Honey for Beauty - Honey for Skin and Hair Care

Honey is a natural humectant:
Humectants attract and retain moisture. This property gives great benefits when honey is used on the skin, as it helps reverse the dryness that can occur with aging. Adequate hydration helps keep the skin soft, supple and elastic. Honey dissolves in water, so is easy to use without being sticky.

Honey is a natural ant-irritant:
Honey is therefore great for sensitive skin, and to protect the skin in exfoliating concoctions.

Honey contains natural anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals:
To get the most benefit, make sure your honey is pure and all-natural

Moisturizing Honey Mask
Add 2 tablespoons honey to 2 teaspoons of milk or cream. Pat this onto the face and rinse after 10 minutes.

Honey and Fruit Exfoliator
This blend of honey and fruit utilizes the natural alpha-hydroxy acids in the fruit to exfoliate your skin, while the honey protects by acting as an anti-irritant. In a food processor, blend a peeled, cored apple with a tablespoon of honey to a smooth consistency. Gently apply the puree to your face and rinse after 15 minutes. If you prefer, cucumber is a great alternative to apple.

Honey Cleansing Scrub
Mix 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon finely-ground almonds and half a teaspoon of lemon juice. If you like, you can also add 2 tablespoons of oatmeal. Massage this gently over the face and rinse with warm water. Avoid the delicate eye area and make sure that the almonds are finely enough ground to avoid hurting your skin.

Honey Lipbalm
Mix half a cup of beeswax, 2 tablespoons of honey and a cup of oil (such as grapeseed, jojoba, sweet almond) in bowl and heat gently by placing this bowl in another bowl of hot water (ie a bain-marie). When it is melted, make sure it is mixed and then pour into containers.

Honey Hair Conditioning Treatment
Mix 1/4 cup honey, 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel. Leave on the hair for 30 minutes, then shampoo and rinse as usual.

Honey Hair Shine
Add 1 teaspoon honey to a 1 quart of water and mix well. After washing your hair as usual, pour the mixture over your head. Do not rinse out, just let your hair dry. If you can stand it, cold water gives extra shine.

Honey Hair Lightener
Mix 1/4 cup of honey in 1 cup of water and leave for an hour. Then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and apply to dry hair. After one hour, shampoo out. The honey generates mild peroxide, to gradually lighten hair. Other honey constituents protect hair and skin from damage.

Simple Honey Bath
Add about 1/4 cup of honey to your warm bath water. Honey dissolves in water and will leave your skin soft and smooth.

Honey and Milk Bath
Mix about 1/3 cup of honey with 1 cup of milk or cream, and add to bath water. Now you can bathe like Cleopatra! If you like, you can also add a natural fragrance, for example by adding a few tablespoons of ground lavender flowers.

Honey Body Treatment
Mix 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice together and rub over dry patches of skin. Leave on 10 minutes, then rinse off.

Honey Body Scrub
Mix 2 cups of honey, 2 cups of coarse salt and 1/2 cup of oil, for example sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed or olive oil. Rub briskly onto the skin in the shower, then rinse off. The salt exfoliates, while the honey and oil moisturize.