Honey

Honey is a substance produced by bees from the nectar of flowering plants. Composed primarily of the sugars fructose and glucose and consumed as food, honey also has benefits in skin care due to its amino acid, peptide, antioxidant, and natural antibacterial composition. Antioxidants found in honey include vitamins A, C, and E as well as flavonoid compounds triacetin, quercetin, and luteolin.

The primary research on honey and skin has to do with its multi-faceted role in soothing various concerns. Dark honeys have a stronger antioxidant effect than light honeys. Regular honey is also known as clarified honey or purified honey - this is the type most grocery stores sell.

Along with antioxidant and soothing properties, honey also works on skin’s surface by forming a barrier that helps reduce the buildup of harmful substances which can impede healing.

Is honey vegan? Technically, no. As it comes from bees, it is considered an animal (insect) byproduct. Although the starting point for honey is nectar from flowering plants, the bee itself makes the honey via digestive enzymes in its stomach and a regurgitation process that’s shared with other bees, followed by dehydration and storage in wax structures known as honeycombs.

The bees use honey as a food source in the wild; however, when bees are carefully and ethically farmed, the hive’s workers produce much more honey than the colony needs to thrive. The excess is used as sweetener by people and in various skin care products.

Written by: Research & Education Team