Manuka Honey Benefits for Skin: How to Use It for Acne, Infections, and Pigmentation

To use manuka honey on skin, choose a certified grade of at least UMF 10+ (about 261 mg/kg methylglyoxal, or MGO), apply a thin layer to clean skin as a 10- to 15-minute mask two or three times a week, and rinse with lukewarm water. For breakout-prone skin, the honey's MGO content is what sets manuka apart from ordinary honey, but the only randomized trial of a honey product on facial blemishes found no significant difference from soap alone. For dark spots, there is no human trial of manuka honey, so pair it with ingredients that have been tested, such as niacinamide and vitamin C.

I am a cosmetic formulator. Below are the grading chart, two methods with exact amounts, a gel recipe for people who want honey in a leave-on product, and an honest summary of what the research does and does not show. For the broader benefits of manuka honey on skin, see our companion post on manuka honey skin benefits. This page is the how-to.

Step 1: Read the label before you buy

Manuka's distinctive compound is methylglyoxal (MGO). In a 2008 study in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, Mavric and colleagues measured 38 to 761 mg/kg of MGO in six New Zealand manuka honey samples, up to 100 times higher than in conventional honeys, and concluded that MGO is the source of manuka's distinctive antibacterial activity in lab tests. Because MGO varies so much between jars, the grade is the most important number on the label.

The UMF Honey Association's UMF grade tests four markers: MGO for potency, leptosperin for authenticity, DHA (which converts to MGO over time) and HMF for freshness. Its published conversion is:

The higher grades have more MGO, but no study we could find compares UMF 10+ with UMF 20+ on skin. Spend the difference on consistency rather than grade. Avoid jars labeled only "active" or "bio-active" with no UMF or MGO figure.

Step 2: The 15-minute manuka honey mask

1. Cleanse and leave skin slightly damp, which makes honey spread more easily.
2. Scoop about 1 teaspoon (roughly 7 g) of UMF 10+ honey with a clean spoon, never fingers, so you do not introduce water or bacteria into the jar.
3. Warm it between clean fingertips for a few seconds and press a thin layer over the face, avoiding the eyes.
4. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes. Lie back; honey runs as it warms.
5. Rinse with lukewarm water and a soft cloth, then follow with your usual serum and moisturizer.

Use it two or three times a week. Do not heat honey in a microwave or with hot water; keep it at room temperature to protect its components.

Spot application for blemishes

Dab a pea-sized amount of UMF 15+ honey on a blemish after cleansing, leave for 30 minutes, and rinse. This mirrors the leave-on time in the only randomized trial of a honey product on facial blemishes (below). Do not cover the spot overnight with tape or a bandage on the face.

What the blemish trial actually found

In a single-blind randomized trial published in BMJ Open in 2016, Semprini and colleagues assigned 136 adults to wash with an antibacterial soap twice daily, either alone or followed by a product of 90% medical-grade kanuka honey with 10% glycerine, left on for 30 to 60 minutes and washed off. After 12 weeks, 7.6% of the honey group and 1.9% of the soap-only group improved by at least 2 points on the investigator's grading scale, a difference that was not statistically significant.

Two things to note. First, the honey was kanuka, a close relative of manuka, not manuka itself. Second, the result means honey did not outperform soap in this trial, not that it did nothing. A 2013 review in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology by Burlando and Cornara also noted that double-blind clinical tests of honey on skin were still lacking. Think of a manuka mask as a soothing, hydrating step for breakout-prone skin, and keep your expectations to that.

Step 3: A 10% manuka honey gel you can leave on

Straight honey is sticky and hard to wear. In cosmetic products, honey is most often used at 1 to 10% in creams, gels, and lip products, according to the Burlando and Cornara review. This gel uses the top of that range.

1. Sanitize a small bowl, spatula, and airless bottle.
2. Weigh the honey into the bowl and stir in a third of the aloe base until the honey dissolves completely. Work at room temperature; no heat is needed.
3. Stir in the rest of the base, then the Leucidal Complete, for 60 seconds.
4. Transfer to the bottle, label with the date, and refrigerate.

Why the added preservative: our aloe base is already preserved, but honey adds sugar to a water-based gel, and once diluted, it no longer has the low water activity that keeps a jar of honey stable. Leucidal works in products with a pH between 3 and 8. We have not run a preservative challenge test on this exact blend, so make small batches you will finish within a few weeks and discard it if the smell, color, or texture changes.

Manuka honey and dark spots: a realistic plan

We could not find a human study of manuka honey on dark spots or uneven tone, so we will not claim one. If uneven tone is your main concern, build the routine around ingredients with human data and use honey as the hydrating mask step:

• Niacinamide. In Hakozaki and colleagues' 2002 study in the British Journal of Dermatology, 18 people used a 5% niacinamide moisturizer on one side and a vehicle on the other for 4 weeks, and the niacinamide side showed significantly less visible pigmentation and greater lightness. Our Niacinamide Serum is 10% niacinamide.
• Vitamin C. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial by Humbert and colleagues (Experimental Dermatology, 2003), women with sun-exposed skin used a 5% vitamin C cream daily for 6 months, and dermatologist and self-assessment scores improved significantly versus the vehicle. Our Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid and Ferulic Acid fits the morning step.
• Daily sunscreen. Without SPF 30 or higher every morning, no ingredient will keep up with new pigmentation from the sun.

A simple week: vitamin C and sunscreen every morning, niacinamide every evening, manuka mask two or three evenings a week before your serum. Judge tone after 8 to 12 weeks with photos in the same light.

Sensitive skin, broken skin, and when to stop

• Patch test first. Apply a little honey to the inner arm for 24 hours before your first face mask. People allergic to bee products or pollen should skip it.
• Start low. If your skin is sensitive, begin with a 5-minute mask once a week. For leave-on blends, start at the lowest rate in the 1 to 10% range and work up.
• Kitchen honey is a food. It is not sterilized. Do not put it on broken, cut or weeping skin; see a doctor or pharmacist for anything beyond a minor surface scrape.
• Stop if you see redness, swelling, or stinging that lasts more than a few minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use manuka honey on my face every day?

You can, but two or three times a week is enough for a rinse-off mask, and it keeps a jar of UMF 10+ honey lasting longer. Patch test first.

What UMF is best for skin?

UMF 10+ (about 261 mg/kg MGO) is the minimum we suggest for the face. Higher grades have more MGO, but no published skin study shows that UMF 20+ outperforms UMF 10+.

Is manuka honey good for breakouts?

Manuka's MGO showed antibacterial activity in lab testing, but in the one randomized trial of a honey product on facial blemishes (136 adults, 12 weeks, kanuka honey), honey added to soap did not perform significantly better than soap alone. Use it as a gentle mask, not your only step.

Does manuka honey fade dark spots?

There is no human study showing it. Niacinamide and vitamin C have human data for uneven tone, and daily sunscreen matters most.

Should I leave manuka honey on overnight?

We do not recommend it on the face. It transfers to pillows and hair, and the trial protocol used a 30 to 60 minute leave-on time, not overnight.

Can I add manuka honey to my moisturizer?

Yes, at up to 10%, but adding honey to a water-based product dilutes its preservative. Use the gel recipe above with an added preservative, make small batches, and refrigerate.

New to making your own skincare? Start with our guide to making your own skin care products.

Sources

• Mavric E, Wittmann S, Barth G, Henle T. Identification and quantification of methylglyoxal as the dominant antibacterial constituent of Manuka honeys from New Zealand. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, 2008; 52(4): 483-489. Six manuka samples, 38 to 761 mg/kg MGO; lab study. Summary at umf.org.nz
• Semprini A, Braithwaite I, Corin A, et al. BMJ Open, 2016; 6(2): e009448. Randomized trial, 136 adults, 90% kanuka honey with 10% glycerine, 12 weeks. bmjopen.bmj.com
• Burlando B, Cornara L. Honey in dermatology and skin care: a review. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013; 12: 306-313. Full text
• Hakozaki T, Minwalla L, Zhuang J, et al. The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer. British Journal of Dermatology, 2002; 147(1): 20-31. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2133.2002.04834.x
• Humbert PG, Haftek M, Creidi P, et al. Experimental Dermatology, 2003; 12(3): 237-244. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, 5% vitamin C cream for 6 months. doi:10.1034/j.1600-0625.2003.00008.x
• UMF Honey Association. UMF vs MGO comparison (grade to MGO conversion). umf.org.nz
• Skin Perfection, Leucidal preservative Q&A document (pH 3 to 8, 2 to 4%, add during cool-down).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.