The first time I ever washed my face with honey I was skeptical.
At the time, all I thought about honey was that it goes in my tea and it’s used as a sweetener. I didn’t know the amazing benefits of honey, its alive active enzymes, it hydrating properties, or it’s antibacterial powers. I was blind.
The reason I decided to give honey cleansing a go was because I was struggling with acne. I had read that honey cleansing can help and I had some in my cupboard, so it was a pretty easy decision. So there I stood in my bathroom a bit apprehensive about the potential sticky mess and leery that it wouldn’t do anything different to my skin. Figuring there was nothing to loose I bravely scooped out some deep amber honey onto my spoon and away I went spreading and rubbing it on my damp face.
And you know what? I was happy to find that somehow it didn’t feel sticky or gooey but rather blended perfectly with the water to spread evenly and smoothly. Probably something to do with the heat of the skin as well.
Once I rinsed it off, I was again happy to see how amazing my skin felt; it was smooth, hydrated, and supple. A huge bonus was that my sensitive skin was not one bit irritated, something typical cleansers so often do. I was smitten over honey cleansing from then on. Although I don’t use honey everyday to cleanse it does make it into my weekly rotation. I have also experimented somewhat with the types of honey and add-ins.
What are the benefits of honey?
Honey can benefit every skin type. It is great for aging skin as well as teen acne-prone skin. It is very versatile and so gentle that it will never irritate even the most sensitive of faces. I urge everyone to give honey cleansing at least one try; and chances are it will somehow sneak itself into your beauty rotation.
Antibacterial – Honey is antimicrobial due to it’s ph, high sugar content, and enzymatic activity. It is even used in health care on wounds to protect them from infection and promote healing. It is found to be so powerful that it is used on infected wounds that do not respond to conventional therapy; even wounds that are infected with the superbugs MRSA or VRE or fragile infected skin graft sites. These properties make it perfect for those with acne (source).
Hydration – Honey is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to it. It therefore offers our skin a drink of water, which it readily soaks up. Afterwards the skin feels supple, smooth, and moisturized. Great for dry or aging skin.
Smoothing – Because honey provides so much moisture to the skin, it smooths lines and wrinkles and plumps the skin. My skin always feels baby soft after I cleanse with it.
Nature is wonderful isn’t it?
Be choosy about your honey, it’s not all created equal.
Please be sure to always source your honey responsibly and ensure it’s high quality from a reputable source. Many honey brands on the market are diluted with corn syrup or other ingredients, making them far from pure. Also, because bees travel so far to get nectar, honey is very difficult to get truly organic and GMO free. Wedderspoon is the only certified non-GMO manuka honey on the market, and all their other honey is certified non-GMO as well.
Manuka is the holy grail of honey as it has the most antimicrobial properties of any other honey. I alternate between Manuka and local sage honey. Local honey is wonderful, but also be aware of local crops that are sprayed with pesticides as these will go in concentrated amounts right into your honey. Orange and Avocado are two common offenders. Wildflower, sage, and lavender are good choices for locally sourced.
Although I love the effects of using solely honey on my skin I occasionally add various mix in’s to boost the face wash. Here are three of my favorites:
Detox: Activated charcoal is a master at pulling impurities out of the skin; making it another great one for acne. I add one half of a capsule of charcoal to my honey before application. For more DIY beauty with charcoal, check out my DIY Turmeric Charcoal Mask.
Exfoliation: Ground chia seeds are great for gentle exfoliation. Add a 1/2 tsp to the honey, combine, and apply.
Hydration: To get even more moisture to your skin, add 1/2 tsp oil of choice before application. Learn more about carrier oils here.
So, I hope it’s a resounding yes to giving honey cleansing a try. I am always leery to change my skincare routine, especially if it is going well.
However, honey is one thing you can add without having to worry about your skin reacting to it; it is so gentle with so many benefits there is really no reason to not give it a try.
Comments 4
I absolutely love raw honey for cleansing. I started this about 5 months ago. It doesn’t remove makeup, which a cleanser really isn’t meant to do anyway. I use an oil blend of almond oil, tamanu oil, and essential oils to remove my makeup, or just coconut oil; then my honey mix. I used to use honey alone after removing makeup, but I was starting to see blackheads pop up! I have never dealt with blackheads. So since then, I have tried African Black soap (Alaffia) and mix that with my honey in a pump bottle, like a soap dispenser you can buy in the bathroom aisle. I now LOVE the mix and it works really well for my skin. The African soap cleanses my pores and the raw honey moisturizes and softens. Raw honey is really worth the try! I works well alone for most people, but for me it didn’t. I love to use it alone for masks though and also add a drop to my home made night cream!
Hi! I also have acne, so I’ve tried doing honey cleansing a couple times. I noticed that afterwards (Within 12-24 hours of doing it) my pimples develop heads and the area around them becomes quite tender. I read somewhere that this happens when you oil pull because all of the stuff clogging your pores is getting drawn out. Is it the same thing with honey?
Thanks.
Author
Jacey, sorry for the very late reply! Yes I also noticed this on myself. Although I am not an expert I would assume it is from the detoxing effects. I do find that if I continue to honey cleanse regularly the blackheads eventually go away.
Love honey! Someone had posted somewhere on the world wide Web of using honey as a shampoo. I decided to try honey and a raw egg. I place a plastic cap and a handkerchief around my head to catch drippings and allow at least one half hour, sometimes several hours. Never again will I use anything else! My hair is thicker and because I am a strawberry blonde I add henna powder. I couldn’t be happier. And. … I only wash my hair once a week! Amazed with honey.