Honey is a delicious all-natural sweetener...but did you know it's also great for your skin? That's because it's naturally antibacterial, promotes healing, and reduces inflammation. All good reasons to pamper yourself with a pure raw honey facial
Why honey works? Benefits of using honey for the face
Raw, unpasteurized honey is packed with components beneficial for your skin, especially if you have acne or autoimmune skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. Even Candida (aka yeast) overgrowth may be controlled by applying honey to your skin.
Honey naturally releases hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Being naturally antibacterial, raw honey helps balance the bacteria on your skin, which makes it a great product to use for acne. Honey also exerts emollient, humectant (meaning it helps keep moisture in the skin), soothing, and hair conditioning effects, with science showing that honey helps slow wrinkle formation, while regulating pH and preventing skin infections. Likewise, if you have blemishes or an eczema outbreak, honey that’s unpasteurized could speed healing and reduce inflammation.
Raw honey is also a natural exfoliator, which means applying it to your face takes off dry, dull skin and reveals new skin cells underneath. The exfoliation process allows your regular moisturizer to be absorbed more efficiently, thus it works better! Plus, it is also clinically shown to speed skin's healing following a burn!
How to use honey on your face
Honey can be used on its own or mixed with other natural ingredients to create a soothing face mask treatment. If you have sensitive skin or are worried about potential skin reaction, make sure to do a patch test of the honey and any other ingredients to ensure you won’t have an allergic reaction.
Simply apply pure raw wildflower honey to your face or make your own Honey Hydrating Facemask Recipe by combining 1 tablespoon of buckwheat honey, 1/2 avocado, and a handful of oats or oat bran. Leave on your face for 15 minutes and then wash off. Buckwheat honey adds extra benefits for your skin because it is higher in antioxidants. In the dry winter months, you can up the moisturizing power by combining coconut oil and honey for a nourishing face mask or combine 1 tbsp yogurt and 1 tbsp honey for soft supple skin.
Takeaway
Using raw honey on your face can work as a treatment for acne, scarring, and dull or dry skin.
Raw honey may be more expensive than other kinds of honey, but it’s relatively inexpensive compared to other skin cosmetics for your face. Researchers are working to find out more about how honey can help your face look its brightest and most clear. As long as you don’t have an allergy, there’s little reason not to give it a try.
