At first glance, the word honey may evoke memories of mason jars in the pantry growing up, or even the image of beehives dripping in sticky liquid gold — and whilst those may be the obvious settings for nature’s wonder-ingredient, there are plenty more, too.

Here at Pollen Nation we’re pretty passionate about honey (we did create our bestselling Honey Shots Clearing Gel harnessing all its brilliant antibacterial and anti-inflammatory powers after all!). And so it’s time for us to share all the different ways you can incorporate it into your life, just like we do.

just like we do.

1.  As a healthier sweet alternative

We know sugar is a bit of a no-no, but the sweet life doesn’t have to stop there. Honey makes an excellent sugar alternative, perfect for whipping up all your favourite sweet treats or incorporating it into your beverages. See a recipe with sugar? Simply do a swap it out for honey.

It’s a preferable alternative as it contains a high level of antioxidants (especially our favourite, manuka honey!) and anti-inflammatory properties. We see it as an extra little bit of goodness you can incorporate into your next baking adventures or your spoonful of sweetness in your morning coffee. Our tip? Try it out for a week, straight swapping sugar where possible for honey. We have a feeling you may just never go back. After all, you’re sweet enough, honey!

2.  When you’ve got the flu

There’s a reason honey, or specifically manuka honey, is often found in throat lozenges these days: its antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties make it a soothing fix when a dreaded sore throat hits. Whilst it’s not going to cure all colds, it’s a time-honoured way to help soothe flu symptoms like a sore throat as it has a demulcent effect, alleviating irritation as it lines your throat. The best part is, you likely already have some waiting in your pantry.

3.  Protecting the skin

We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: honey is an incredible skin protector. Nobody knows this better than Pollen Nation founder Ezra Eldridge, who is a registered nurse familiar with the benefits of honey on wound care. After becoming interested on the ways in which honey can heal wounds, she was inspired to create Australia’s first honey-powered skincare brand and help bring those protective properties to more faces!

4.  In skincare

We love honey in skincare (surprise surprise). So much so, we source high-quality manuka honey from a local supplier in Queensland to work its magic in our skincare. We particularly love honey as an ingredient in skincare to pair nicely with more active ingredients. Thanks to its triple threat properties — antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant — and low PH level, it’s beneficial in keeping the skin balanced, calm and protected. Take our Honey Shots Clearing Gel, which contains clarifying actives like lactic acid. When paired with manuka honey, our formula not only works to help remove excess oil on the skin, exfoliate and slough away dead skin cells, but also keep the skin cool, calm and collected with the addition of anti-inflammatory honey to ease any sensitivity. It lets the actives do their thing, whilst also helping to keep your skin soothed and stress-free. It’s a big yes from us!