People used honey for its healing and medicinal properties for centuries. During present time we still appreciate healing effects of honey, despite scientific and medical discoveries and achievements.
Honey is a sweet, thick liquid that is made by honeybees. Bees collect nectar from flowers, which is basically sugar. On beehive, bees “repeatedly consume, digest and regurgitate the nectar” which turns into what we know as honey.
The smell, color, clearness and taste of honey depend on what kind of flowers bees pollinated.
Honey in a way is a miracle product that can cure some illnesses, burns and relieve chronic symptoms. Please, read THIS article about different effects of honey.
Honey has also many benefits in cosmetics and is widely used in beauty industry.
Benefits of honey for skin:
1. Honey is able to heal wounds very fast which becomes very helpful when you are trying to heal acne wounds, eczema and even acne scars.
2. Because of its anti-bacterial properties, you can use honey for acne – it will kill acne causing bacteria.
3. You can also use honey for pimples – apply it to desired area using a q-tip.
4. Honey will gently exfoliate your skin returning glowing and healthy complexion to it.
5. Exfoliating properties of honey remove dead cell layer on top of your skin – removing age, sun and other dark spots; removing dead cell also prevents blackheads from forming.
6. Honey will cleanse your pores making them less visible and deep.
7. Honey has a full range of vitamins in it which will nourish and rejuvenate your skin.
8. It also has anti-inflammatory effects meaning that honey will help to reduce redness, irritation an inflammation of your skin.
9. I promise that your will instantly notice a huge difference in your skin once you use a mask with honey. Your skin will just feel so smooth, silky and healthy.
Do not use honey when:
· You have a known allergy to honey, bees and pollen – you might have an allergic reaction.
· There is always a chance of individual intolerance like with any other component.
Always perform a patch test before applying new product to your skin.
You can always buy a ready-made product that will deliver all the promised benefits to your skin and will transform it to a glowing, beautiful one.
However, if you prefer homemade skin care, you can also easily enjoy amazing products made by you. After all, luxury skin care does not have to cost huge amount of money and can be available to all of us.
When you prepare honey face cream, honey face scrub or any other product, always go for raw honey. Do your research so you purchase honey from certified sellers – you do not want your product to be diluted with syrups and sugar.
(This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase I might receive a small commission at no extra cost to you).
Let’s explore few homemade skin care products with honey.
1. Moisturizing Face Mask with Honey
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of raw honey
1 egg yolk
Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Apply to clean skin for 20 min.
3. Wash off with lukewarm water
2. Brightening Face Mask with Honey
Ingredients:
1 table spoon of honey
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Apply to clean skin for 20 min.
3. Wash off with lukewarm water
3. Anti-wrinkle Face Mask with Honey and Vitamin E
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of 3% milk (or 5-10% cream)
1 gel capsule of Vitamin E
Method:
1. Mix honey and milk together.
2. Poke through Vitamin E gel capsule with a needle and squeeze vitamin E into milk-honey mixture.
3. Apply to clean face for 20 min.
4. Wash off with lukewarm water.
4. Honey and Tea Tree Oil Face Toner for Acne
As we mentioned before, honey is amazing product that can gently exfoliate your skin and removes impurities. If you combine honey and tea tree oil (read about this oil and its magical effects by following the link HERE), you will get a powerful product, that is ready to fight acne and pimples.
This toner also contains milk. Milk has small amount of AHA – alpha hydroxyl acid, which will also help to remove dead cells on the skin and slow down signs of aging.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of honey
3 teaspoon of 1% milk
5 drops of tea tree oil
2 tablespoons of water (you can use tap, mineral or rose water)
Method:
1. Combine all liquid ingredients very well.
2. Add tea tree oil drops. If you can tolerate higher concentration of tea tree, add more drops.
3. Clean your skin and apply toner with a cotton ball or simply with your hands (if you are wondering why you should always be using skin toners, follow THIS link to read more. You can also check out a blog post on how to make face toners at home).
4. Keep this toner for 30-45 min on your skin, wash it off and then follow with your usual skin care products.
5. Keep this product in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Shelf life is no longer, than 2 days.
5. Exfoliating Body Scrub with Honey and Oats
You probably noticed from by blog that I do not support use of scrubs on the face skin. I find that scrubs, containing “scrubbing” materials (such as coffee grounds, shells, sugar, salt etc) are not suitable for gentle facial skin. No matter what product label claims. I find that physical scrubs easily damage protective outer layer of the skin causing in a long term skin trauma, redness, skin oil over production, and even skin sensitization (read more about this phenomena HERE).
I feel that I can get enough exfoliation from clay masks, double cleansing my skin and by using skin care products with low chemical acids (AHA and BHA). This way skin gets less physical damage and trauma.
However, I am a full supporter of scrubs for the whole body.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of milk
1 teaspoon of honey
2 tablespoons of instant oatmeal
1 teaspoon of walnut shell powder (walnut shell powder contains crushed walnut shells; this powder is a perfect abrasive, which will exfoliate your skin removing all dead cells and impurities)
Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Apply to wet skin and gently rub all over your body.
3. Wash off with warm water and enjoy how soft and smooth your skin became.
6. Anti-inflammatory Face Mask with Turmeric and Honey
This is an amazing mask to calm red, inflamed and irritated skin.
Ingredients:
¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of 1-3% milk
1 teaspoon of honey
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients together.
2. Apply mask to clean face and leave for 10 min. Do not leave longer so your skin won’t stain.
3. Wash off with cool water.
4. Use mask when you need to calm redness and irritation, but no more, than 2 times a week.
7. Honey Lip Mask
Honey is amazing for lips: it will heal very fast cracked, chopped lips and will restore skin health.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon of honey
½ teaspoon of coconut oil (or shea butter)
Method:
1. Melt coconut oil in the microwave (do not boil, you will probably need just 5 seconds to meld ½ tea spoon of oil).
2. Add honey and stir together.
3. Apply to lips and if possible, leave overnight. If you cannot tolerate mask for the whole night, apply for an hour.
4. Gently remove mask using water and apply your lip balm.
8. Soothing Warming Hand Mask with Honey
Our hands do so much work and always exposed too many irritants: water, dust, soap, hand sanitizer, cleaning products and so on. No wonder that skin on our hands often feels dry, pooling and looks flaky.
This hand mask will help to soften dry, irritated skin and heal it.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of honey
1 teaspoon of warm 10-18% cream (you can also use sour cream of any kind)
1 table spoon of shea butter or coconut butter (melted in a microwave)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
You will also need latex-free gloves.
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Dip one hand into the mass, spread evenly and apply a latex-free glove.
3. Do the same with another hand.
4. This mask if very beneficial if you are able to keep it on your hands for 1 hour or more. I usually put on a set of heavy-duty rubber gloves and start cleaning the house. However, you can just relax and enjoy watching TV, reading a book or even taking a nap.
5. Wash mask off with lukewarm water after 1 hour or longer and apply hand cream or oil.
The beauty of homemade products is that you can always adjust them according to your needs. You can also combine as many ingredients as you want and you do not really have to follow a strict recipe. I have many other recipes of DIY hair and skin products on my site. I invite you to explore other amazing ingredients, scrubs and masks that you can incorporate into your homemade skin care routine.
As you can see, honey is an amazing ingredient that will deliver wonderful effects to your skin. Do not hesitate to experiment with it and enjoy results.
Please, read about manuka honey and its amazing benefits; as well as what skin care products with honey you can actually buy.
8 Amazing Manuka Honey Benefits for Skin
Stay beautiful!!!