The Beauty Benefits of Honey
Nectar of the Gods. Liquid Gold. These are a couple of the names given to raw honey. It is bestowed with great cause. Honey is one of the most effective beauty ingredients that have stood the test of time. It has been used for thousands of years. The naturally occurring enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and water make honey a powerful and safe beauty ally. This is why many beauty products are infused with honey.
History of Honey in Beauty
Honey has been around for nearly 5,000 years. Ancient Greek religion proclaimed it as the food of Gods. In Hinduism, honey is one of the five elixirs of immortality. Honey’s name is derived from Ancient Hebrew. It means, “enchant”. Royal Egyptian women used honey for cosmetics. Pharaoh Cleopatra is credited as one of the earliest users of honey for beauty treatments. She bathed in milk and honey to keep her skin smooth and firm. Queen Nefertiti also used honey in her beauty routine. The wife of King Louis XV of France used honey as a face mask. In Ming Dynasty China, women in the Emperor’s Court mixed ground orange seeds with honey for fresh, blemish-free skin.
Type of Honey to Buy
Most honey on supermarket shelves is not 100% pure honey. Yes, I’m going there…they’re fake (gasp!). They contain a small portion of honey combined with corn syrup, molasses, glucose, starch, sugar, and other ingredients unnatural to floral nectar. Most grocery store honey is ultra-filtered, too. That means they filter out the wax and pollen, which is actually beneficial for you. So, what type of honey should you buy? Raw, unfiltered honey is best (like this).
Benefits of Honey for Beauty
Due to the sugar, waxes and trace minerals, honey can be used from head to toe. It is a natural humectant so it’s hydrating. Honey restores moisture to your skin. The antibacterial and antifungal properties draw out bacteria, which makes honey an effective acne and pimple fighter. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristic of honey helps minimize scars. Honey soothes sunburns by restoring moisture to burned skin. When used as a hair conditioner, honey adds shine and moisture to dull hair. Honey and sugar make a great at-home spa wax for hair removal. Honey used in facial and lip scrubs slough away dead skin cells leaving your skin smooth and glowing. Let’s not forget, you can bathe in milk and honey like Queen Cleopatra to eliminate dry, flaky skin to reveal softer skin.
We all know that honey is bursting with flavor. That is why it’s a popular, healthy sweetener for tea, coffee, smoothies, and sweet and savory recipes. But let’s not relegate honey to just a sweetener. Include honey in your beauty routine. Start simple by using it as a face cleanser. Then expand its usage for your body and hair care. Once you try it, you’ll be convinced that honey is Liquid Gold.