Comvita is known globally as being an expert in UMF® Manuka Honey. Manuka Honey has long been recognised for its skin beautifying benefits, particularly its moisturising, soothing and antioxidant properties. After numerous requests from our customers, we decided it made sense to create a natural skincare range which utilised Manuka Honey as the hero ingredient.
As every product includes our world famous Manuka Honey, we felt that name needed to reflect this and have a natural feel. It also needed to evoke something that was stylish, distinctive and fun.
Manuka Honey acts as a moisturiser, naturally drawing water molecules into the skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and is anti-bacterial. It may also have UV absorption properties.
Honey is a naturally sticky ingredient and it can be hard to work with. The huni® formulations cleverly combine ingredients, allowing us to include the maximum amount of Manuka Honey, whilst retaining smooth, easily absorbed emulsions and creams with no sticky residue.
UMF® refers to the Unique Manuka Factor. This is an independent scientific measure of the special anti-bacterial properties not found in any other honey. Only Manuka Honey that has a UMF® rating of 5+ or higher can carry the UMF® trade mark.
UMF®20+ Manuka Honey is the highest UMF® Manuka Honey commercially available in the quantities required. The honey selected not only has a high UMF®, but is also of our purest (medical grade) quality.
All ingredients had to be extracted from nature wherever possible. From sustainable sources, they also needed to be free from ‘incidental’ ingredients, parabens, SLS, synthetic colours or fragrances, mineral oils and GE modified plant materials. It was also important that none of the ingredients chosen were knowingly mutagenic, carcinogenic, toxic or sensitizing. Every ingredient is microbiologically safe and they have a specific reason for being present.
New Zealand products have been chosen wherever possible. However, as a small country, New Zealand has limited research and production facilities and in some cases ingredients have had to be sourced from overseas. In this case we have ensured that the companies have high ethical and sustainability standards in keeping with Comvita’s own philosophies and that the ingredients supplied meet our requirements.
All huni™ products are at least 99% natural.
The balance is a safe-to-use synthetic preservative system, either containing sodium benzoate or phenoxyethanol. Geogard Ultra®, the sodium benzoate based preservative system that we use in all of our products, apart from the Intensive Hydrating Mask, is accepted by ECOCERT for use in certified organic cosmetics. This broad spectrum cosmetic preservative system is an active blend of gluconolactone and sodium benzoate that allows manufacturers to protect their formulations while avoiding the use of controversial preservatives.
When a preservative is not required in a formulation we don’t use one. For example, our Anytime Lip Treatment is preservative free.
As sustainable sources of effective natural preservatives become available we will incorporate them into our formulations.
The huni™ range is lanolin-free. As a number of people are sensitive to lanolin we decided not to include it. While the keratin in some of the products does come from wool, it is entirely different to lanolin. Lanolin is ‘wool grease’, produced by the sebaceous glands of the sheep to help with waterproofing. Keratin is a protein found in wool giving it its strength.
While a few of the ingredients in the products are certified organic (palm oil, Zizyphus Joazeiro Extract and Myrrh Resin Extract), we did not feel that we could make a certified organic range that met our requirements. We required product effectiveness supported by science and ingredients whose ongoing supply was guaranteed. Our hero ingredient, UMF® 20+ Manuka Honey, is not commercially available as an organic ingredient in the quantities required.
“Organic” can mean different things in different countries but the Comvita brand philosophy has always been one of premium quality and efficacy – natural performance without compromise.
All of the liquid products, except the toner (which is fragrance free), contain a proprietory fragrance created especially for Comvita by a French perfumer called ‘Honey and Leaves’. Naturally sourced ingredients combine to create this stylish and distinctive fragrance.
The huni™ Manuka Honey and Kowhai soap contains a subtly different fragrance called ‘Honey, Fruit and Seeds’. The other two soaps are fragranced with essential oils.
After a thorough life cycle analysis we chose to use polypropylene for our bottles and polyethylene for our tubes. We chose safe plastic over glass as glass is heavier and more energy intensive to produce and ship around the planet.
Our plastics are manufactured from clean technologies and do not leach harmful chemicals such as Bispenol-A, PVC plasticisers, or Phthalates. Safe colour pigments, free from heavy metals, have been used to colour the packaging.
huni™ can be used on most skin types. The key is to layer them according to your skin type and be prepared to adjust your regime as your skin’s needs change.
The range has been developed primarily for women over 25, whose skin is more susceptible to the ravages of the sun, pollution and stress. The ingredients moisturise the skin, whilst its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help to slow and reduce the signs of ageing.
When huni™ is applied to your skin you may experience a tightening, tingling, cooling and freshening feeling. This sensation should not be mistaken for drying. It indicates that the active, skin-beautifying ingredients are being absorbed, deep into your skin.
It is difficult to develop a skincare product that absorbs UV rays without the addition of chemical compounds. We are aware that honey may have some natural UV absorption properties, however more work is required before we can make any claims in this regard. We are looking to add a 'natural' Every Day Moisturiser with a SPF to the huni™ range in the near future.
In the meantime you can still benefit from huni™ by wearing it under your chosen SPF, and accompanying it with a hat and sunglasses.
This is due to the natural formulation thickening over time. The easiest thing to do is to tap the base of the bottle on a hard surface before use to ensure that the remaining product has fallen to the bottom. If there is still remaining product at the bottom of the bottle, you can remove the lid and use a cotton tip or spatula, or turn the product upside down to collect the remaining product in the lid.
We know that this is not ideal and are working to correct this problem as soon as possible.
The Night & Day Serum has been formulated to provide intensive moisturisation and anti-ageing benefits for the sensitive, wrinkle-prone skin around the eyes, brows and lips. We suggest using it under your favourite moisturiser. It can be applied to problem areas or used all over the face.
No the skin will not go white. Every Day Whitening produces subtle changes to the pigmentation within the skin, resulting in an evening out of the skin tone. Changes are not likely to be evident until the cream has been used regularly for a period of about four weeks.
We recommend that it be applied twice daily to specific dark spots. Daily application is suitable for general prevention of skin tone unevenness.
Traditional soap making methods dating back to the 7th century are used to create these natural soaps. The formulations are hand stirred the soaps and then poured into moulds. Once they are set they are cut to shape and left on wooden drying racks for a few weeks to cure, before being ready to package.
The huni™ range includes cleansers, toners, moisturisers and special treatments for your face, as well as soaps, a body wash and a body moisturiser. There should be a product for all of your face and body skincare needs.
A men’s skincare range is being considered and is likely to be developed in the future. In the meantime men might appreciate many of the products in the current huni™ range, including the Every Day Soaps, All Day Body Lotion and Anytime Lip Treatment.
Comvita offer a number of products which can assist in the maintenance of healthy, young skin. Royal Jelly, Omega 3 oil, Selenium ACE, Grapeseed, Propolis and Bilberry would all be beneficial in this regard.
Yes you should be able to still use huni™ products. There is no link between allergy to bee stings and the topical application of honey to the skin.
The increasing prevalence of food allergies (especially allergy to peanuts) has led to a discussion of how safe topical preparations containing nut oil are with respect to allergies. So far, no reliable data is available regarding doses required to induce sensitization against nut proteins through contact with the skin via skin care products. It would seem sensible to suggest that someone with a severe nut allergy should avoid nut oil containing products.
As a wheat allergy is usually due to the gluten protein part of the wheat, a wheat allergic person should have no problems with the products. The wheat present in the fomrulations has been altered to make the wheat derived ingredients and it is a wheat carbohydrate that is being utilised, not the protein.