How Honey Can Make Your Skincare Routine Sweeter

You may often use raw honey as a sweetener in recipes or to soothe a sore throat in tea, but we’ve got another use for the natural sweet stuff: as a skincare ingredient. The kitchen staple has been used for years in DIY masks and treatments, and for good reason–it has a laundry list of skincare and beauty benefits that we're here to share. 

And if you aren’t into creating your own concoctions, you’re in luck. The superstar ingredient is popping up in beauty products everywhere, from face masks to moisturizers to cleansers and exfoliators and more. Read on to learn why this classic ingredient can up your skincare routine and give you healthy, glowing skin in no time.

What Are the Skincare Benefits of Honey?

Raw honey has anti-inflammatory properties, so it’s been used for centuries to heal wounds and other ailments (including the aforementioned sore throat and cold). But a teaspoon of honey can heal more than cuts and sore throats: it's gentle and soothing for dry and sensitive skin, too. 

What's more, because it is low in water and high in sugar, bacteria and microbes are unable to grow on it, making it a popular antibacterial and antimicrobial ingredient. This makes it an excellent choice for treating acne-prone skin or oily skin, as it will get to work sucking up blackheads, moisturizing, and treating pimples.

What Can You Use Honey For?

Honey is super versatile as a home remedy for a variety of skin issues. Besides helping to clear and soothe active breakouts, honey can also help restore moisture in depleted skin, says Tammy Fender, a holistic skin guru, esthetician, and owner of Tammy Fender Spa and Skincare in Florida. Below, we go over a few more skin conditions honey can help:

1. Treating Acne: As we mentioned before, honey boasts antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. In those respects, it helps the skin steer clear of potential inflammation and breakouts, says Fender. 

2. Brightening & Anti-Aging: Honey has long been revered for its healing properties, and this extends to your skin. Raw honey has the ability to help restore the complexion and bring renewed elasticity to your skin, says Fender, helping create a more youthful appearance. Plus, it's full of antioxidants that help your skin fend off environmental stressors that might cause premature aging.

3. Refining Pores: As a clarifying natural ingredient, honey opens up your pores when applied onto skin, allowing them to be more easily unclogged (translation: bye-bye, blackheads). 

4. Exfoliating: Over time, honey crystallizes and tiny granules form. These granules gently exfoliate skin and slough off dead skin cells, without irritating the top layer of skin. This means it's an excellent exfoliator for those with dry skin, as it will exfoliate without stripping or over-drying your skin. 

How to DIY Your Own Honey Skincare Treatments 

When using honey for at-home beauty treatments, stick with an organic version that is local, raw, and unfiltered, says Fender. 

• Honey Face Mask: If you want to use honey solo, apply a thin layer onto your face and massage it in circular motions onto your skin, rinsing it after approximately 30 minutes. This will help unclog your pores while simultaneously providing a boost of hydration. You can also mix honey with other ingredients to create a personalized mask for your skin type and needs. Mix it with oatmeal for a deeper exfoliation, lemon juice to help brighten your skin, or yogurt or avocado to majorly moisturize.

• Spot Treatment: Honey can be used as a spot treatment on blemishes to help them heal faster—just dab a small drop onto the breakout. Fender also shared her own simple DIY spot treatment: mix apple cider vinegar in water with a touch of lemon and honey. This will help balance your skin while providing astringent and antibacterial properties.

Our Fave Honey Products:

Not a DIY-er? No problem. The following products all feature this skincare star, including some products picked based on Ipster reviews from past Glam Bags:

HEY HONEY Take it Off Exfoliating Honey Peel Off Mask

This cruelty-free mask reveals brighter, smoother skin after just a few minutes. Plus, it's super gentle, so even if you forget you have it on (and it's so comfortable, you might!) you don't have to worry about dry skin or peeling. "This mask is absolutely amazing and leaves skin looking full of glow," wrote one Ipster.

HEY HONEY Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum

In addition to its namesake ingredient, this honey-infused serum includes silk amino acids to moisturize and aloe vera leaf juice and honeysuckle extract to calm your skin. Plus, it smells amazing. "Looks like honey, feels like moisture!" Ipster @goodcanadia wrote. "Good for dry winter skin under moisturizer!"

FARMACY Honey Hydration Duo

This face mask and moisturizer set is a serious glow getter. Use the mask once or twice a week and moisturizer daily for the best results.