Last year, my family and I went through something that is becoming increasingly common: cancer diagnosis.

And as someone who has spent years deep in the world of clean, conscious beauty, has read labels, researched ingredients, and built a life around the belief that what goes on your body matters, I sat beside them in those first appointments thinking I was prepared. I thought I knew what we were walking into.

What I wasn't prepared for was the skincare and personal care recommendations.

They were handed a mass-market petroleum jelly, a heavily fragranced pink bar soap, and other toxic conventional skincare products to use during cancer treatment. I was shocked. And then, almost immediately, I thought: why am I shocked?

The conventional skincare industry has been putting these ingredients in products for decades.

Petroleum derivatives. Synthetic fragrances that legally conceal hundreds of undisclosed chemicals. Preservatives that have been linked to issues within the body. These aren't fringe concerns; they've been well documented and are why so many people are switching to clean beauty.

And yet here they were, being recommended in a cancer treatment setting. To people whose skin barriers are likely compromised by treatment. Whose bodies are absorbing everything more readily than ever. Who are already asking so much of themselves just to get through each day.

Why Skincare Becomes Critical During Treatment

When your body is undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, your skin is not a minor concern. It becomes one of the most vulnerable and reactive parts of the entire experience. Treatment can cause radiation dermatitis, which looks like redness, raw skin, peeling, and burns at the treatment site. It causes chemotherapy-induced dryness, severe dehydration, cracking, and sensitivity throughout the body.

It compromises your skin's natural barrier function and its ability to protect itself. And because that barrier is damaged, what you apply gets in more easily than ever before.

When your skin is this vulnerable, and your immune system is already under strain, this is not the time to apply synthetic fragrances, petroleum byproducts, and chemical preservatives. It's the time to be more intentional, not less, about every single thing that touches your body.

What's Actually in the Products Commonly Recommended

The healthcare providers recommending these products have nothing but good intentions. Many of them had absolutely no idea about the ingredient concerns I'm about to share. And that's the problem. These products have been handed out in clinical settings for decades without question.

Petroleum jelly and petroleum-based moisturizers are by-products of crude oil. They work by sitting on top of the skin and creating a seal, which sounds helpful, but they don't allow your skin to breathe, and they don’t nourish or help it repair itself. 

The word "fragrance" on an ingredient label might seem harmless, but it's actually a legally protected catch-all that can represent hundreds of undisclosed chemicals. Many of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors, meaning they can interfere with your body's hormonal systems. For skin that is already sensitized and a body under significant stress, fragrance is one of the first things worth eliminating.

Then, many conventional moisturizers use synthetic preservatives to extend shelf life, and some of these preservatives have raised questions for years about their long-term interactions with the body.

There Is a Safer Way

This is where my family's experience and Honey Girl Organics come together.

Honey Girl Organics was built on one foundational belief: what goes on your body should be as clean and intentional as what goes in it. Pure, plant-based ingredients in their most whole and bioavailable forms are what skin truly needs to heal and thrive. That philosophy has never felt more real or more urgent to me than it does right now.

If there's one product I would put in the hands of every person undergoing treatment, it's Super Skin Food. This certified organic salve is made with organic extra-virgin olive oil, organic beeswax, and raw Hawaiian honey; ingredients that nourish and support the skin's ability to repair itself. 

Beeswax forms a breathable protective barrier that supports healing without sealing out air the way petroleum does. Honey brings natural humectant and antimicrobial properties that have been trusted for centuries. No synthetic fragrances. No parabens. No petroleum. Just ingredients that your skin, especially raw, radiation-treated skin, can recognize and use.

For full-body care, everything from Honey Girl Organics is formulated to support and heal, from The Lotion Extra Sensitive to the Face & Eye Crème Extra Sensitive.

When healing is the priority, these are the products you want on your skin.

We hear from customers going through exactly this, and their words mean everything to us.

"I started using Honey Girl cream when I was going through cancer treatment and having radiation on my neck. The cream was a lifesaver to me. The doctors were amazed at how well my skin was doing. I had radiation treatment every day for six and a half weeks, and my skin looks beautiful. Thank you, Honey Girl." — Verified Customer, Super Skin Food

"I have used Honey Girl for three years now, since I was diagnosed with cancer and had to have six and a half weeks of radiation to my neck. I was severely burned from the radiation, and Honey Girl saved my skin. I look younger than I did in my youth. I always recommend it to all my friends." — Verified Customer, Face & Eye Crème Extra Sensitive

If you're in this season, or know someone who is, I see you. I'm right there with you.

And Honey Girl Organics is here to support you with skin-loving formulas for every stage of life, even the hard ones.

With love,

Ashley and the Honey Girl Organics team

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Honey Girl Organics products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your oncologist or dermatologist before changing your skincare routine during active cancer treatment.

Why Trust Honey Girl Organics?

For 20 years, Honey Girl Organics has been creating clean, effective skincare that truly cares for your skin. Our formulas combine organic, thoughtfully sourced ingredients with bee-powered botanicals to hydrate, soothe, and restore. For over two decades, we’ve helped countless people care for their skin while staying true to our commitment to gentle, effective, and indulgent skincare that supports healthy, glowing skin. Our customers speak for us, with 3,941 reviews sharing their love for Honey Girl Organics.