Have you ever had a hunch that turned out to be true? Call it intuition, extra sensory perception or plain old good luck, it’s an exciting moment when science and gut feelings match up.
When our founder Jill started formulating natural Tasmanian skincare over three decades ago, her recipes were based on time-honoured wisdom and tireless research, but also a little magic, drawn to particular ingredients for reasons she couldn’t entirely explain.
Honey and beeswax have always been the cornerstone of our range, because humans have known forever and a day that these gifts of the hive have powerful healing properties. But Jill wasn’t content to use any old honey, she was convinced there was something special about Tasmanian Leatherwood honey – and how right she was!
Keep gobbling these paragraphs for some of the greatest and geekiest news ever. But first…
…what is “Leatherwood” honey, anyway?
Leatherwood trees – Eucryphia lucida – are iconic Tasmanian natives which grow deep in the World Heritage Listed rainforest on our island’s west coast. During spring and summer, the Leatherwoods erupt in masses of sweetly-scented white flowers filled with nectar, triggering a pollination frenzy!
Honey from Leatherwood blossoms has long been revered for its rich flavour, fragrance and medicine. Decades ago, Jill forged a connection with a family of Tasmanian apiarists, R. Stephens Tasmanian Honey, who tuck their beehives deep in the forest (and take them there on a vintage railway, no less!). It’s the highest quality Leatherwood honey we can get our hands on, free from ANY pollution, pesticides or other human-made nasties because there is literally nothing between these happy bees and Patagonia.
But for all its obvious specialness, Leatherwood honey hasn’t enjoyed the same research or high profile marketing campaigns as products like Manuka honey from New Zealand. (Cue melancholy strings.)
All that changed on June 18, 2025 when news broke that…
…Tasmania’s rare and precious golden elixir was found to contain a never-before-seen compound in honey! Plus 13 other potent phenolics. From our friends at the Tasmanian Beekeepers Association:
A team at the University of Sunshine Coast Honey Lab has spent a year looking closely at what makes leatherwood honey so special. They found 14 natural compounds that make up its “chemical fingerprint”. One compound, called 4-Methoxymandelic Acid (4-MMA), has never been found in any other honey before — making it truly unique to Tasmania’s leatherwood.
A unique healing signature
Is it really a surprise to learn that honey from rare native trees, in a World Heritage Listed rainforest, on an island famous for its rich biodiversity and air so pure they literally bottle it… is utterly peerless? Nope. But it’s nice to have it on paper 😉
Let’s look at what they found in the Leatherwood honey lab:
- A world-first compound called 4-Methoxymandelic acid (4-MMA). Because it has only just been discovered, 4-MMA is still a mystery box of benefits – but is most likely a powerful antioxidant due to its structure. 4-MMA also provides a reliable “marker of authenticity” for Leatherwood honey, meaning that it can never be faked (heaven forbid!).
- A mesmerising array of beneficial phenolic compounds unique to Leatherwood honey. 14 naturally occurring markers have been identified which exert a symphony of positive effects on our bodies and skin, harmonising in a way that only nature could orchestrate. These potent compounds include ellagic acid, genistin, methyl syringate, kojic acid and lumichrome that, together, create a breathtakingly balanced balm for just about everything… inside and out.
What are phenolic compounds good for?
Phenolic compounds occur naturally in plants, and are tiny chemical structures that give certain herbs and foods their medicinal mojo. Bees transfer these phenolics into honey and beeswax, creating bespoke “prescriptions” based on the flowers (and ecosystems) they’re foraging in. Phenolics are famous for their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, protecting against cellular damage and chronic diseases.
The Leatherwood honey difference
If honey is a mirror of the ecosystem that produced it, Leatherwood honey must be the world’s most beautiful reflection. Lush cool climate rainforests, far, far away from agriculture and industry, thrumming with life and humming with bees… now that’s the kind of goodness we want to be slathering on our skin!
This research illuminates what Jill has long known – both intuitively and observationally – that Tasmanian Leatherwood honey is the complete package for whole-person radiance.
Thanks to an original and individual signature of healing compounds – such as 4-MMA, ellagic acid, genistin, methyl syringate, kojic acid and lumichrome – Leatherwood honey gives you…
Anti-inflammatory superpowers ~ Calming, soothing and restoring sensitive, irritated skin
Antioxidant protection ~ Fighting free radicals that cause premature aging
Antibacterial benefits ~ Naturally keeps your skin clean and healthy
Skin brightening properties ~ Thanks to kojic acid for that natural glow!
Heart and brain support ~ Because beautiful skin starts from within
…with every application.
Single-origin skincare
How many beauty care companies can tell you the story of their ingredients – down to the name of the beekeeper? We believe that origin matters and quality counts; that all honey isn’t created equal, and that celebrating local artisans who care for the planet is one of the best things we can do.
Leatherwood honey is a distillation of the world’s purest nectar and a precious gift from the rainforest. It’s thrilling to see science finally revealing its magic, but then again, we had a hunch… 😉
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