Hey Honey’s spread of highly-rated products first popped up on our radar a few months ago, when we recommended their gift sets in our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide.
As you might have guessed by the name, Hey Honey’s magic ingredient is just that — honey. Though honey is used in other beauty products, Hey Honey has built their brand ethos around this natural and powerful ingredient. We wanted to highlight the fascinating and lengthy history of honey as a skincare ingredient and explore the countless benefits it can have for your skin.
Until a time traveller decides to unveil the secrets of the past, we rely heavily on fossil evidence, which tells us that honey bees have hung out on Earth for around 150 million years. By comparison, we humans have only existed here (in our current form) a measly 6 million years.
Unlike other quick-spoiling animal products, honey takes years to go bad and acts as a natural preservative in skincare products. This means it is an amazing alternative to parabens and other ingredients used to prolong shelf life. Honey unearthed from ancient Egyptian tombs, kept for thousands of years in ceramic pots, is still unspoiled, and even edible.
The simple version of the science behind this relies on a few key factors. Honey is a low moisture substance, which is partially what keeps it preserved for so long. Bacteria and microorganisms struggle to survive in an environment without hydration. It’s also naturally acidic, another infamous bacteria-killer. The real kicker is hydrogen peroxide, a natural antibacterial chemical. Hydrogen peroxide is produced in the creation process of honey, when nectar mixes with the enzyme glucose oxidase in the bees’ stomach, and then regurgitate this mixture onto the honeycombs. Not the loveliest visual but truly a wonder of nature.
Ancient societies used honey as a hallmark medicinal product, as the thick consistency and bacteria-fighting properties made it an ideal wound protector. It also became a fixture in beauty routines, where it remains today. During the Ming Dynasty in China, women would use a mixture of honey and ground orange seeds on their faces to stave off blemishes and keep their skin glowy. Cleopatra was known to use honey daily to keep her skin smooth and firm.
Antibacterial properties aside, why is honey so good for your skin? For one, honey contains more naturally-occurring antioxidants than almost any other botanically derived source, which help fend off the free radicals that degrade collagen. It also contains a host of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
Hey Honey’s entire line is infused with either honey or bee propolis. Propolis is another substance produced by honey bees, used as a coating to build their hives. Functioning as an antibacterial, Propolis was also widely used by ancient societies to treat skin afflictions. Today, Hey Honey uses Propolis in their products for the myriad skin benefits it provides, including acne prevention and anti-inflammation.
Hey Honey’s wide range of products includes spot treatment, detox masks, moisturizers, and even concealer. Our faves for this holiday season include:
Hey Honey Day & Night Set
For any skincare minimalist, give the gift Hey Honey’s Day & Night Set. These two simple serums double as a makeup primer + nighttime moisturizing gel. This set is the perfect gift for anyone new to the skincare world or the die-hard addict who wants to switch things up!
Hey Honey Hands & Feet Set
Winter weather can be tough on the hands and feet. This Hey Honey set includes a Honey & Propolis Hand Cream, made for cracked and dry hands and elbows. The Walk the Walk Foot Cream is infused with odor-fighting essential oils that refresh your feet while moisturizing dry heels. Gift this to the exercise junkie in your life or anyone who needs a little extra pampering!
Hey Honey Sweet Set
This set is perfect for becoming your best safe holiday-gathering self. The first product in the Sweet Set is a Wild Berry & Honey Yogurt Recovery Mask, designed to revive tired skin so you can glow more the holiday decorations! The second is a Watermelon Lip Balm, that hydrates and leaves a natural tinted finish that enhances your natural lip color. We love this duo for self-care moments or pre-holiday prep! This set also happens to be the perfect gift to get your loved one through the rough season ahead.
A Modern Beauty Brand With An Ancient Key Ingredient was originally published in Think Dirty on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.