Honey has natural healing properties and it can be a good solution for your skin problems.
I had a problem with oily skin, big pores and a lot of pimples in T- zone and good friend of mine had totally different skin issues – she had very dry, itchy skin with occasional eczema. We were reading a lot of articles, cosmetic forums and the more we were searching for the solution the more often we were coming across the information about honey usage in dermatology how useful it can be when it comes to skin problems.
You can make your own honey-based remedy for different kinds of skin problems. With honey you can treat oily skin, less serious skin infections such as acne, dry skin with eczema, wounds… you can make a hydrating facial mask or luxury bath for pampering yourself and give your skin touch of heaven.
Honey and Oily Skin Condition
Oily skin comes as a result of the hyper-production of sebum from sebaceous glands which are located under the skin’s surface. Sebum is an oily substance which is not always a bad thing. It protects our skin and keeps our hair healthy and shiny. But in some cases ( due to hormonal changes, genetics or stress ) the body will increase sebum production which can lead to oily skin and different skin problems – pimples, acne, etc.
How Honey Can Help?
Honey has the ability to fight against free radicals, microbes, and fungi and therefore represents excellent protection for our skin. It also acts as an antiseptic so the usage of honey can improve skin condition. Honey contains enzymes which in combination with water deep-clean the skin.
How to Make Your DIY Honey-Based Remedy
I am sure that everyone knows how to make a facial mask with honey and cinnamon and this thing is really good (if you did not try it , please do- one teaspoon of cinnamon and two teaspoons of honey, mix it all together until you get dark brown mass, apply to cleansed skin and leave for 20-25 min, remove gently with water. It is really miracles and beside of honey characteristics, cinnamon has the ability to reduce inflammation and redness and to help pimples to dry out) , I will not deny it but I will tell you another receipt that can help your oily skin to glow.
You need one banana, one spoon of honey and a bit of squeezed lemon juice.
This facial mask will clean your skin deeply. It will not leave it dry but hydrated. You should smash the banana, mix it with one spoon of honey, and add few drops of lemon juice, make a smooth texture mass and apply to your skin. Leave the mask for 15 minutes and then gently remove with water. In both cases please avoid the eye area.
Extra tip: if you need a natural scrub you can mix one tablespoon of honey and add brown sugar. You will get a great abrasive mass that will help you to get rid of extinct cells. The best thing is that you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen and all of them are natural.
Honey and Dry Skin
Dry skin is very thin, without natural moist and this can lead to premature lines and wrinkles. There is an easy test if you want to be sure if your skin is dry or not. You should simply wash your face and do not wipe it with a towel for at least 10 minutes.
If you feel that your skin is tight, itchy, and maybe even burning that means that you have dry and possible dehydrated skin. Let me explain the difference between dry and dehydrated skin. Dry skin needs oil and dehydrated skin is crying for water. What does it mean? It means that not every dry skin is dehydrated and visa versa.
Dry skin is something that you were born with ( the same as with oily skin ) but dehydrated skin is a condition that appears as a result of improper usage of makeup or other cosmetic products, diet, weather conditions, etc.
How Can Honey Help With Dry Skin?
Honey has exceptional ability to hydrate the skin and thanks to antioxidants it is unavoidable in every anti-age skin care. Honey contains amino acids, vitamins ( B1, B2, B6, and C) and proteins which together can successfully fight against the driest skin.
How to Make Your DIY Honey-Based Remedy for Dry Skin?
You can hydrate and nurture your skin if you make this mask: one teaspoon of milk powder, one tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of aloe vera gel and one teaspoon of almond or olive oil. Make a smooth mixture and apply on clean skin, leave it for 15 minutes and rinse well with water.
Extra tip: if you were born with dry skin, not only the face is a problem but also other parts of the skin as well. Here is the body mask that you can apply daily or ever another day before the regular shower.
Take equal parts of raw honey, bee wax, and olive oil. Melt the bee wax in a pan using low heat and mix it with honey and olive oil.
Apply generously to the whole body but paying attention to the temperature of the mask to prevent burning in case you heated wax too much. Leave the mask on the skin for 10 minutes and then take your usual shower. You will see how the skin will be soft and have a healthy look.
Honey and Wounds
When I say wounds here I mean on several different kinds of skin injuries such as cuts, burns, etc.
How Honey Can Help With Cuts, Burns?
The honey speeds up the granulation and improves the epithelization of the wound. Honey contains certain enzymes which help the scar to become thin and elastic. Thanks to honey’s antibacterial characteristics the wound usually becomes sterile in 3 to 10 days after first treatment so honey has the ability to prevent infection and speeds up the healing process. There are written traces that honey was used for treating wounds even in old Egypt 5000 years ago!
How to Make Your Honey-Based Home Remedy?
Before applying any home remedy to a wound – cut, you should clean it first. Of course, you can use some antiseptic wash or spray or if you do not have anything like you can use chilled cinnamon tea or sage tea. After you cleaned up the wound and dried if you can put a small amount of honey directly on the wound and then put sterile gauze on it. The honey will dry out the wound making the barrier between the open wound and exterior world full of bacteria, preventing possible infections and complications. You should repeat this treatment for several days.
As for the burns, the procedure is very similar – after you cool the burned skin with cold water ( you should cool the burned part of skin under the stream of running water for at least 30 min and please do not use the ice, as ice could only make things worse ) apply the honey on it. The great benefit of honey is that it reduces the pain and possibility of creating the scar tissue.
Honey and Beauty
In the old medical books of many nations, we find tips for treating skin diseases with honey. Because, due to the unhygienic conditions of life, at the time when the soap was not known, many skin diseases appeared, so the beneficial properties of the honey, with its antiseptic inhibitory and bactericidal properties, contributed to its usage in skin protection. But on the other hand, honey was also widely used in cosmetics as it easily goes through the skin’s pores, feeds it, regulates the water balance, activates different metabolic processes in the tissue, keeps the skin fresh and prevents premature wrinkles.
Here are Some Advice on How to Use Honey as a Beauty Product:
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Honey, green tea and sugar facial scrub
The facial scrub is a very important part of your skincare and it is recommended to use the scrub 2-3 times a week if your skin is oily and once a week if you have dry skin.
Make the green tea as usual and let it cool. When the tea is cooled down, take one tablespoon of it, add one tablespoon of honey and one tablespoon of sugar ( you can use brown or white, never mind ). This mass could be rare and that depends on which honey you use but if it is too rare just add more sugar to make it thick and easy to apply as a scrub. Massage your face a couple of minutes with this mix and let for another 5 min as a mask and then rinse it well with water.
Green tea is exceptional for skin, very powerful antioxidants, honey acts against bacteria and fungi so this scrub is a great way to clean your skin.
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Calming honey and coconut milk bath
If you have some spare time and you want to pamper yourself you should prepare this exquisite bath. Use one can of organic coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of honey and for the total relaxation, you can add 5-6 drops of lavender oil. Coconut milk is a great nutrient for your skin and acts as moisturizing cream (contains vitamin C and proteins) and honey is very important due to its antibacterial properties, protects skin and keeps it hydrated. Put milk and honey in a bowl, mix it and put in microwave for 10sec. Pour the mixture in a bath tube full of water and add few drops of lavender. Enjoy!
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Facial mask with honey, egg yolk, olive oil and oatmeal
This nutritious mask is perfect for sensitive and oily skin. Honey has non- inflammatory and antibacterial effects on the skin. Egg yolk is rich in lecithin so it successfully moisturizes and softens the skin. Olive oil gives the skin elasticity and protects it from UV rays and oatmeal is the great exfoliant, easily removes dead cells from the skin’s surface.
There are tons of receipts for homemade honey facial masks, baths, lotions, and other cosmetic products. I put here the ones I think are very easy to make but one the other hand can be very efficient.
You can mix honey with different types of fruit ( apricots – rich in vitamins A and C, protects skin from UV rays or strawberry – full of vitamins and minerals, good if you want to bleach the skin ) or natural oils ( I already mentioned olive oils, almond oils, calendula oil … )