Remember touching your grandmother’s skin and wondering how it retained the glow after all those years? The secret to the older generation’s glowing skin was homemade skincare products, especially a honey face pack. While we are constantly falling prey to impressive advertisements, we ignore the liquid gold we have stashed on our kitchen shelves. And Cleopatra didn’t add honey to her bath for nothing! Honey for skin is an all-time favourite elixir.
How Is Honey Made?
Honey has been a staple in our kitchens since times immemorial. It is so rich in nutrients that it is a boon not only for our health but also for the skin. Did you know that bees produce and store honey as a backup for food in case of bad weather?
Honey is a result of an enzymatic activity that takes place after the bee collects nectar from the flowers. The bee accumulates the nectar from various flowers and carries to the hive. During this process, the enzymes present in the saliva of the bee break the sugar compounds present in the nectar. In the beehive, the hive bees regurgitate the nectar and constantly fan their little wings to cause excessive water to evaporate. The bee community goes through quite a bit of work to provide us with this sweet amber coloured liquid.
6 Incredible Benefits Of Honey For Skin
Though it mainly consists of sugars like glucose and fructose, honey is also rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and essential oils. The average pH level of honey is around 4. A variety of organic acids like valeric acid, acetic acid, citric acid and lactic acid are also found in the composition of honey. The presence of all these nutrients makes honey for face and skin related problems an ideal solution. Some of the amazing honey benefits for skin one can expect after using honey are:
- Restoring the lost shine on the skin
- Curing acne
- Reduction of pores on the face
- Reversing the effects of ageing
- Helping in achieving an even skin tone
- Improving the texture of dry skin
The best feature that makes using honey for skin a great option is that it is all-natural and will not cause any allergies or breakouts. It also has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory qualities. Hence, while using honey for face, there’s absolutely no need for a patch test. Use it as a skin cleanser, make it a part of your face pack, add it to your bath or exfoliate your skin with it (you could do all of this if you wish) and your skin will thank you for this treat.
Sure, honey benefits for skin are innumerable, but there are ways in which the benefits for skin can be multiplied. This can be done by adding the right ingredients (all of them being inexpensive products from your kitchen) and accurately using the concoction. Depending on the skin concern, there are specific ingredients that, when added to honey show amazing results. Let’s talk about the various honey face pack combinations which complement each other to make an effective skincare solution.
Say Hi To Beautiful Skin With These 10 DIY Honey Face Packs
1. Honey And Nothing Else
Ingredient List:
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Steps:
- Apply a tablespoon of raw honey on your damp face and neck.
- Massage in an upward circular motion, causing the open pores to shrink.
- Leave the thick layer of this honey face mask on for 30 minutes. It will add a glow to the skin.
When To Apply:
This mask is best applied at night after you cleanse your face. Since it is just honey, you can apply it every day.
2. Lemon & Honey Face Mask For Acne
Ingredient List:
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Steps:
- Mix lemon juice with honey and apply to a clean face.
- Leave the mixture on the skin till it has completely dried.
- Rinse off.
When To Apply:
This mask is best suited for people wanting to use honey for acne problems. When you begin to notice your skin getting oily and breaking out, make sure to apply this mask to reduce the oil secreted from the skin and remove the dead cells.
3. Get Instant Shine On Skin With Papaya & Honey Face Mask
Ingredient List:
- 2 small pieces of papaya (ripe)
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- A pinch of turmeric (optional)
Steps:
- Remove the seeds from the papaya. Mash it in a bowl with the back of a spoon or your fingers.
- Add a tablespoon of honey to the papaya mash.
- Apply the honey face mask to the entire face, leave it on till dry.
- Wash off with cool water.
When To Apply:
This papaya mask is ideal for people who feel like their skin looks dull and lifeless. This mask is sure to give a nice dewy shine to the face. This mask is best used once in 4-5 days. Alternatively, you can also try this ghee face mask for skin brightening.
4. Cinnamon (Dalchini) & Honey For Pimples
Ingredient List:
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon (dalchini) powder
Steps:
- Mix the honey and cinnamon (dalchini) powder (freshly grounded cinnamon (dalchini) powder works best for this remedy).
- Apply only on spots where you see pimples. This can also be applied to scars.
- Keep it on overnight and wash off in the morning.
When To Apply:
This is an ideal solution for using honey for pimples. This mask, if applied regularly, can lead to the lightening of scars and reduction in pimples.
5. Oatmeal & Honey Face Mask To Fight Dry Skin
Ingredient List:
- 3 tablespoons yoghurt/milk
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 2 tablespoons of oats (any kind)
Steps:
- Make a mixture of the oats, honey and yoghurt/milk. The consistency should be thick.
- Apply to the face and neck and massage gently.
- Keep the mask on till it has completely dried.
- Rinse the mask off.
When To Apply:
This mask is best suited for people with dry skin. Apply as often as required to make the skin look and feel healthy.
6. Get Glowing Skin With Gram Flour (Besan) & Honey Face Mask
Ingredient List:
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 2 tablespoons of yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon of gram flour (besan)
- A pinch of turmeric (haldi)
Steps:
- Mix all the ingredients to make a paste.
- Rub gently on slightly damp skin.
- Let it dry completely.
- Wash your face with cool water.
When To Apply:
This combination has been used by brides for centuries as it is said to give the skin a special glow. The gram flour (besan) helps in removing dead skin cells. Use the mask as frequently as you please.
7. Strawberry & Honey Face Mask For Skin Brightening
Ingredient List:
- 2 strawberries
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Steps:
- Wash the strawberries and make a puree.
- Add the honey and lemon to it.
- Apply all over the face and leave it on for 15-20 minutes.
- Rinse with water.
When To Apply:
This mask is a great way to experience the benefits of honey for skin whitening. It instantly brightens the face naturally. For best results, use this mask once a week.
8. Get Baby Soft Skin With Avocado & Honey Face Mask
Ingredient List:
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 2 tablespoons mashed avocado
Steps:
- Apply the avocado mash mixed with honey to the face.
- Leave it on the skin for 20 minutes.
- Wash the mask off.
When To Apply:
Avocado lends anti-ageing properties to the skin and honey makes it soft and supple. This mask should ideally be applied to the face once a week.
9. Get Rid Of Tanned Skin With Tomato & Honey Face Mask
Ingredient List:
- 1 tablespoon of tomato puree (fresh)
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Steps:
- Mix all the three ingredients well.
- Apply all over the face. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes.
- Rinse with cool water.
When To Apply:
Tomato works as a mild bleaching agent for the skin. Use this mask once a week to see a gradual but steady tan reduction.
10. Say NO To Dark Spots With Milk Powder & Honey Face Mask
Ingredient List:
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 tablespoon of milk powder
Steps:
- Make a thick paste by mixing all the ingredients together.
- Apply on the face and leave for 30 minutes.
- Wash the mask off.
When To Apply:
Use this mask every few days to get clean skin that is devoid of dark spots and tan.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is it safe to apply honey to my face?
A. Since it is an all-natural ingredient, it is absolutely safe to use honey on your facial skin. Usually, even people with extremely sensitive skin do not experience any discomfort after the application of honey. However, if you are allergic to honey, then you might want to refrain from using it altogether.
Q. Can I apply honey to my face every day?
A. Of course, there is no restriction on how often you can use honey for face. You can use it as many times you wish, in as many ways you like. For best results, make use of raw honey so you get all the natural goodness from it.
Q. Will honey cause my face to break out?
A. Honey has antibacterial properties which can help in solving the acne situation. Controlling acne is one of the popular benefits of honey on face. The soothing quality of honey helps in reducing the redness caused by acne.
Q. Can I make use of honey that is expired?
A. Raw, natural honey is one of the very few food items that never goes bad. This means that you can keep using the same jar for honey for as long as you like and still get the same amazing honey benefits for skin.
Q. Is honey better suited for dry or oily skin?
A. Honey does not dry the skin, neither does it make the skin oily. It is the other ingredients you pair honey with which will cause a drying or oily effect. Honey, by itself, is safe to be used for all skin types. Using honey for dry skin is as good an idea as honey for oily skin.
Q. What are the ways in which I can incorporate honey in my skincare routine?
A. You can make use of honey as a cleanser, an exfoliator, a bath product, a mask or an overnight application solution. You can also make this homemade wax with honey for effective hair removal at home. The benefits of honey on face are endless which means that the more ways you can make use of it, the better it will be for your skin.
