What Exactly Is Mānuka Oil?

We know, we don’t stop talking about the wonderful impact that East Cape mānuka oil can have for your skin health. But can you blame us for gushing over something that we believe will genuinely revolutionise your skin health? Though we are a bit biased given it’s our hero ingredient in our natural skincare lineup, there’s a plethora of reasons why. 

Some of you might not be familiar with the magic of the mānuka plant as it is still a lesser known (yet incredibly effective) ingredient for natural skincare. So we are going to catch you up with all things mānuka oil and show you just why we believe in this miracle oil!

First, what is mānuka?

The mānuka plant is a myrtle that grows across New Zealand. Before mānuka honey and mānuka oil were discovered to have incredible health benefits, it was considered an annoyance by farmers. Now it’s a prized plant that is getting the attention it deserves!

This versatile plant is grown or wild harvested across the country to use in natural skincare products due to it’s unmatched anti-bacterial effectiveness. Though, not all mānuka plants are equal. Because of the sun-drenched shores of the East Cape, the mānuka that grows there has more beta-triketones, which are components that give it the unmatched anti-bacterial power. 

What makes mānuka oil different from mānuka honey?

Even though mānuka honey has been known for a long time for it’s amazing skin transformative properties, mānuka oil is pretty new to the skincare scene. 

Mānuka honey is the product of bees that feed on the nectar of the mānuka plant, giving mānuka honey a high natural concentration of hydrogen peroxide. Mānuka oil on the other hand comes from steam distilling the mānuka leaves and branches to get a small yet potent amount of mānuka oil. When comparing the anti-bacterial properties of the two, East Cape mānuka oil is 1,000x more powerful than mānuka honey against bad bacteria! 

How is mānuka oil made?

Mānuka oil is made by gathering the leaves and branches of the mānuka plant and steam distilling them. In our case, we work with local farmers and operations to sustainably harvest the East Cape mānuka plant that is the key to the unmatched anti-bacterial effectiveness of our products.

The process for making mānuka oil is quite a delicate art to produce just a small amount of this profoundly beneficial essential oil, taking almost twice the time as normal distillation processes. But of course, all of that hard work is worth the result!

Why is mānuka incredible for natural skincare?

Mānuka oil is quite new to the essential oil scene but there are plenty of reasons why mānuka oil is becoming the talk of the skincare world. East Cape mānuka oil, our hero ingredient, is packed with powerful b-triketones that give it the unmatched anti-bacterial superpowers.

But it gets better. Mānuka oil is also anti-aging and antioxidant so it can help turn back the clock on aging skin while defending it against free-radicals that damage skin and disrupt collagen production.

How is mānuka oil different from other essential oils?

Although there are quite a few essential oils that have incredible anti-bacterial effectiveness like Australian tea tree oil, due to mānuka oil’s super high content of triketones it’s over 33x more effective at fighting bad skin bacteria. 

Then there is East Cape mānuka oil’s synergistic properties. When this mānuka oil is combined with other essential oils it works in tandem with them and even helps strengthen their properties and effectiveness. The result? Essential oil blends that can tackle even the most unique or difficult skincare needs and challenges!

For example, in our Pro-Aging Trio lineup East Cape mānuka oil is combined with rosehip oil which has wonderful anti-aging and antioxidant properties like vitamin A, you get an unparalleled skin oil that helps rejuvenate tired skin like no other!

Experience the magic of mānuka oil today!

Now that we’ve caught you up with what exactly is mānuka oil, now the only thing left to do is experience this wonder of nature for yourself. East Cape mānuka oil, one of the world’s most powerful anti-bacterial essential oil, is the hero ingredient in all of our skincare products. Explore our amazing lineup to tackle any skin challenges in our shop and achieve your skincare goals, naturally!