by DawnMichelle of Minimalist Beauty
I’ve been asked many times how to use raw honey as a face wash, but many of you may wonder why you would even consider raw honey in the first place. Raw honey is a universal beauty tonic for all skin types because of its potent yet gentle healing benefits for skin. Raw honey does wonders for acne, rosacea, eczema, hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, sensitive skin, mature skin and dull, lifeless skin.
With so many beauty products on the market, we sometimes think that every product we use must be extremely complicated and full of tons of ingredients. That notion is completely wrong. Although what we wash our face with doesn’t stay on our skin that long, soap-based products quickly strip the skin of its natural oils and create an imbalanced in the skin’s pH, causing many skin problems and forcing the skin to produce excess oil.
When you come across people who have beautiful skin and they claim to wash their face with only water, they do have good genetics, but they are also not creating any imbalance in the pH of their skin with harsh cleansers and toners. Maintaining a balanced pH in the skin consistently will allow the skin to do its job so much better. Products that dry or strip and then replenish the skin simply continue the cycle of skin distress. Less really is more.
Maintaining a healthy pH in your skin is an important anti-aging secret. The less the stress your skin endures from drying cleansers and toners, the more elastic it will remain over time. Anything with a pH of 4.5-7 is usually considered pH balanced since water has a neutral pH of 7, yet skin thrives when using products with a pH of 4.5-5.5.
Raw honey has a natural pH of 4.5. The antiseptic and antimicrobial properties of honey make it wonderful for healing cuts and burns by killing bacteria and fungus. Raw honey also contains gluconic acid, a mild alpha hydroxy acid that is amazing at brightening complexion, evening out skin tone, and lightening scars and age spots.
Most honey contains iron, silica, copper, vitamin B, manganese, chlorine, potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorous, aluminum and magnesium, depending on where the honey originates. This rich mineral content makes it excellent for skin. Raw honey’s intense moisturizing abilities with gentle cleansing agents make it perfect for even very sensitive skin.
Not all honey is created equal. Most of the honey found in grocery stores is “adulterated honey,” meaning it literally has no nutrients. When honey is processed and refined with heat, the live healing enzymes are killed. You are instead left with liquid sugar. Raw honey can give your skin the healing benefits that it needs, and you can also experience the best results.
To use raw honey as a face wash, simply add a quarter-size amount of honey or more to wet hands and massage into your skin. Rinse your face, then tone and moisturize as usual. You can also leave honey on your skin for as long as you like as a honey mask, or combine it with other ingredients for more cleansing and brightening. My favorite ways to use raw honey is with rhassoul clay or as an exfoliating treatment with sugar and lemon juice. I’ve also used raw honey in place of vegetable glycerin in my DIY hair recipes. Raw honey has been used for centuries for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. There truly is such beauty in simplicity.
How have you used honey in skin or hair care?
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Dawn Michelle is a writer, professional dancer, choreographer, jewelry designer, and pure lover of life and the planet. She has been a part of the entertainment industry for years, and worked in one of the largest beauty retailers as a consultant. Dawn Michelle writes a lifestyle blog called Minimalist Beauty that incorporates organic beauty and cosmetics, eco-friendly fashion and extremely chic style, simple living, and pursuing creativity. She also has an Etsy shop called Azuha which has handmade fiber jewelry, earrings, natural cosmetics and more.
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