Honey Isn't Just For Eating or Drinking Now
Honey isn’t only used to drizzle on pancakes, yoghurt bowls, waffles or mixed in tea, in fact, honey has an abundance of benefits for the skin. And from the long list of natural ingredients in skincare, honey is definitely at the top of my list, and here’s why it should be for you too.
To summarise it for you, honey softens and brightens your skin and possesses healing and antibacterial properties that makes it a jewel in the beauty world. It leaves your skin feeling nourished and rejuvenated.
The use of honey for beauty or health remedies is not a new fad, instead, it has centuries-long credibility where honey was traditionally used as a wound-healing agent due to its antibacterial effects. In Ancient Egypt, honey was actually hailed as a skin-healing ingredient and Cleopatra supposedly used honey to make face masks.
In terms of food, the star of honey is its sweet flavor that adds depth to anything we add it to. For topical applications, it is that sweet substance that houses all that skin goodness. This is because the sweet substance of honey is produced by plant matter, enzyme activity and live bacteria. As well as being rich in natural bacteria-fighting ingredients; flavonoids, hydrogen peroxide and phenolic acid. A quick trivia for you, have you realised that honey never goes bad, it never gets mouldy even if we leave it out in the kitchen untouched for years?
Benefits
Seals in moisture
- Honey is considered a natural humectant. A humectant is an ingredient that attracts moisture and locks that moisture into the skin, revealing a glowing and more supple complexion. So if your skin is in need of a hydration boost, honey is perfect for you.
Antimicrobial
- Naturally antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral, this makes honey suitable to treat and prevent certain types of acne and speed up the healing process post-breakout.
Natural exfoliant
- Honey works to gently exfoliate the skin by cleansing the pores and removing dirt, impurities and general buildup in the skin that can lead to acne.
Fades scars
- The hydrogen peroxide found in honey provides mild lightening effects that can help to reduce post-acne scars and pigmentation (dark spots, age spots, sun spots and etc).
Soothes inflammation
- The gentle and antimicrobial nature of honey has shown to treat and soothe chronic skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and generally irritated skin.
Reinforces the skin’s health
- Honey is rich in antioxidants that speed the healing process. And one honey variant in particular, Manuka honey, supports the skin’s immune system, strengthens the skin barrier and protects against free radical damage and environmental threats.
Suitable for all
- It might seem that honey is best suited for acne-prone or problematic skin, though that is not the case. Honey is actually fit for all skin types, from helping to provide hydration to reinforcing the skin barrier against external and internal damage.
What to note?
- Although honey is considered a relatively safe ingredient, people with allergies to bees, pollen or bee venom should be cautious as honey-infused topical products can cause an allergic reaction. It is recommended that anyone should conduct a patch test prior to application.
- Just a little tip for you, when it comes to choosing which honey to buy, you want to pick one that is raw and not processed as it contains the most potent enzymes for the best benefits.
Products we recommend
Innisfree Ginger Honey Line
This product line works to nourish the protect the skin that has been weakened by external stressors and dryness via its Giney Complex, a precious combination of Ginger and Jeju Canola Honey. Jeju Canola Honey and seed oil coats the skin to prevent moisture and nutrients from escaping.
An essence-like toner that contains a 10,000 ppm concentrate of the Mamonde Flower Honey with buckwheat flower extract which instantly provides nourishment and elasticity to the skin.
COSRX Ultimate Moisturising Honey Overnight Mask
A 3-in-1 mask that can be used as an overnight mask, a wash-off mask or even a moisturiser. It is packed with 87.26% propolis extract and natural beeswax that heals and hydrates the skin.
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