Nature’s gift to us

Mother earth has provided us with a lot of natural resources. And most of these resources are already being used for various purposes. Honey is one of them. Honey, collected by honey bees and used by us, is not only beneficial when consumed but mighty valuable when used as a skin care product.  It can be used for caring for everyday skin conditions as well as for treatment of various skin problems.

Thousands of years ago when we did not have our Niveas and Fair lovelies or any of these recent man made creams we had honey bees and we did have flowers. Honey bees collected nectar from flowers and stored it in their hives as food. Early human beings watched bears eat this sticky liquid from the hives and then decided to try it out themselves. Well, I can only say thanks to them, today we have the most amazing skin care product with us. 

My research on honey did not start until I began writing this article. But honey has been a part of my cabinet ever since my mother advised me to apply honey daily. This was when I was in college and any artificial skin care product would make my face go all red. Honey came to my rescue. It is only now, that I am a mother myself I think why do we use honey and why does it help?

Honey has been a part of skin care regime for centuries now. It has been used for several centuries for healing wounds. Cleopatra used honey and milk for her bath to keep her looking youthful. Honey is used in skin care as a moisturizer and anti-irritant.  How is that you may ask? Although honey is 40% fructose and 30% glucose the PH 3-4 acidic level of Honey prohibits the growth and reproduction of any kind of microorganism on the skin which is probably why honey is so widely used in different skin care products.

If this was not enough, honey is also a natural humectant which means it has an ability to attract moisture and hold it. Apply it on your face one day and see the difference. Another great quality of honey is that it has an amazing shelf life. That means you can preserve it for longer periods of time than any other product. Does that mean people like me with oily skin cannot use it? Well no, its humectant quality makes it good for us too. It keeps the skin moist without making it oily.
Honey is full of vitamins, anti oxidants and amino acids which is why it is widely used in different facial masks. 

You can make your own facial mask at home by using honey as a main ingredient. Mix a teaspoon of honey with half teaspoon of lemon juice. This will soothe the skin and cleanse it too. Or simply apply honey everyday on your face and neck and wash it with water after 20 minutes. This acts as a natural moisturizer.

You will not believe it but even today, if you talk to the previous generation you will discover they still have a bottle of honey in their closet and they use it almost daily. How else do you think our grand moms remained young for a longer time and we start ageing at 30? Try honey, I know I will.

Let us get a little more comfortable with the many ways that honey can be used as a skin care product
Honey as moisturizer:

Due to its humectant qualities, it is used in moisturizers, cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners. It does not only attract water but it retains it in skin. If skin loses its ability to retain moisture then it appears wrinkled and dry. In this way if you use honey it will prevent wrinkles and dryness. It maintains skin suppleness and elasticity.

Honey as antioxidant:

Honey was always famous for its natural anti-oxidant properties. This property plays an important role in protecting the skin damage from ultraviolet light of sun. Over exposure of skin to the ultra violet light of sun causes skin damage, premature aging and even skin cancer. Other sun screen lotion can cause skin irritation. We should ideally have honey in all the sunscreen lotions. I am sure product developers are working on this. Since we don’t have a sunscreen with honey yet, I think we should simply apply honey on the exposed skin after returning from a hot day in the sun. The use of honey after sun exposure will considerably reduce age spots on your face too. For now, botox can wait a while.

A few home remedies of Honey:

·         Take 1 peeled cored apple and 1 tablespoon of honey and blend it in food processor until smooth. Apply mixture on face for 15 minutes and wash it off. 

·         Take 1 table spoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of finely ground almonds, 2 tablespoons of dry oatmeal, some lemon juice or yogurt. Apply this paste to your face and massage it gently then rinse it with warm water. It acts as a facial scrub.

·         For silky and luscious skin, add 1/4 cup of honey to your hot bath water. 

Honey as natural remedy for various skin problems:

Honey is very effective to cure much medical disease. It is very effective for burns, pressure sores, surgical incisions, acne, and more.

Honey and skin care is a great combination! A sweet way to keep age at bay