The Benefits of Honey Spa Treatments

For thousands of years people have been harnessing the power of honey for way more than adding a little sweetness to their morning cup of tea. Honey, specifically Manuka honey which is harvested in New Zealand, is used medicinally around the world to treat wounds and soothe skin thanks to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and natural humectant qualities. Plus, it’s packed with antioxidants! It’s no wonder spas everywhere feature fabulous treatments and services on their menus that use this power player ingredient.

A spa that knows all about the power of honey is The Boulders in Scottsdale, Arizona! Not only does the spa’s menu have some seriously amazing honey treatments, including the Turquiose Wrap-it and the Honey Blossom, the resort has it’s own Resident Beekeeper, Emily Brown (shown doing her thing in the photo above!), who maintains the health and productivity of the two colonies of honeybees (that’s 13,000 bees!). The resort hosted its first annual (and award-winning) Arizona Honey Festival last September which featured cooking with honey seminars and honey spa treatments at the Waldorf Astoria Spa at the Boulders. Stay tuned for info about this years’ honey harvest!

Wayak Spa, at the Viceroy Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, uses honey in their Hunam Kab treatment, which is Mayan for “Sweet Honey and Rain.” Using honey harvested from a 70-year-old Meliponas bee hive located in the resort’s garden, the 80-minute Hunam Kab treatment is a truly revitalizing experience. “The Meliponas bees are legendary in Mayan lore because their honey is considered to have healing powers and the bees themselves are stingless,” explains Spa Coordinator Brianda Aldape. “Honey is a skin revitalizer with amazing healing properties – fighting against bacteria and healing wounds. Because it has a replenishing quality, it works wonders as a facial or body mask. The biggest benefits are for the skin – restoring the natural glow and if there are some scars it helps to heal them. If the skin is prone to acne, it also reduces the proliferation of bacteria.”

Spa Terra at The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, California, uses an infusion of honey in its 50-minute Dolce treatment. Because honey is known for retaining moisture and skin elasticity this sugar orange peel scrub and honey wrap experience is wonderful for treating premature wrinkles as well as soothing the skin after all that fun in the sun you had this summer!