Benefits of Honey for Your Skin Care Ritual

Honey has been a valued household staple for millennia. The universal presence of Honey transcends its mere role as a sweetener into grounded skin care practices found in Ayurvedic tradition. With its healing, anti-inflammatory, and rejuvenating properties, Honey is the versatile ingredient your skin care ritual craves. Read on to learn more about why Honey is found in your favorite skin care products.

Facts you probably didn’t know

Honey is nurtured as bees collect the nectar of flowers, which then gets broken down into sugars stored inside the honeycomb. One pound of Honey requires over two million flower visits and an average bee will only make about 1/12 teaspoon of Honey in its lifetime.

Interestingly, Honey has an infinite shelf life — it doesn’t expire. This makes Honey a sustainable ingredient in many healthcare and skin care products. It is also a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture deep in the skin to the surface, hydrating the skin barrier from within.

Honey is produced around the globe, with native flowering plants that differ from region to region. Because of this, Honey has different taste notes, textures, and even variations of color. Consuming Honey from your local region is said to help alleviate some symptoms of seasonal allergies due to the bee pollen found in Honey.

Honey’s history in skin care & health

Honey has an expansive history of being used both internally and topically. Ancient Egyptian Greeks, Assyrians, Vedic, Chinese, and Roman cultures used it as medicine, often for diseases of the intestine and treatment for wounds due to its antiseptic properties. With the rise of beekeeping around 2500 BCE in Egypt, the consumption of Honey began to spread across many cultures across the globe. Early records of Honey-based beauty treatments began with Cleopatra, with the consistent use of Honey in her beauty regimen for its hydrating properties, while other Egyptian royalty used milk and Honey lotions for millions of years. Today, Middle Eastern, Korean, and South Asian cultures also utilize Honey in their skin care practices. Honey, once predominantly identified through specific cultures and their uses, has now become part of the mainstream, through growing health and skin care communities.

Honey’s importance in Ayurveda

Ayurveda’s ancient practices also include Honey as an external and internal healing ingredient. Consumption of Honey helps calm vata and kapha doshas but can aggravate pitta, especially in hot weather. Honey lightens heavier foods and stimulates agni, the digestive fire. Because of its sweetness, Honey builds ojas, vitality in the form of immunity and our capacity to feel genuine satisfaction. Honey is regarded as highly beneficial in treating eye diseases, promoting lung health, healing wounds, and ultimately serving as a soothing agent in health and skin care.

Manuka Honey

Made by the bees that pollinate tea trees in Australia and New Zealand, Manuka Honey has an added dimension of benefit compared to other forms of Honey. Manuka Honey embodies antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory skin care and health benefits that distinguish it from traditional Honey. Our Glow Activating Exfoliator clay mask is made with raw Manuka Honey along with other anti-inflammatory ingredients like Neem and organic Turmeric. The combination of these ingredients in this mask creates a balance of hydration and exfoliation that makes it gentle on all skin types.

Honey benefits for your skin

Honey has been in use for thousands of years as a vital ingredient in beauty practices and skin health. Many cultures continue to uphold their ancient ties to this skin superfood for the continued skin care benefits offered by Honey. The multitude of benefits of Honey for your skin will have you perusing your skin care products for this hero ingredient.

Antibacterial

Honey's antibacterial qualities make it a powerful force against fighting acne, blackheads, and many other skin irritations that are fueled by the bacteria produced through the wear and tear of our day-to-day. The antibacterial qualities of Honey are heightened in Manuka Honey due to its higher pH and sugar content, which further contributes to the antibacterial skin care benefits. By helping to scrape dead skin cell debris, Honey can keep your skin clean and also heal existing pimples.

Anti-inflammatory

We find ourselves a duo of perfection: the antibacterial and the anti-inflammatory benefits of Honey go in tandem when combating skin conditions such as acne, rashes, and eczema. The anti-inflammatory characteristics of Honey draw out the bacteria from our skin and uproot bacteria-fueled conditions such as eczema at the core, calming our skin and leaving it less irritated. Eczema and psoriasis are inflammatory skin conditions that highly benefit from the anti-inflammatory potency of Honey.

Delays premature aging

Our youthful glow needs consistent internal and external nurturing to maintain skin elasticity. Factors such as exposure to sunlight without proper SPF use and unhealthy eating habits take a toll on our skin health. With essential minerals like zinc and selenium and organic acids that help nourish skin cells and repair signs of damage, Honey helps address signs of aging over a longer duration of time.

Heals

We are met with an overwhelming amount of tips and hacks that guarantee our dark spots disappear, many of which have results that vary and are unsupported by evidence. However, the ancient use of Honey to heal wounds and blemishes remains tried and true. Its antiseptic properties reduce the appearance of scars and gently speed up your skin cells’ healing process. Honey is especially effective in the aftermath of skin irritation caused by conditions such as eczema or any form of damaged skin.

Gently exfoliates

Dullness from the build-up of dirt, oils, and dead skin cells needs to be treated with the appropriate exfoliant. Many exfoliants are irritating to the skin but Honey provides gentle exfoliation without the use of rough granules that could potentially enter too deep into your skin barrier, causing redness and irritation. Our Glow Activating Exfoliator, which employs Manuka Honey, was created to empower sensitive skin types with an exfoliator that could be used consistently without experiencing irritation or excessive dryness.

Brightens

The shimmer and glow of Honey is something we all want to be reflected in our skin. The exfoliating and healing properties of Honey result in brighter, healthier-looking skin. By eliminating dead skin cells and improving the appearance of our scars and blemishes, the benefits of Honey on our skin extend into our empowering glow. 

Hydrates

Honey is a natural humectant due to its ability to draw and lock in moisture in our skin, resulting in a well-hydrated skin barrier. Honey draws moisture from the air into the skin, allowing our skin to remain elastic, supple, glowing, and fresh at all times. 

Soothes sunburns

Sunburns are a form of inflammation that can result in premature wrinkling, skin peeling, and an increased risk of skin cancer. Like Aloe Vera, Honey’s healing and moisturizing properties will soothe the pain of a sunburn and bring back essential moisture to your skin. The moisture found in Honey will provide ample nutrients to repair the irritated and broken tissues caused by sunburn.

How to use Honey in your skin care ritual

Now knowing all the benefits of Honey, it’s important to understand how to implement this multifaceted ingredient into your skin care ritual. Raw Honey, ideally Manuka Honey, can be incorporated into your skin care ritual in the form of a lotion, exfoliant, cleanser, or a Honey-infused face mask. If you are using raw Honey, apply it after washing your face with a cleanser, ideally on damp skin. Diluting the Honey in this manner makes it easier to remove. If you’re wanting to find a Honey-infused product, it’s recommended to use one that is specifically formulated to enhance Honey’s benefits alongside the benefits of other active ingredients. For instance, our Glow Activating Exfoliator face mask is a great place to start.

Experience the benefits of Honey today

If relying on your at-home Honey concoctions feels overwhelming and unreliable, we have the perfect face masks for you! Our best seller, Glow Activating Exfoliator face mask, is abundant in antioxidant-rich ingredients, such as Manuka Honey, Turmeric, and Neem that create a powerhouse formula that activates glowing skin. Inspired by the Indian tradition of the Haldi Ceremony at weddings, this face mask honors the ancient cultural practices of a deeply rooted Indian tradition bountiful with beauty and blessings. Another option is our Healing Rose Clay Mask, infused with Saffron, Honey, Rosewater, and Pomegranate is a great detoxifying mask that works numbers for your pores. Pick one of them up and add it to your skin care ritual today.