The sweet, sticky substance and the golden elixir, honey, is sworn by people around the world since centuries for its amazing health and beauty benefits. Not only does it have relaxing benefits for the gut but it is also acclaimed for its soothing and healing properties for skin and hair. If you’ve never used this natural product in your skincare routine, you’re missing out on the most amazing benefits it can have for your skin. Using honey for face aids in treating various skin conditions, heal wounds, brightens and gives a beautiful glow to the skin. Honey is essentially beneficial for dry, sensitive skin but it also works on oily skin type. Below we will tell you nine benefits and uses of honey for face and skin.
Honey for Skin and Face – The Basics
Is honey good for face? Undoubtedly, a big yes. Raw, unpasteurised honey is an underrated gem that does wonders for the face. Honey has anti-bacterial, anti-septic and anti-inflammatory properties. Honey alone can be used on skin or can be incorporated in a DIY face mask. For e.g., lemon and honey for face can help clear pores and dirt and remove dead skin cells. Below we will also tell you how to use honey for face glow. Not only topical application, but dieticians swear by drinking honey and warm water concoction for a healthy skin and gut as a detox morning drink.
Benefits to using Honey for Skin and Face
1. It acts as a healant
Honey has been used for wound healing for decades. It has anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Honey has acidic pH balance which when applied to wounds encourages the blood to release oxygen which is important for healing. Sugar in honey has an osmotic effect. This means that the sugar draws water out of damaged issues and bacterial cells. This reduces swelling and encourages the flow of lymph to wound healing.
2. It soothes skin conditions
Honey can be used to soothe itchy skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Owing to its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, honey helps in removing excess oil from the skin and unclogging pores, therefore, prevents causing acne breakouts and pimples. Honey also treats sunburns and rashes.
3. It diminishes stretch marks
Stretch marks can appear after pregnancy in many women and can also be a result of sudden weight gain or weight loss. Raw and organic honey is highly beneficial natural remedy to get rid of stretch marks. Honey is a humectant so it draws and locks in the moisture and prevents moisture loss. Anti-oxidant properties help in fading and lightening of stretch marks by encouraging new cell growth.
4. It helps to moisturise the cuticles
Since honey is a natural humectant, it helps in restoring dry and cracked cuticles. For soft, supple cuticles, combine one teaspoon of honey, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar (optional). Rub this mixture into the cuticles. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes and rinse.
5. It acts as an acne spot treatment
Acne or zits can be painful and leave scars on our face. Anti-septic, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in honey can be used as acne spot treatment. Apply a light layer of honey with a Q-tip on the acne and leave it on for 15 to 30 minutes. Let the honey work its magic on the skin and wash it off. It also helps in clearing acne scars.
6. Prevents early signs of ageing
The natural anti-oxidants present in honey helps control wrinkles and fine lines on the face. Using honey as an ingredient in a home-made mask can increase the skin’s elasticity. Thus, making the skin look youthful and glowing.
7. It helps to clear pores
Clogged pores are a result of excess oil secretion from the skin. Since honey is moisturising along with having anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties, it helps deeply penetrate the skin. It softens the layers and works on removing dirt and impurities from pores that cause blackheads and whiteheads. For a DIY pore cleansing facewash, mix raw honey and coconut oil. Apply and gently massage the mixture and rinse it with cold water.
8. Exfoliates your skin
To use honey as an exfoliator, mix it with baking soda and gently rub the concoction on damp face or body in circular motions. Rinse it with cold water. While honey will hydrate, nourish and cleanse your skin, baking soda helps eliminate dead skin cells. You can also mix sugar, honey, lemon for face exfoliation.
9. Whitens Skin
Using tomato and honey for skin will reduce tan marks, brighten the skin and get rid of spots and blemishes. Mix one teaspoon of tomato juice with one teaspoon of honey. Apply in circular motions on the face or skin and leave it on for 15 minutes before rinsing it off with cool water. Tomato works on reducing blemishes while honey moisturises the skin.
Uses of Honey on Skin
1. As a moisturiser
Dry skin lacks moisture, and honey is an excellent humectant which seals the moisture in the skin making it soft and supple. For a moisturising mask, use aloe vera and honey for face. Anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties in aloe vera and honey will keep your dry skin moisturised. Mix aloe vera and honey and apply the mask on the face and leave it for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
2. As a pimple treatment
Raw and unprocessed, organic honey has the best effect on acne or pimple treatment. Honey works best on red inflamed pimples. It has substances like fatty acids, vitamin B, peptides, amino acids and anti-oxidants that leave a soothing effect on your pimple. It also reduces the redness and fade marks post healing. Manuka honey is known to work better on acne and pimples due to its higher amount of anti-bacterial properties.
3. As an anti-ageing treatment
Honey is rich in anti-oxidants that protects the skin from free-radical damage. Honey contains gluconic acid and amino acids that nourish the skin, repair damage and slow down signs of ageing. Make a mask using honey and egg for skin tightening. Another mask which helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles by enhancing collagen production is comprised of banana, curd and honey.
FAQs about Benefits of Honey for Skin and Face
Q1. Does honey help skin glow?
A. Yes. Since honey helps in exfoliating the skin, diminishing the blemishes and moisturising the dry skin, it helps in giving a bright glow to the skin.
Q2. Why is honey good for your skin?
A. Honey is good for skin because it is packed with essential nutrients that are beneficial for the skin. Its anti-bacterial, anti-septic, anti-oxidant properties help with healing the wounds, moisturising the skin, evening out the skin tone, clearing acne and pimple scars and has other multiple benefits.
Q3. Is honey good for lips?
A. Yes, honey works wonderfully for dry and chapped lips. Moisturising properties in honey can provide the much-needed hydration for the lips. You can apply honey and leave it on overnight as a lip mask.
Q4. Does honey clear dark spots?
A. Yes, honey helps fades away dark spots and brightens the natural complexion. You can also use honey and turmeric for face to clear dark spots. Mix honey, turmeric and yoghurt to make a paste and apply on your skin. Leave it on for 20 minutes and rinse. Turmeric helps get rid skin discolouration, yoghurt removes dead skin cells and honey acts as a bleaching agent.
Q5. Can honey remove dark circles?
A. Yes. Honey’s bleaching properties can help lighten the dark circles. Honey also boosts collagen production that can get rid of dark circles caused by ageing. Mixing milk and honey for face can help reduce dark circles. Milk has lactic acid that reduces puffiness and swelling around the eyes. Mix a smooth paste of honey and milk and apply on the tender under eyes. Let it rest for 15 minutes and wash it.
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Written by Anushka Shah on 10th Oct 2022