Honey

Excellent

Humectant

Honey at a glance

  • Substance produced by bees from the nectar of flowering plants
  • Has antioxidant and soothing properties
  • Is not considered vegan

Honey description

Honey is a substance produced by bees from the nectar of flowering plants. Composed primarily of the sugars fructose and glucose and consumed as food, honey also has benefits in skin care due to its amino acid, peptide, antioxidant, and natural antibacterial composition. Antioxidants found in honey include vitamins A, C, and E as well as flavonoid compounds triacetin, quercetin, and luteolin. The primary research on honey and skin has to do with its multi-faceted role in soothing various concerns. Dark honeys have a stronger antioxidant effect than light honeys. Regular honey is also known as clarified honey or purified honey - this is the type most grocery stores sell. Along with antioxidant and soothing properties, honey also works on skin’s surface by forming a barrier that helps reduce the buildup of harmful substances which can impede healing. Is honey vegan? Technically, no. As it comes from bees, it is considered an animal (insect) byproduct. Although the starting point for honey is nectar from flowering plants, the bee itself makes the honey via digestive enzymes in its stomach and a regurgitation process that’s shared with other bees, followed by dehydration and storage in wax structures known as honeycombs. The bees use honey as a food source in the wild; however, when bees are carefully and ethically farmed, the hive’s workers produce much more honey than the colony needs to thrive. The excess is used as sweetener by people and in various skin care products.

Honey references

  • Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, December 2019, pages 1,368-1,377
  • Bioengineering, Volume 5, June 2018, ePublication
  • Journal of Functional Biomaterials, June 2018, ePublication
  • Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, August 2017, pages 849-855
  • Wounds, June 2015, pages 141-151
  • The Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, March 2015, ePublication
  • Foods, July 2014, pages 420-432
  • PeerJ., March 2014, eCollection, 2014
  • Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, December 2013, pages 306-313
  • Burns & Trauma, June 2013, pages 32-38
  • The Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, April 2011, pages 154-160

Peer-reviewed, substantiated scientific research is used to assess ingredients in this dictionary. Regulations regarding constraints, permitted concentration levels and availability vary by country and region.

Évaluation des ingrédients

Excellent

Ingrédient dont l’efficacité est prouvée et basée sur des études cliniques indépendantes. Un actif exceptionnel pour la plupart des types de peau ou problématiques cutanées.

Bon

Ingrédient nécessaire pour améliorer la texture, la stabilité ou la pénétration de la formule.

Moyen

Généralement non irritant, mais peut présenter des problèmes esthétiques, de stabilité ou autres qui limitent son utilité.

Mauvais

Un risque d'irritation est possible. Ce risque augmente lorsqu'il est associé à d'autres ingrédients problématiques.

Très mauvais

Peut provoquer irritations, inflammations, sécheresse, etc. Peut présenter un certain intérêt, mais s'avère globalement plus nocif que bénéfique.

Inconnu

Nous n’avons pas trouvé cet ingrédient dans notre base de données. Nous enregistrons les ingrédients manquants et mettons régulièrement notre base à jour.

Non évalué

Nous n'avons pas encore évalué cet ingrédient car nous n'avons pas eu l'occasion d'examiner les recherches le concernant.