Honey. The sweet, sweet nectar of life. Ancient civilizations used honey for a lot of things, externally and internally. In the history of the modern world though, honey has most commonly been enjoyed in cooking, baking, coffee and teas. Nowadays, it's benefits are being recognized once again, and it's ruling the beauty scene. You can find it in shampoos, lotions, face masks, face wash, chapstick and much more....and I couldn't be more proud.
Long ago, honey was the first natural beauty hack that I practiced and (probably obnoxiously) preached. After stumbling upon a website on natural skin care hacks, I started using honey as a face wash and I immediately saw its amazing benefits. After that, I never shut up about it (sorry friends). I would recommend honey as a face wash to anyone and everyone I knew - even bought a couple of jars as gifts, which often ended up in the kitchen pantry next to the coffee supplies - but hey, honey and ALL of its uses are fine by me.
Externally, honey has amazing healing properties for the skin. It has natural anti-septic, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and can also promote collagen growth. In addition to honey's super healing powers, simply put, it's a natural humectant which draws moisture to the skin. Internally, honey is one the oldest sweeteners - and much better for you than white sugar or artificial sweeteners. It has a combination of fructose and glucose that actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. Honey also has some nutrients and is rich in antioxidants (now do you see why I call it the "nectar of life"? Pooh and Einstein were definitely on to something....).
Anyhow, the purpose of this spiel is to A) Profess my love for honey (which is no surprise to anyone who knows me). Using honey as a face wash and studying its benefits is what started my obsession with natural skin care. And B) to share some of my favorite (and simple) honey face wash recipes. Although these recipes are not ground-breaking, coming from somebody who has tried almost every honey combo, I can attest that they are some of the best and easiest to use - the "OG" recipes.
Brighten and Tighten:
Raw honey (Really Raw Honey is my favorite brand)
Fresh squeezed lemon juice (kept refrigerated)
Mix 2 tablespoons of honey and a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice in a small jar. Lemon juice needs to be refrigerated to stay fresh, so I make a small ratio at a time. This amount will keep by your bathroom sink for a few days, and should be used up within a few days. Lemons are antibacterial which makes this a great blackhead treatment. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and citric acid, so they can help brighten and lighten your skin when used over time
An alternative method: Soak fresh lemon and orange peels in the honey for 3-6 weeks. Remove the peels and viola! All of the tightening and brightening benefits of the citrus, without the need for refrigeration.
Nourishing (I use after a harsh exfoliator or mask treatment):
Raw honey
Fresh Rose Petals
Lavender Oil
Place fresh rose petals into a jar, cover completely with raw honey, seal and let soak for 3-6 weeks. Use a sieve to strain the honey from the petals and add only a few drops of lavender oil. The natural oils found in roses help to soothe the skin and retain moisture. This results in your skin feeling smooth and soft. The sugars in rose petals benefit those with sensitive skin. Lavender oil is an anti-inflammatory and also soothes the skin (in small doses - too much lavender oil can irritate the skin)