Ustawi’s Mānuka Honey Glow Oil screams “100% clean” on the bottle — but flip it over and there’s fragrance listed. Not “natural fragrance” or “essential oils.” Just fragrance. That’s the loophole they’re riding.
The brand leans hard on “transparency” while hiding behind a term that means absolutely nothing regulated. If I wanted perfume in my face oil, I’d buy one.
🌿 **What You’re Actually Getting**
$48 for 30ml of a lightweight face oil. The “glow” promise hooked me — dewy without looking greasy. Social media made it look like magic in a dropper.
– **Texture** — Thinner than expected. Almost watery. Absorbs in about 12 seconds
– **Scent** — Smells like honey + something floral. Pleasant but definitely added
– **Finish** — Sheen, not shine. Actually looks good under makeup
⚠️ **Ingredients: The Good, The Bad, The Greenwash**
Hero ingredients are real: Mānuka honey (anti-inflammatory), jojoba oil (mimics skin’s sebum), and vitamin E (stabilizer). But that fragrance sits right next to them on the label — and fragrance is the #1 cause of contact dermatitis in face products.
- Mānuka Honey: Soothes redness, light antibacterial
- Jojoba Oil: Closest to skin’s natural oil, non-clogging
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E): Antioxidant, extends shelf life
- Fragrance: Zero benefit, potential irritant
🧪 **First Touch: Oily or Luxurious?**
It pours like thin honey — dark amber, warm. First night I put on 4 drops and my face felt slick for 20 minutes. That’s too much. 2 drops pressed into damp skin? Absorbs completely in 10 seconds. No sticky residue.
Week 2: My cheeks looked… bouncier? That’s the only word. But I also got a tiny whitehead on my chin. Could be the fragrance. Could be my period. Could be both.
💡 **One Thing** — Apply to *damp* skin after toner. Dry skin + this oil = surface grease. Damp skin = actual absorption.
📋 **Did It Actually Work?**
My skin looked more hydrated by morning. That glow lasted about 6 hours. But the dark spots I was hoping would fade? Still there. The “clean” claim annoyed me more the longer I used it.
💡 **Final Call**
A decent oil dragged down by a dishonest label. If you can tolerate fragrance, it’s pleasant. But “100% clean” isn’t clean when you’re hiding behind unregulated terms. Call it what it is: a nice honey oil with perfume.