Honey has been used medicinally for centuries for skin, often because of its antimicrobial properties. But honey’s benefits extend well beyond this – which is why it’s so popular as a spa treatment!
That’s right, honey isn’t just for toast. It’s full of nutrients and antioxidants that can help soothe skin. Just a spoonful of honey…
- Offers antibacterial protection.
- Provides a protective barrier to prevent bacteria from entering a wound.1
Honey can also be a wonderfully moisturizing ingredient when added to any skin care product. This is because it has natural emollient (skin softening) and humectant (moisture-retaining) properties!2
Let’s Begin the Honey-Based Spa…
Honey is easy to purchase, comes at a reasonable price (manuka honey is a little more expensive), and you’ll always know exactly what you’re putting on your skin.
So, are you ready for a honey spa day? Here are a few ways you can enjoy the health benefits of a spoonful of honey (or more).
1. Honey Face Mask
A relaxing way to kick back and let honey work its wonders is with a honey face mask. And, you have a few options here:
- Use raw honey by itself. Rub a spoonful of honey gently into your skin, and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Then rinse with cleanser and a little warm water.
- Mix 1 teaspoon of raw honey with equal amounts of mashed avocado and yogurt. Add a little lemon juice, and spread the mixture onto your face. Let sit for around 30 minutes, and rinse.
Mix a couple of tablespoons of raw honey with ⅓ cup finely ground oatmeal. Add a tiny dash of water (or lemon juice). Let the mask sit for around 15-20 minutes. Rinse. Oatmeal is particularly great for itchy, dry or irritated skin!
2. Honey & Brown Sugar Scrub
Honey is already soothing for dry skin, and when combined with something a little grittier, it can also help to remove those flaky bits. It doesn’t get any more “dessert delicious” than honey and brown sugar!
Mix 1 tablespoon of raw honey with an equal amount of brown sugar. Apply a small amount of the mixture at a time to damp skin, and massage gently in a circular motion. Rinse.
3. Honey Hair Rinse
Suffering from particularly dry hair? Honey may help!
Mix a teaspoon of raw honey with 4 cups of warm water and pour over the hair as a final rinse after shampoo and conditioner. Leave this on the hair for 5 minutes as you would conditioner. Then rinse, dry and style as normal.
4. Milk & Honey Bath Soak
Make like Cleopatra and pamper yourself with a bath fit for a queen! Milk contains fats and proteins that may help to further hydrate your skin.3
Combine ¼ cup honey with 2 cups of whole milk and gently warm until the honey dissolves. Add this to your hot bath, climb in, relax, and soak away your dry skin.
Choose Raw Honey
There are so many types of honey that you can incorporate into your home spa treatments. But be sure to select a raw variety of honey. Raw honey isn’t pasteurized, or heat treated. Pasteurized honey may lack many of the hugely beneficial nutrients and antioxidants present in raw honey.4
Pasteurization makes honey smoother, but why would you want to give up those nutrients? Especially when antioxidants are well renowned for deflecting free radicals which cause premature aging.5
Finally, What About Manuka Honey?
In recent years, manuka honey has become an extremely popular skin care honey.
Manuka honey comes from bees that feed on the Leptospermum species of trees,
and is often known as medicinal honey. This is because it has high levels of a substance known as methylglyoxal (MGO).
In trials, manuka honey’s MGO has shown that it can kill multiple strains of bacteria — including the drug-resistant superbug MRSA!6
This makes manuka honey one of the most potent varieties of honey around. Even though it has lower amounts of hydrogen peroxide than other types of honey. Hydrogen peroxide is both naturally occurring in honey, and antibacterial by nature.
As with all honey, manuka honey may come packaged in both pasteurized and unpasteurized varieties.
The Health Benefits of Honey: From Head to Toe!
In a world where it’s becoming increasingly important to understand every ingredient on the back of a food label, why not give the same attentiveness to ingredients for your skin and hair? The potential benefits of honey make the research worth it!
Homemade DIY treatments not only smell divine, they also have a load to offer your skin. Especially when honey is brought to the table!
Honey benefits are far-reaching and well researched. You can seek comfort in the knowledge that honey is still, after all these centuries, viewed as a hugely beneficial ingredient for taking care of your body.
Learn More:
Nighttime Beauty Rituals to Improve Your Entire Week
Do You Need to Refrigerate Your Beauty Products?
The Truth About Trendy Skin Tonics
Sources
1.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609166
2.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jocd.12058
3.https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/problems/treating/milk-baths2.htm
4. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324966.php
5.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911
6.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4837971
