Around the end of last semester, I watched a Buzzfeed Ladylike video in which they tried out a zero-waste beauty routine. As part of this week-long challenge, store-bought cleansers were replaced with honey. I love face masks and experimenting with natural skin care, so this immediately peaked my interest. I’ve been washing my face with honey on a more-or-less daily basis ever since.
The Science
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Honey has been used for medicinal purposes throughout history, beginning with ancient societies such as the Babylonians and Egyptians. Chinese medicine books dating back to 220 BC detailed honey’s healing properties.
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Useful for much more than soothing a sore throat, honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that assist healing wounds and can help clear acne.
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Honey that appears darker in color is best for skin because they have a higher concentration of antioxidants.
Skincare Benefits
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Honey attracts water to help retain your skin’s moisture.
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As I mentioned before, honey is antibacterial which can help to clear acne breakouts.
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Honey’s anti-inflammatory properties can also reduce redness and swelling to minimize the appearance of blemishes and promote an even complexion.
Ways to Use Honey on Your Face
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Cleanse with honey: There’s no need to worry about how sticky honey is because it’s also water-soluble! Speaking from my own experience, cleansing with honey is faster and easier than any face wash I’ve ever used. Honey doesn’t lather and won’t cause the painful discomfort of getting soap in your eyes. I typically splash water on my face, massage a nickel-sized amount onto my skin for about 30 seconds and then splash more water on my face about two or three times.
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DIY mask: Spread honey onto your skin and wait about 15-20 minutes before you rinse it off, or combine it with other ingredients. Pinterest has hundreds of recipes if you need ideas of things you can add to honey to add some exfoliation or even more moisturization to your mask.
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Lighten scars: Spot-treat scars and discoloration from acne by dabbing a bit of honey on them for 10-15 minutes.
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Treat sunburn: Mix honey with organic aloe vera to boost healing and restore moisture
Honey is great for dry, oily or combination skin. It’s inexpensive, eco-friendly and available in any grocery store. Make sure to use raw honey because filtration processes often destroy honey’s healing properties with heat and this will also help you to avoid honey that has been diluted with fillers like rice syrup.