Beauty and The Beast: Hey Honey

“Hey Honey” are the words my husband probably dreads hearing because they are usually followed by a request to do something. Hey Honey, will you till the arena? Hey, Honey it’s too hot will you go feed the horses? Hey, Honey will you put the blankets on the horses when you turn them out? Hey Honey, will you go to the grocery store and get xyz? You get the idea!

The “Hey, Honey” is a sweetner to chore asking as much as real honey is sweetner to tea and desserts. But did you know that honey can actually be a bit of a miracle worker when it comes to healing cuts, wounds, scrapes, burns, eczema and dry skin? Manuka Honey in particular can be a powerful healing ingredient.

Manuka honey is produced from the nectar of Manuka trees (native to New Zealand and Australia) and it is full of antibacterial properties. Manuka honey has shown a broad and unique antimicrobial effect, including efficacy in treating antibiotic-resistant infections. Manuka honey (as compared to other honey varieties) contains higher levels of methylglyoxal, which gives it superior antimicrobial activity. The healing powers of honey stem from its osmotic, acidic, and enzymatic properties that make it a great wound dressing during the inflammatory phase of healing. Honey creates an osmotic force that draws out edema while bringing nourishment and cytokines to the wound from the underlying vessels and lymphatics. This process also reduces swelling and pain associated with sites of soft tissue injuries. In addition to helping heal wounds Manuka Honey is also a powerful moisturizer for dry skin and eczema. Thanks to its mix of humectant and emollient properties, honey is one of the most effective natural moisturizers out there—which is probably why it’s been used in beauty formulations for more than 4,000 years. Studies have shown that Manuka Honey helps prevent extreme dry skin, irritation and flaking.

Wow, that sounds like something we need to be using on ourselves and our horses. Horses as we all know are super accident prone and often come in with all sorts of cuts and scrapes. Same being said for ourselves, riding and taking care of horses can also cause any number of skin irritations and dry skin. Using Manuka Honey has never been easier thanks to the following products.

Let’s start with The Beast (aka our expensive 4-legged addictions). Absorbine has combined the power of medical grade Manuka Honey and Silver to create two amazing wound care products, Silver Honey Antibacterial Spray and Antimicrobial Ointment. Both have been developed to be tough on bacteria while also being gentle on the skin. They also contain skin healing calendula (anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory), panthenol (supports skin regeneration), allantoin (reduces irritation and scarring), neem oil (to repel insects) and bettering agents (to prevent licking). They are both effective on hot spots, cuts, abrasions, sores, rashes, fungus, rain rot and burns and you can use them on your dogs too.

I keep both in my barn and use them on a regular basis. The spray is a gel-like consistency that stays put when sprayed and is good on hard to reach spots. The ointment is super easy to apply and a little goes a long way. Both are available online (SmartPak, Chewy, Amazon) and at most major tack/feed stores.

Shooter gets hock sores and they are usually healed after just a few applications.

Spending a lot of time in the barn can be hard on our skin and we can also harness the healing power of manuka honey with YORO Naturals Organic Manuka Skin Soothing Cream. I discovered this super-powered tub of honey cream this summer when I was battling an eczema/dry skin flare up and immediately fell in love. This creamy, non-greasy, oil based balm is made from only 6 organic ingredients, olive oil, beeswax, filtered water, grape seed oil, manuka honey and manuka oil extract. There are no nasty chemicals or fillers, only the good stuff. It instantly soothes, moisturizes and calms dry, irritated skin, cuts, burns and razor burn. I love it’s soft, buttery texture and it leaves my skin so soft. I definitely recommend adding a tub of this to your skincare routine. I also plan on giving all my friends, family and barn buddies a tub for Christmas. Available online ($25) at Amazon and Eczema Company.

Shooter liked the light, sweet, honey smell and thought it as a treat.

You can also use straight Manuka Honey to help heal your skin. I am a big fan of First Honey Manuka Honey Ointment and use it on myself and my horses. I often use it in place of antibacterial creams that are often full of not-great for you additives. This wound healing ointment provides fast relief and long lasting infection protection. It cleans, protects and heals. Dab it on paper cuts, burns, scrapes, dry skin and blisters. Available for $12.99 at Amazon and First Honey.