Honey has been used in skincare and beauty rituals for centuries. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of this ingredient have made it a favorite for those with sensitive skin as well as those with inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea and more. For this reason, brands like Honey Girl Organics have created entire product lines dedicated to honey, bee pollen and bee propolis, so you can experience the benefits of these ingredients for yourself. So today, we’re diving into their formulations to see what makes their honey-based skin care so unique. So without further adieu, let’s get started!
About The Brand
Honey Girl Organics was founded by Anthony and Gwen Maxfield and Christina Sirlin who realized that honey and beeswax could be incredibly rejuvenated when combined with their favorite facial oils. But what started with a nourishing moisturizer quickly expanded into cleansers, treatments, masks and more.
Today, the Hawaii-based brand continue to create green beauty products, inspired by the local island lifestyle. Almost all of their products are USDA Certified Organic, with the exception of four products that are between 70-80% organic as opposed to the USDA standard of 95%. Some of their products are available through retailers like Amazon, but the full range of products is almost exclusively available through their website.
Honey Girl Organics
The Honey Girl Organics range first started with their Face & Eye Cream. The founders of Honey Girl Organics stumbled upon this recipe after combining their favorite plant oil blend with raw, organic honey. What they found what that the unfiltered honey, as well as bee pollen and bee propolis, were able to create even better results than just an oil blend alone. The two components, when used together, deeply nourish the skin, balance out oil and serum production, and protect the skin from outside stressors. The ingredients in this formula have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help support healthy skin and prevent sun damage. This formula set the stage for the rest of the line, which still uses many of the same ingredients that the original Face & Eye Cream is composed of.
Their most popular products from the entire range include their Super Skin Food, and their Facial Cleanser & Makeup Remover. The Super Skin Food is their richest, most potent cream which features almost all of the ingredients seen in the Face & Eye Cream. This includes Christmas Berry honey, organic extra virgin olive oil and a unique essential oil blend.This product is gentle enough to use on the face, but can also be used to spot treat specific areas of the body such as your hands, elbows, ankles, or anywhere else that feels a bit too dry.
Their Facial Cleanser & Makeup Remover on the other hand, is the ideal place to start your cleansing routine. This cleanse is made with super simple ingredients, and can be used as both your first and second cleanser, especially if you have experience with the oil cleansing method. As with many other products in the Honey Girl Organics line, this product is also available in an extra sensitive formula so that even those with very sensitive or reactive skin types can experience the benefits of these ingredients, without any of the draw backs. The extra sensitive formulas do not contain essential oils, so if you have previous experience with sensitivities due to essential oil blends, their sensitive formulations are perfect for you.
Formula Focus
The key to the formulas behind the Honey Girl Organics line is simplicity and quality. Most of the ingredients lists behind these products are less than 20 ingredients long, and almost all of the ingredients are pure and organic. Looking at their iconic Face & Eye Cream, the entire ingredients list consists of purified water, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic beeswax, organic christmas berry honey, organic rose oil, natural vitamin E, organic patchouli essential oil, organic lime oil, and organic cinnamon oil. That’s it! But can so little really do so much?
Surprisingly, yes, especially if you have sensitive skin or have previously had difficulty using products that contain silicones, artificial fragrances, dyes, or other synthetic ingredients. Each of the ingredients in this formula was selected because of its unique set of benefits. For example, their christmas berry honey is a unique, raw hawaiian honey that naturally contains bee pollen, bee propolis and royal jelly. Left in it’s raw, unfiltered from, honey is an incredibly rich source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants which can protect your skin from free radicals, as well as help to promote healthier looking skin. But in addition to its nutrient dense makeup, honey also possesses, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, making it an excellent ingredient for those with pesky pore issues, as well as inflammatory acne. Finally, honey is also incredibly moisturizing and soothing, which can be a huge help for those with dry, sensitive or mature skin types. With all of these beneficial properties, honey can work well for just about any skin type, and can help with a variety of skin concerns, which is why it’s predominantly featured in every single product that Honey Girl Organics offers.
Another big focus of Honey Girl Organics products are the use of essential oils to target specific skin concerns. Essential oils themselves can be quite a polarizing topic, especially if you do have sensitive skin. When applied correctly and with proper dilution, essential oils can be incredibly healing and possess a number of beneficial properties. But, because the chemical composition of essential oils is so complex, they can often cause problems for those with sensitive skin. Because of this, finding the right essential oils for your skin type may take some trial and error, but if you find that essential oils do not aggravate your skin, the benefits are quite impressive. For example, Honey Girl Organics uses a blend of patchouli essential oil, lime essential oil, rose essential oil and cinnamon essential oil. Each one of these essential oils offers a unique set of benefits. Starting off with patchouli, this essential oil has been linked to wrinkle prevention, and also has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and astringent properties. Lime essential oil is a powerful antioxidant rich oil, and has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Rose is an incredibly soothing essential oil which also possesses antimicrobial properties. Research has also suggested that rose essential oil can also improve the absorption of other products and ingredients when applied topically. Finally, cinnamon essential oil has highly antioxidant rich and decreases inflammation which can help with acne as well as anti-aging.
