidence varying by wound type
• Honey works in skincare as a humectant (draws moisture to skin), emollient (softens skin), and soothing agent
• The effectiveness of honey depends on its botanical source and how it’s processed
• Typical amounts in cosmetic products range from 1–10%, though concentrations can go higher

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🧪 HONEY

HONEY

CAS Number: 8028-66-8

Also Known As: —

Category: humectant

Korean Name: 꿀

Mel (EU)

HONEY is a humectant ingredient used in skincare formulations.

🌍 Regulatory Status

📊 Comedogenicity

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Honey is a complex biological product—not just sugar. According to the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, it contains proteins, amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and other compounds whose effects depend heavily on the flowers the bees visited and how the honey was stored or processed. Wound and burn healing: The Cochrane Database Systematic Review evaluated 26 clinical trials involving over 3,000 people. The strongest evidence supports honey for #1: partial-thickness burns, which healed approximately 4–5 days faster with honey dressings compared to conventional dressings like gauze or paraffin. Honey also #2: healed infected post-operative wounds faster than antiseptic washes plus gauze, with fewer adverse events reported.

However, the evidence becomes murkier for other wound types—venous leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and minor cuts showed unclear benefits, and the reviewers noted the overall quality of evidence was often low due to study design limitations. Antimicrobial action: Multiple sources explain how honey kills bacteria. The Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences identifies several active components working together: high sugar content, polyphenol compounds, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds, and bee defensin-1. These elements are present in different amounts depending on the honey’s origin. The antimicrobial effect is potent enough that #3: honey showed synergistic effects when combined with antibiotics (Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences).

The low pH of honey (3.5–4) also contributes by reducing protease activity and promoting conditions favorable for healing. Cosmetic benefits: In skincare products, honey provides #4: emollient effects (softens skin), humectant properties (attracts moisture), soothing action, and helps keep skin looking youthful while slowing wrinkle formation (Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology). It also #5: regulates skin pH and prevents pathogenic infections. Honey appears in cleansing products, hydrating creams, lip ointments, and hair conditioners at concentrations between 1–10%. Important caveats: The sources agree honey is promising, but evidence quality varies significantly by application. The Cochrane review downgraded many findings for risk of bias and imprecision—meaning we can’t always be confident about results.

Some conditions simply haven’t been well-studied. Additionally, honey’s properties depend on its source; for example, manuka honey contains methylglyoxal, a component cited for antimicrobial activity, but not all honeys are equal.

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

🧴 Products Containing HONEY

• Speick Men After Shave Balsam Sensitiv
• Cien Cien cream soap Milk&Honey
• Ma Chérie Moisture Conditioner
• MAC Sore Throat Honey & Lemon Flavour Lozenges
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Luxe, The Body Shop ALMOND MILK & HONEY For Sensitive, Dry Skin
• Apivita Shower gel with essential oils- refreshing fig
• Apivita Tonic lotion
• KORRES Travel Size Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cream Cleanser
• Natural Feeling Natural Feeling | Crema Extra Humectante
• Madre Tierra shampoo nutritivo
• fresh skin face
• Familiar
• Léa Nature, So’Bio Etic So’Bio Etic Baby’ Liniment
• Léa Nature, So’ Bio étic Douche adoucissante Amande & miel
• Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap Pump, Milk & Golden Honey
• Anti-Bacterial Hand Spray
• Revlon Natural Honey Nourishing
• Revlon Natural Honey gel de ducha hidratante con aceite de almendras
• Giorgi Espuma rizo marcado
• Espuma perfect fix Giorgi

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Burlando B et al. (2013). Honey in dermatology and skin care: a review. J Cosmet Dermatol.
• Jull AB et al. (2015). Honey as a topical treatment for wounds. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
• Almasaudi S (2021). The antibacterial activities of honey. Saudi J Biol Sci.
• Tovey FI (1991). Honey and healing. J R Soc Med.
• Khan FR et al. (2007). Honey: nutritional and medicinal value. Int J Clin Pract.

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