1.21.2013

Monday Musings: Raw Honey Skincare Regimen



For the past several weeks, I have been washing my face with raw, local honey. 

It has totally transformed  my skin.




No moisturizer necessary, even in January, when my skin is the driest.

Generally speaking, I'm a big fan of honey...in the same way this guy is a "big fan"...



I buy honey from my neighbor (to use primarily in cooking, tea, and battling seasonal allergies).  Honey is basically a superfood in that it will never spoil and it does not require synthetic preservatives.  While I could go on and on about the glories of honey, it never occurred to me to slather globs of it all over my face in the name of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing.  Until recently.

The search for decent natural skincare

(read: does not smell like oatmeal and actually removes makeup)


As you probably know, the cosmetics industry is not well regulated as far as labeling is concerned.  Many products have plants on the bottles or contain "natural ingredients", but also contain harmful ingredients that are absorbed into the bloodstream through the body's largest organ--our skin.  Google "ingredients to avoid in cosmetics" and you'll find several lists ranging from this to this.

For the past 7 years, I have used a skincare line available at Whole Foods.  While I really enjoyed the products, because of the high quality of the ingredients and glass packaging, the products weren't cheap (prices comparable to the higher end of Estee Lauder).

All you need is honey.  

Raw Honey.



Raw honey is perfectly unprocessed.  It has not been heated, filtered, strained or altered in any way.    I keep this jar in my bathroom and just scoop out a blob bit with my fingers and massage on my face.  Then rinse with water.  It melts off with warm water.  When I first read about this, I thought "what a sticky mess".  By some miracle, it isn't.

I find that it has balanced my combination skin.  I do not use a separate moisturizer.  Honey has natural properties that gently exfoliate.  Additionally, I find that it is an effective daily makeup remover.  (For reference, I primarily wear bareMinerals makeup.  If an extra boost is needed to remove eye makeup, I use a touch of oil on a cotton pad).

I store honey in this airtight glass jar.






I hope you decide to try this.  It was a strange idea for me, too.  It is inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and non-toxic.  As with any change in skin care regimen, it may take your skin a couple days (or weeks) to adjust.

 I have read that adding cinnamon does certain things, as does adding baking soda or nutmeg or vinegar.  I have found that plain honey is perfection for my combination skin.  I encourage you to do your own research and experiment to find what suits you.  Please let me know how it turns out!


 Rumor has it that Cleopatra used honey as an integral part of her skincare regimen.  Isn't that reason enough to give it a try?  If it's good enough for the Queen of the Nile, it's certainly good enough for me.


Note: I'm a honey superfan, not an expert.  If something above is incorrect, do let me know.




7 comments:

  1. I am definitely going to try this! We always have honey in our house, as it's great for coughs and colds. I can't wait to try it on my face! Thanks for stopping by my blog, too! :)

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  2. Hi! Do you wash twice a day with the honey or just once?

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    1. Good question. I do it twice a day (morning and bedtime). If I feel like my skin is starting to get dry (windy day, longer period of time outdoors, etc.), I'll leave it on for a few minutes longer at night--like a mask.

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  3. Im intrigued. Never heard of honey as a face wash!

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  4. I'd like to try this. I've had honey scrubs at the spa but never used it myself. Nice idea!

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  5. If you have sensitive skin and afraid of using different chemicals on your face, then I recommend that you use honey. Honey has anti-oxidants that are good for your skin and removes dead skin cells. If you mix honey with other organic products like lemon, it can moisturize your skin, giving you a glowing skin. Crazy, right?

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  6. Very interesting, not too hard a routine to follow.

    Thanks for posting!

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