As someone with sensitive skin, I try to be mindful of the ingredients I apply to my skin, so when I find something that works, I rarely stray. Throughout my trials, mandelic acid and PDRN, have made the cut; and now mānuka honey skin care joins their ranks.
Having come up during the golden age of wellness podcasts (did anyone else subscribe to Thrive Market?) I’ve long been familiar with mānuka honey as an immunity-boosting ingredient. To be fair, I also grew up making DIY face masks from whatever was in the fridge—yogurt, lemon, turmeric, even eggs. While I mostly rely on store-bought topicals now, I still love edible ingredients in skin care, provided they’re actually backed by science. It seemed only inevitable that I’d hop on the mānuka honey train, too.
Vogue’s Favorite Manuka Honey Skincare Products
On what sets it apart from traditional honey, mānuka honey is derived from the nectar of mānuka flowers native to New Zealand and parts of Australia. According to board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, MD, it’s rich in antioxidants, offers antibacterial benefits for acne-prone or irritated skin, and acts as both a humectant and an emollient to help hydrate while preventing moisture loss.
Because it’s both costly and difficult to source authentically, relatively few skin-care brands use mānuka honey as a hero ingredient. The ones that do, however, can be remarkably effective: Since incorporating it into my routine, I’ve noticed fewer breakouts and significantly more hydration.
A spoonful of this magical golden elixir may not keep the dermatologist away for good, but it can certainly help. Below, the best mānuka-honey-infused products—from bar soaps and masks to moisturizers—worth trying right now.
Best Face Mask: Activist Manuka Honey Mask
- Why We Love It: Theoretically safe enough to eat, Dr. Green assures us that this mask contains 100% raw mānuka honey to hydrate and soothe skin gently. “Since there are no additional ingredients, this mask can be used in many different ways to rejuvenate the skin—as a mask to repair cellular damage, as a cleanser to promote hydration, and as a spot treatment for acne lesions to reduce bacterial growth,” she explains. If using it as a mask, leave it on for 30 minutes before rinsing. As a cleanser, apply a small amount to damp skin, massage gently, and rinse.
- Editor’s Experience: “There are few things as indulgent as a full face of pure mānuka honey. So on days when I want to feel better than everyone else, or when my skin needs a bit of spot treating, I reach for this mask (and always make sure to post the tube on Instagram). Naturally, it’s very sticky, so I wouldn’t recommend it on days when you’re running around the house. When I apply it, I make sure to wear a very secure headband and lie still for half an hour so it doesn’t ruin my hair.” —Iman Balagam, contributor
- Key Ingredients: Mānuka honey
- Best For: Sensitive, acne-prone skin
- Size: 80 mL
Best Face Cream: Aunu Mānuka Cream
- Why We Love It: Launched in 2025, Aunu is a honey-focused skin care label that uses patented medical-grade mānuka honey sourced from New Zealand in all of its formulas; inspired by the ingredient’s use in hospitals worldwide as the base of an FDA-cleared wound-healing device. In the case of its moisturizing cream, Dr. Green explains that the formula is especially beneficial for dry or sensitive skin. “It includes mānuka honey and hyaluronic acid, two humectants that pull water into the skin for maximum hydration,” she says. “Mānuka honey also has emollient properties that help support the skin’s moisture barrier, along with anti-inflammatory benefits that can soothe sensitive or irritated skin.”
- Editor’s Experience: “If you want to be someone in the know, it’s time to get familiar with Aunu. In my opinion, it’s one of the most exciting brands to emerge in recent years, with products that manage toy the line between luxury and efficacy. I’m a fan of the entire line—from the cleanser I use after working out to prevent breakouts, to the toner I douse my skin in, to the lightweight yet hydrating moisturizer. And then there’s the packaging. The bright yellow does what millennial pink once did for me, which is to say I love showing it off whenever people come over.” —Iman Balagam, contributor
- Key Ingredients: Mānuka honey, glycerin
- Best For: Sensitive, irritated skin
- Size: 50 mL
Best Cleanser: Flamingo Estate Mānuka Honey Soap Brick
- Why We Love It: Flamingo Estate is known not only for its beauty products but also for its pantry offerings, including a rare mānuka honey from remote Mount Taranaki. So it only makes sense that the brand would eventually put the ingredient into skincare with its Mānuka Rich Cream—another favorite among the team at Vogue—as well as this limited-edition soap brick. Dr. Green explains that it blends mānuka honey with coconut oil, hemp oil, calendula flower oil, lanolin, and shea butter, ingredients that cleanse the skin while helping to lock in moisture, soften texture, and defend against free-radical damage. “This plant-based formulation is hydrating and gentle, making it ideal for individuals with dry or inflamed skin,” she says.
- Editor’s Experience: “Everything Flamingo Estate touches seems to turn to gold, and I loved seeing what they did with the humble bar soap. Unlike traditional bars, which tend to feel more like a means to an end than an indulgent ritual, this one lathers beautifully, feels great on the skin, has a lovely earthy scent, and leaves skin noticeably smoother. It’s quite expensive, but the bar is oversized so it lasts for a few months. Plus, it’s handmade in LA with premium ingredients, so I can girl-math my way into splurging.” —Iman Balagam, contributor
- Key Ingredients: Mānuka honey, coconut oil, hemp oil, calendula flower oil, lanolin, shea butter
- Best For: All skin types
- Size: 12 oz.
Best for Mature Skin: Mānuka Health Eternal Renewal Regenerating Face Cream
- Why We Love It: “The Eternal Renewal Regenerating Face Cream from Mānuka Health uses mānuka honey, royal jelly, and bee venom to smooth and replenish the skin while helping address visible signs of aging,” says Dr. Green, who explains that mānuka honey provides humectant, emollient, antibacterial, and antioxidant benefits that help deliver deep hydration while protecting the skin. She notes that royal jelly contains fatty acids, proteins, lipids, and vitamins that support collagen production, improve elasticity, and enhance moisture retention. Bee venom, she adds, contains peptides and enzymes such as melittin and phospholipase A2, which have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe and protect the skin.
- Editor’s Experience: “During COVID, I’d take a dropper of elderberry syrup and a spoonful of Mānuka Health’s mānuka honey every morning. So imagine my excitement when the brand leaned into beauty. It’s quite lightweight, so you can use it both day and night. My only note is that it contains bee venom, which isn’t for everyone, so be sure to patch test first.” —Iman Balagam, contributor
- Key Ingredients: Mānuka honey, aloe vera, bee venom, royal jelly
- Best For: Dry skin
- Size: 1.69 Fl. oz.
Best for Dry Skin: Naturopathica Mānuka Honey Whipped Oil
- Why We Love It: Best suited for those with dry skin or anyone who prefers a heavier moisturizer, the Naturopathica Mānuka Honey Whipped Oil combines honey with jojoba oil to help lock in moisture while protecting the skin from free-radical damage and oxidative stress. “Jojoba oil is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids, making it excellent for protecting and repairing the skin’s natural moisture barrier,” explains Dr. Green. “It also contains apricot kernel oil to soften the skin and create a smoother complexion.”
- Editor’s Experience: “While I love the texture of this whipped oil, it’s a bit too thick for my face year-round since I have combination skin. However, if you have dry skin, you’ll likely appreciate how nicely it melts into the skin. I especially love using it on my body, particularly on my elbows and knees, for an immediate boost of hydration, especially during the winter months.” —Iman Balagam, contributor
- Key Ingredients: Mānuka honey, jojoba oil, apricot kernel oil
- Best For: Dry skin
- Size: 50 mL
Meet the Experts
- Michele Green, MD is a New York City board-certified dermatologist specializing in cosmetic treatments.
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