Why Mānuka Oil Should be in Your Skincare Routine

What a difference a decade makes.

Ten years ago, our bathroom cabinet was packed with lotions and potions full of ingredients we barely thought twice about. That changed when we discovered Mānuka Oil.

This distinctive New Zealand botanical quickly became a favourite in our family skincare routine. We loved its natural origins, its versatility and the growing body of research exploring the compounds found within Mānuka essential oil.

Today, Mānuka has become one of New Zealand’s best-known native plants. Mānuka Honey is recognised around the world, while interest in Mānuka Oil and Mānuka-based skincare continues to grow.

For us, that interest goes much deeper than a trend.

Mānuka, tradition and modern research

Mānuka has a long history of traditional use in Aotearoa.

Māori incorporated different parts of the native Mānuka plant into rongoā rākau and other traditional practices long before modern researchers began studying its chemistry.

Today, scientific research gives us another way to understand this remarkable plant.

Studies of Mānuka essential oil have investigated naturally occurring compounds including triketones, as well as their activity under laboratory conditions. This research helps explain why the chemical composition of Mānuka Oil attracts so much scientific interest.

That does not mean a finished cosmetic containing Mānuka Oil is intended to treat medical conditions. For us, the research simply provides another reason to care deeply about the quality, origin and composition of the Mānuka Oil we use.

Why we chose Mānuka Oil for That’s It

Our search for Mānuka Oil began with a simple goal: to create straightforward natural skincare that suited an active family spending plenty of time outdoors.

Farm work, surfing, skiing, biking and hiking can all leave skin feeling like it has had a long day.

We wanted skincare that felt uncomplicated and practical, without filling our bathroom cabinet with endless products.

That is where Mānuka Oil found its place.

It became the botanical at the heart of That’s It skincare and continues to shape the way we think about natural skincare for everyday outdoor life.

The Mānuka tree

Native to New Zealand, Leptospermum scoparium, commonly known as Mānuka, is a hardy member of the myrtle family.

It thrives in demanding conditions and has long been part of the New Zealand landscape.

For generations, however, Mānuka was often treated as something farmers needed to clear to make way for pasture. We love that attitudes have changed.

Today, we are helping return land to Mānuka and taking a very different view of the plant that previous generations worked so hard to remove.

How we make our Mānuka Oil

Mānuka Oil is produced by distilling the leaves and branches of the Mānuka plant.

At That’s It, we use a specialised vacuum distillation process that allows us to distil at lower temperatures.

Why does that matter?

The chemical profile of Mānuka Oil includes naturally occurring compounds known as triketones. Our lower-temperature process is designed to help preserve these compounds during distillation.

Combined with the particular Mānuka we grow, this allows us to produce an oil with naturally high triketone levels.

For us, that is part of taking control of the ingredient from plant to product rather than simply buying a generic essential oil and adding it to a formula.

Mānuka Oil and Mānuka Honey are very different

Mānuka Honey may be the most famous product associated with the Mānuka plant, but Mānuka Oil is something quite different.

Mānuka Honey is made by bees collecting nectar from Mānuka flowers.

Mānuka Oil is distilled directly from the plant itself, particularly its leaves and branches. As a result, the two have completely different compositions and are used in very different ways.

Mānuka Oil is also entirely plant-derived, making it suitable for vegan skincare formulations.

How we use Mānuka Oil in everyday skincare

For our family, Mānuka Oil has become part of a simple skincare routine designed around active, outdoor life.

We use Mānuka Oil-based skincare when skin feels dry or weather-exposed, and as part of our everyday routine after time spent outdoors.

Depending on the product, it can also be a useful addition to routines focused on:

• caring for dry or rough-feeling skin
• maintaining skin that feels balanced rather than excessively oily
• caring for skin exposed to wind and changing weather
• keeping skin feeling comfortable after an active day
• supporting a simple, fuss-free skincare routine

It is this versatility that first made us fall in love with Mānuka Oil.

Natural skincare for outdoor life

At That’s It, our Mānuka Oil skincare is made for people whose lives do not always happen indoors.

We believe natural skincare can be simple, considered and grounded in a genuine understanding of the ingredients being used.

Mānuka Oil gives us a New Zealand-grown botanical with a fascinating chemical profile, a rich history and a natural fit with the kind of skincare we wanted for our own family.

That is why it remains at the heart of That’s It.

Want to learn more about Mānuka and our approach to natural outdoor skincare? Explore the That’s It Mānuka Oil range.