Honey has been a staple ingredient in our kitchens for centuries. Its sweet flavour along with unmatched health benefits have made it a very favoured part of many dishes and concoctions. However, it has also been a very popular ingredient for natural home remedies and DIY masks used for the face and skin. The benefits of honey for the face are countless, its enriching and anti-microbial properties can transform our skin to its best self. One can rely on honey for treating a number of common and bothersome skin conditions. Backed by beauty experts, it is proven that regularly applying honey to the face can give you healthy and glowing skin in the long run.
Benefits of Honey for Face and Skin:
● Moisturises the skin: Honey is most commonly found in skin care products due to its immense moisturising properties. Raw honey has conditioning and soothing effects on your skin that help make it soft and radiant. The natural sugars found in honey increase the water content of the skin and reduce dryness when applied regularly. Honey is not just useful in treating dry skin but it also works well with oily or combination skin types. To effectively use honey for moisturisation, massage raw honey to your face directly and leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing it.
● Deep-cleanses clogged pores: Clogged pores and blackheads can be quite tough to deal with, especially when no other remedy seems to be working. Honey is superefficient in helping you fight against these external impurities and thoroughly cleanse the pores. The antioxidants, anti-bacterial, and antiseptic properties present in honey, when applied to the face, aid in deeply penetrating the layers of the skin and removing grime and dirt from the pores that later lead to blackheads. You can apply raw honey on your face or even try mixing it with a bit of jojoba or coconut oil for yielding the best results.
● Gives your skin a healthy texture: Honey has antioxidant and antiseptic properties that are quite effective in repairing damaged skin. This wonder ingredient speeds up the healing process of the skin as it reduces the inflammation in the affected area.. Using honey as a spot treatment for acne marks can show impressive results. Just apply a little honey to your skin every day to get a healthy glow. For added benefits, mix honey with coconut or olive oil and apply it to get rid of tan.
● Gently exfoliates: Fresh raw honey may not be the exfoliant in skin care, however, it is known to crystallise over long periods forming tiny granules. These granules perfectly act as a gentle and mild exfoliator. Breaking down when they come in contact with your skin and water, these granules are much gentler on your skin as compared to the store-bought harsher exfoliators. To use as an exfoliator, warm the honey between your fingers first and then apply it gently to your skin. After a few minutes, wipe and rinse it off.
● Hydrates the skin: Honey is a natural humectant, which means that it is hydrophilic, or water-loving. Humectants form bonds with water molecules present in the air and pull them into the upper layers of the skin and also help in keeping that water in place. This makes the skin cells adequately hydrated and plump. If you are using honey to hydrate your skin, take raw honey and apply it to damp skin, so that the humectant has enough water to work with. Rinse off normally after 10-15 minutes.
● Soothes sunburns: Being out in the sun the entire day can cause some adverse effects on your skin. If you are spending too much time under the sun without applying sunscreen, you can be prone to getting sunburn or pigmentation. Sunburns cause immense inflammation, redness, and dryness to the skin that makes it feel irritated and uncomfortable. Honey heals the skin by reducing inflammation and offering a cooling and soothing touch. Mix honey and aloe vera gel in a 2:1 ratio and apply it to your sunburnt areas to soothe and nourish your skin.
● Fights acne: Acne is one of the most common chronic skin conditions that affect millions of people around the world. Not only does it come in the way of achieving smooth, spot-free skin, but it can also be painful at times. The anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties of honey make it a great remedy for fighting acne. Applying honey on the face helps in washing off the excess oil and dirt from the skin which prevents breakouts. It also reduces the redness and inflammation after a breakout. Using honey as a face mask can prevent acne as well as help treat the blemishes and marks that have continued to remain.
● Prevents skin problems: As mentioned above, honey is a natural humectant that's known to hydrate and nourish skin with regular use. Packed with antioxidants, honey aids in preventing and reducing common signs of skin problems. Applying honey to your face gives the skin the right amount of nutrition, moisture, and antioxidants that are vital for the skin to stay healthy and look youthful. It also improves the overall tone and texture of your skin. Try putting on a honey face mask weekly for a healthy skin glow.
● Promotes glowing skin: A lot of things in our daily lives can leave our skin feeling quite dull, be it external or internal factors. Honey has natural skin brightening properties that give your face a healthy glow after usage. Its moisturising properties make the skin feel nourished and hydrated, making its appearance seem absolutely flawless. Unlike what you would imagine, honey does not leave the skin sticky at all, instead, it gives a balanced and hydrated glow after you rinse it off.
● Brightens the Skin: Although it hasn’t been proved that applying honey to your face can directly lighten tanning, honey has exfoliating properties that remove dead skin cells accumulated over your skin, making it look dull and lustreless. This, in turn, can reveal the brighter skin from within. Applying a concoction of freshly squeezed tomato juice mixed with honey on the face aids in fading tan marks and removing blemishes.
Other Benefits of Honey: The benefits of honey aren't just limited to skincare or facial care, this all-rounder ingredient has way more to offer than what meets the eye. When consumed, honey strengthens your immune system due to its antibacterial properties. Another very popular usage of honey in multiple households is to fight cough and other throat-related issues. Additionally, it also helps in managing your weight, boosting memory, and fighting insomnia.
Honey can also be topically applied to the ends of your hair as a hair mask to leave your hair beautifully moisturised and conditioned. It can be used as a remedy to treat dandruff.
Side Effects of Honey on Skin: Honey being a naturally derived ingredient, is completely safe to use and isn't known to have any known side effects for the majority of people. However, being aware of your allergies is quite essential. If you are allergic or face any kind of reaction to bees, pollen, or bee venom, then applying honey to your face may trigger an allergic reaction. Regardless, it is always a safe practice to conduct a patch test of any new product or ingredient that you use, to make sure your skin isn’t reacting adversely to it.
Apart from this, you should be mindful of rinsing the honey off your face before you go to bed. Honey left on your face for long periods can attract dirt and dust which can further lead to breakouts.
How to Apply Honey on The Face: Due to its sticky and heavy texture, it is best to apply honey after you moisten your face. The water neutralises honey’s thickness and makes it easier to rinse off. Honey, being packed with nutrients, is enough to restore the health and glow of your skin. Just applying honey on its own to the face for 15-20 minutes gives you great results.
Final thoughts: Honey contains several antioxidants, antibacterial, antiseptic, and moisturising properties that make it very beneficial for your face and skin. Applying raw honey to your face on a regular basis can nourish your skin completely and leave it feeling flawless.
FAQs
Q] Can you consume honey for skin benefits?
A] Although consuming honey regularly also has its own benefits as it is stacked with nutrients if you want to see faster and more visible results, it is advised to apply honey topically for its benefits to the skin.
Q] Can honey be applied to the face daily?
A] Yes, applying honey on the face just once every day is completely okay. Using honey daily helps to moisturise and brighten your skin. However, if you start to see any reactions, it is best to limit the use to every other day or even weekly.