Do you enjoy a dollop of honey in your tea? Perhaps you have traded out refined sugar for local raw honey in your favorite muffin recipe. You might not know about honey because it contains many therapeutic properties that make it a fantastic natural substitute for sugar and a sweet elixir for great hair, skin, and overall health and well-being.
Honey is truly a healing gift from nature and is rich in medicinal properties including:
Hygroscopic property: In its natural state, honey has very low water content, but it absorbs moisture when exposed to air. This hygroscopic property makes honey highly beneficial to dry skin by allowing it to retain moisture better. It also helps to speed up wound healing time.
Antibacterial property: One especially vital component in honey, glucose oxidase, is an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide. Research indicates that this is one of the main reasons honey seems to have powerful antibacterial and wound-healing capabilities. The production of hydrogen peroxide is just one of the remarkable ways honey helps kill bacteria and heal wounds.
Antioxidant property: Although darker honey generally contains more antioxidant power than light-colored, both are still a rich source of valuable antioxidants. Antioxidants go to work against free radicals and encourage new tissue growth. In turn, this helps expedite the healing of damaged tissue and allows the skin to appear younger and more radiant.
Cleopatra’s secret skin brightening and tightening weapon
According to ancient legend, Cleopatra herself held honey in high esteem. This secret beauty weapon of one of the most beautiful women in history has plenty of researchers agreeing with her affinity for the sticky sweet stuff.
The skin is the body’s largest organ, and 60% of anything that we put on it is directly absorbed into your bloodstream and your organs and DNA. Studies from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show that absorption of chemicals passes through the skin without notice and may be one of the most significant chemical exposure pathways.
Using honey as part of a natural skincare regime can help lessen the toxic burden in your body. Plus, here are other great reasons to use it on your skin, including:
- Honey contains natural anti-aging compounds that help increase collagen production. Collagen is a family of proteins and a major structural component of connective tissue like skin. Collagen is responsible for skin elasticity, and as we age, we lose collagen, which creates wrinkles.
- Honey regulates skin pH and reduces bacteria on the skin that leads to acne.
- Honey is a gentle exfoliator that does not leave your skin aggravated and red.
- As a natural humectant, honey draws moisture into the skin, leaving it soft and supple.
- Honey regulates the skin’s natural production of oil.
- Honey naturally soothes and heals wounds and fades scars.
- Powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties in honey keep fungal infections at bay.
Beautiful skin honey recipes
Here are just some of the ways that you can use honey for beautiful and healthy skin.
Get Your Glow On
This all-natural face moisture mask leaves your skin soft and glowing.
What you need
- 2 Tbsp organic plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp raw honey
How to make it
Mix the ingredients and slather them on your face. Leave for 15 minutes and rinse off with warm water. Pat dry.
Bright Day Skin Serum
For a lighter and brighter complexion naturally, nothing beats this honey-infused serum.
What you need
- Juice from one tomato
- 1 tsp raw honey
How to make it
Combine the two ingredients and massage the mixture into your face twice a week. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and rinse with warm water. Pat dry.
Sunburn Soother
Reduce the inflammation and sting of sunburn with this easy-to-make honey fixer.
What you need
- One-part honey
- Two-parts aloe vera gel
How to make it
Combine the two ingredients and apply them to sunburnt skin. Rub gently until absorbed and re-apply as needed throughout the day.
For locks that shine and bounce
All of the same wonderful benefits that honey offers your skin also breathe new life into limp, dry, and damaged hair. Here are two of my favorite ways to use honey to keep my hair looking its best.
Moisture Lock-in Mask
Honey not only helps to keep your hair full of moisture but also acts as a natural softener.
What you need
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 cup virgin olive oil
- ½ cup raw honey
How to make it
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend well. Apply to clean and dry hair and scalp for 20 minutes. Rinse and comb through to remove any remaining mask. Use this hair mask several times a month for the best results.
Hair Conditioner
Honey is the perfect natural hair conditioner and helps balance oils and adds just the right amount of moisture to reduce split ends and keep your locks lusciously smooth and bouncy.
What you need
- ¼ cup raw honey
- Warm water
How to make it
Add enough water to raw honey to thin for application. After washing, apply the mixture to damp hair and rinse well with warm water.
Not all honey is created equal
Keep in mind that the best honey is in its purest form. Honey that has been watered down and mixed with dangerous sugar is not honey. Source your honey carefully – raw and local is always best. Better yet, consider taking a class to learn how to keep bees yourself; it is not as difficult as you might think and is an enriching hobby!
Happy Growing,
Susan, CBHC and Master Gardener
