Health Beauty & Fitness: Why honey is the latest buzz word

Honey has long been used as a healing balm, with evidence documented since pre-biblical times of its role in the treatment of skin ulcers, sores and wounds. It can soothe a sore throat, moisturise chapped lips and it's packed with nutrients.

It seems that this humble wonder product has been taken to the next level with the arrival of Manuka honey on health-food store shelves, albeit at eye-watering prices.

What exactly is so special about this Antipodean interloper? Surely Scottish heather honey can't be beat?

Manuka honey is produced in New Zealand by bees which feed exclusively on the tea tree (otherwise known as Manuka), which itself has been recognised as possessing significant anti-bacterial properties, and hospital trials have yielded positive results.

Since it's such a natural, seemingly low-tech product I was surprised to see it featuring as an ingredient in a facial on the menu at Sk:n on Hanover Street.

Sk:n is not your average beauty salon. If you were looking to get some serious treatments along the lines of Botox, injectable fillers, laser hair removal or microdermabrasion, the white-coated ladies at the clinic/ salon may well be your first port of call.

After the nurse I had been assigned had analysed my complexion, she got to work priming me for the main event, cleansing my face before brushing on a layer of glycolic acid gel to dissolve the surface layer of dead skin.

As someone who enjoys poking and picking at my skin, I was in love with the idea of acid exfoliating my unwanted cells to reveal plump, fresh ones. The fact that it stung a bit, as she worked the gel in with the soft brush, only increased that cathartic feeling. After about ten itchy, tingly minutes, the solution was neutralised, removed with damp swabs and the honey-based product was applied. The nurse, named Sally, told me the honey was ideal for my combination skin type (acne-prone, but dry in places) as it is both moisturising and anti-microbial, helping to keep breakouts at bay.

After removing the honey, Sally applied a rich eye-cream and a mineral SPF30 cream to my admittedly very soft-feeling skin and sent me on my way – with a veritable shopping list of recommendations ranging from heavy-duty peels to Botox, should I wish to take my beauty regime to a scary new level.

I don't know about letting anyone in a white coat sting me with needles but I can report that my first brush with the beautifying powers of Manuka was the bee's knees.

Manuka Honey Deep Cleansing Facial (with glycolic peel or microdermabrasion) usually costs 79 at Sk:n clinics nationwide (clinics in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow, 0844 800 0317, www.sknclinics.co.uk).

Quote The Scotsman, when booking before the end of the month, and you'll get the treatment for 35.

Fab facts for a beautiful life

HEALTH

Bean boost

A study by the University of Cambridge revealed that people who drink coffee have a 27 per cent lower risk of suffering a stroke than those who never touch the stuff. This follows an earlier finding that those who drink coffee are less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes – a major risk factor for strokes. The study also included those who enjoyed a decaffeinated brew, so any health benefits are unlikely to be down to the caffeine itself.

BEAUTY

Star shine

Did you clock Uma Thurman and Kate Winslet's super shiny tresses at last month's Baftas? That could have been down to Charles Worthington, who was responsible for styling the pair's hair with his new Dream Hair products. The public have had to wait until now to get their paws on the seven-piece luxury collection, which includes a mask, hairspray and our favourite – a split-end smoothing Liberate the Lustre Shine Spritz (5.49).

Charles Worthington Dream Hair range, Boots and Superdrug nationwide

FITNESS

Give it a twirl

Your downstairs neighbours may not agree, but skipping is the perfect way to tone legs, back, chest and shoulders. It can also improve your cardiovascular fitness and help you burn up to 320 calories every 30 minutes. However, before you pick up the same rope you had when you were six, check out this Reebok Weighted Skipping Rope. It has 50g steel bars instead of the usual lightweight handles – ideal if you want to firm up those bingo wings.

Reebok Weighted Skipping Rope, 17.95, John Lewis (0131-556 9121, 0141-353 6677, www.johnlewis.com)