5 Ways of incorporating honey in your skincare routine

By Dr. Blossom Kochhar
If you are looking at natural beauty regimes then there is one thing sitting in your kitchen that should surely make it in the bowl in which you are preparing your beauty pack, Honey. One of the most potent natural and effective ingredients which is great for all skin types, and has centuries-long credibility as a respected ingredient beyond kitchen use. Honey is a natural antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory ingredient.

In its natural form, honey is produced by enzyme activity, plant matter, and live bacteria coming together to create a powerful ingredient with hundreds of practical uses. Raw, unpasteurized honey has the most potential for topical application on skin. Keep reading to find out how honey can be applied to your face and help your skin.

Let us look at some of the skin care benefits along with easy packs that can be made with honey.

Open pores attract a lot of dust, dirt, and pollution; all this can lead to acne, dull and dry skin. Honey works as a natural astringent that helps shrink pores and reduces the occurrence of breakouts. Mixing tomato juice and honey together, when applied on the skin daily for 10 minutes can visibly reduce the size of your pores. For those who complain of open pores, this should be your go fix.

Those struggling with tired and dull skin, then a dash of honey is all you need. Squash half a kiwi, add a teaspoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of oatmeal to it. Apply this pack for 20 minutes and rinse it off with lukewarm water. Another pack which you can try is by mashing about a cup of papaya and making it into a pulp, now add about 1-2 tablespoons of honey to it. Make a smooth paste and apply a thick layer on your face. Leave it for about 15-20 minutes and then rinse it with cold water. This pack will give you instant glow.

Honey helps your body’s healing process, which may help fade acne scars. You can use honey as a spot treatment on scars, applying it everyday or every other day as a paste at the site of your scarring. Or you can also make a pack using almond, honey and lemon juice. Mix 1 tablespoon of honey with 2 tablespoons of almond powder and half teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply it on your face and gently rinse it off when dry.

Since honey has exfoliating properties, using it on your face can eliminate dead skin cells that make your skin look dull. This can reveal brighter skin. After washing your face with soap and water, apply manuka honey or another variety of unpasteurized, raw honey to your face. If you’d like, dilute the honey with purified water to make it less sticky and easier to remove. Leave the honey on your skin for several minutes before rinsing off.

We all know the importance of exfoliation; it removes the dead skin and lets it breathe easily. An easy DIY exfoliator that you can make at home is mix lemon juice, sugar, and honey together & scrub all the dead skin away. Then rinse your face with lukewarm water. This will deep cleanse your pores and give a fresh look.

Honey acts as a great moisturising agent, regular use of honey can make your skin soft and keep it hydrated. A great pack for people with dry skin is – combine 1 tablespoon of honey with 2 tablespoons of raw milk. Dip a cotton ball in this and apply it on your face. Let the pack dry naturally and then rinse it off. If you repeat these three or four times a week you will see remarkable results.

Mature skin needs a lot of attention and if handled at the right time then you can delay wrinkles. Turn to your honey jar as we will be preparing a pack for aging skin. Mix 1 tablespoon of raw honey with 2 tablespoons of oatmeal, 2 tablespoons of yogurt and ½ teaspoon of fennel seeds powder. Combine all the ingredients thoroughly and apply the pack for about 20 minutes. Wash it off with tepid water. The honey, oatmeal, and yogurt nourish, hydrate, and tone your skin. Fennel seeds have potential anti-aging effects. This face pack can help reduce your fine lines, wrinkles, and even age spots.