About Manuka Skin
A Legacy Built on Nature. A Future Built on Results.
Over 30 years ago, our family made a discovery in New Zealand that would change our lives — and the skin of thousands of Australians. Today, that discovery is at the heart of every product we make.
Our story
From a New Zealand Discovery to an Australian Family Legacy
Manuka Skin was founded by Adam Nye — but its roots go back to his mother, Cheryle Nye, a skincare professional with a rare combination of qualifications that made her uniquely placed to develop what would become our founding formulas.
Cheryle Nye — Co-founder & Formulator
With decades of hands-on experience across beauty therapy, cosmetic chemistry, education, and complementary health, Cheryle brought a rare breadth of expertise to the development of Manuka Skin's original formulas.
In the early 1990s, Cheryle was closely following the work of Dr. Peter Molan at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, whose research unit was documenting remarkable properties in Manuka honey not found in other honeys. But for Cheryle, this wasn't just academic interest — she would soon be witnessing something extraordinary first-hand.
"Before she ever designed a skincare formula, Cheryle was using Manuka honey to treat serious leg injuries on thoroughbred racehorses. What she observed in those results gave her a conviction that no research paper alone ever could."
1994
Manuka International is born
Cheryle and Geoff Nye founded Manuka International Pty Ltd, becoming the first to commercially import and sell certified New Zealand Manuka honey in Australia under the brand Bee Products — still trusted by Australians today.
Early 2000s
A discovery that couldn't be ignored
While working with thoroughbred racehorses, Cheryle began applying Manuka honey to serious open leg wounds. The results she observed were remarkable — and became the catalyst for everything that followed. This hands-on experience, combined with Dr. Molan's research at the University of Waikato, gave her an unshakeable belief in the ingredient's potential for skin.
Mid 2000s
The skincare formula breakthrough
Drawing on her training in beauty therapy, cosmetic chemistry, and complementary health — and frustrated by an industry full of expensive, chemical-laden products that didn't deliver — Cheryle set out to solve a problem nobody had cracked: incorporating large volumes of raw, active Manuka honey into skincare that was stable, non-greasy, and a pleasure to use. The result was CResults Skincare, which helped thousands of Australians with dry, sensitive, and reactive skin.
Today
Manuka Skin — evolved, not reinvented
Adam took over the reins, rebranding the company as Manuka Skin with a modern identity and a sharpened mission. Cheryle's original formulas — refined over decades — remain at the heart of everything we make.
About the ingredient
What the Research Says About Manuka Honey
The following information is based on the independent scientific research of Dr. Peter Molan and the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. This research was conducted on Manuka honey as a natural substance and does not constitute claims about our skincare products.
Dr. Peter Molan — University of Waikato Honey Research Unit
A unique honey, unlike any other
Dr. Molan founded the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in 1995, building on a discovery made in 1981 that Manuka honey possessed an unusual type of activity not found in other honeys. Over decades of research, his unit documented a significant body of findings about what makes Manuka honey scientifically remarkable.
The research identified the key active compound as Methylglyoxal (MGO) — the basis for the MGO rating system used to grade active Manuka honey today. Dr. Molan's published research documented the following properties of Manuka honey as a natural substance:
Antibacterial activity
Research documented an unusual and potent antibacterial activity in Manuka honey, attributed to its MGO content
Anti-inflammatory activity
Studies found Manuka honey exhibited notable anti-inflammatory properties as a natural substance
Antioxidant activity
Research identified significant antioxidant activity within Manuka honey's natural composition
Immuno-stimulatory activity
Dr. Molan's research also documented immuno-stimulatory activity as one of Manuka honey's naturally occurring properties
The above findings are drawn from Dr. Peter Molan's published academic research and that of the Honey Research Unit, University of Waikato. Full research papers are available at waikato.academia.edu/PeterMolan/Papers. These findings relate to Manuka honey as a researched natural substance. Manuka Skin products are cosmetic products and no therapeutic claims are made.
Our formulation
Why we chose Manuka honey as our hero ingredient
Cheryle chose certified active Manuka honey as the centrepiece of her formulas because of something very few skincare founders can claim — she had seen what it could do with her own eyes. That personal conviction, backed by decades of professional expertise and emerging scientific research, drove her to build formulas that put the ingredient front and centre at meaningful concentrations.
Our products are formulated with high concentrations of certified active Manuka honey — carefully stabilised to preserve the integrity of its natural compounds. Combined with complementary natural ingredients, our range is designed to deeply nourish, hydrate, rejuvenate, and care for your skin, particularly if it is dry, sensitive, or reactive.
We don't make therapeutic claims. What we do is give your skin the benefit of one of the most studied natural ingredients in the world — at concentrations high enough to make a difference you can see and feel.
Our promise
Skincare for people who are done being let down
"Simple ingredients. Honest science. Skin that genuinely transforms."
— The Manuka Skin promiseWe make skincare for people who've tried everything and want something that actually works. Every formula is built on 30 years of real knowledge, real research, and real results — not marketing language and empty claims.
When you use Manuka Skin, you're not buying into hype. You're buying into a family's life work.