How To Make A Honey Face Mask: 7 Recipes & Expert Tips

When thinking about your skincare routine, a honey face mask may not be the first product to come to mind. But people have been using honey for thousands of years. Not only did Cleopatra use milk and honey in her baths, but the Greeks used honey to treat burns. So, if you’re looking for a natural way to get glowing skin, start by checking your pantry. Honey is one of nature’s most celebrated skincare treatments, and it’s probably in your kitchen right now.

In this blog we’ll uncover the top 5 honey skin benefits, how to use it and the best DIY honey face mask recipes you can make in the comfort of your own home. With consistency, your skin will be glowing in no time!

Top 5 Honey Benefits For Skin

Honey may seem like a simple ingredient, but it’s far more complex and versatile than a basic sweetener. First off, honey contains a wealth of skin beneficial properties, such as antioxidants and enzymes. Second, it acts as a natural humectant- a moisturizing agent that attracts water to the skin- making it a valuable cosmetic ingredient.

If you’ve ever used a cleanser that’s left your face feeling tight or irritated – especially during the winter months – you should think about giving a honey a try. Honey acts as a gentle cleanser, without stripping skin of its natural moisture, leaving your skin feeling clean, calm and soft to the touch.

Honey contains natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, so it helps to reduce the appearance of pesky blemishes and clogged pores. In several studies, honey has been shown to benefit various skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne and dry skin.

Honey is made up of probiotics, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants. All of these ingredients work together to beautify the skin. Honey also contains glucose and fructose. These two sugars act as a natural emollient and humectant, attracting water to the skin and reducing overall dryness.

1. Honey Gently Cleanses Skin

Honey’s gentle yet effective nature makes it a suitable cleanser for all skin types, including sensitive. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties make honey a potent cleanser that helps to unclog pore, effectively reducing the appearance of blemishes. And because honey is full of antioxidants, it helps to combat the free radicals our skin encounters throughout the day.

2. Honey Gently Exfoliates Skin

The enzymes in honey work as a gentle exfoliator, helping to remove dead skin cells, which leaves your complexion looking clear, smooth and radiant. It can also work as a clarifying agent to cleanse pores, reducing the appearance of blackheads. Honey starts to crystalize over time and those granules work as a physical exfoliator. The crystalized honey is much gentler on the skin and much better for the environment than some of the popular store-bought cleansers, which can have plastic exfoliant beads in them.

3. Honey Soothes Sensitive Skin

Honey has natural calming properties and is unsurprisingly very soothing when applied topically. Studies even suggest that it can help fade the look of pesky acne scars. This natural sweetener nourishes irritated and compromised skin – helping to reduce the look of redness and support a clear, calm and collected-looking complexion.

4. Honey Softens Dry Skin

Honey is a gentle hydrating ingredient you can add to just about anything, including your face mask. If you’re feeling luxurious and want to treat yourself, try adding it to a bath for head-to-toe glowing skin. This would be great for people who live in an arid climate or are suffering from seasonally dry skin, due to harsh winter conditions.

5. Honey Promotes A Natural Glow

Consistent use of a honey face mask gives skin a distinct glow. The impressive antioxidant activity in honey is a skin barrier’s best friend. Research shows that antioxidants play a role in supporting a healthy skin appearance. With its natural moisturizing and skin calming benefits, a raw honey face mask can help to protect and restore your skin. It has been used for centuries – across various cultures – making honey a tried and true skin remedy that’s stood the test of time.

Organic. Phytoactive. Skin Nourishment.

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How To Choose The Best Type of Honey For Your Skin

There are numerous varieties and grades of honey. When looking at the overwhelming amount of options at your local grocery store, it can be difficult to identify the best one. However, just remember that as a general rule of thumb, the darker the honey, the more antioxidants it contains. To get the best results for your skin, we recommended that you use raw, unpasteurized honey, which helps to retain all of the skin beneficial properties. It’s important to keep in mind that in order to see results, consistency is key.

Best Types of Honey For Skin Include:

Raw Local Honey
Buckwheat Honey
Wildflower Honey
Thyme Honey
Manuka Honey

How To Use Honey For Your Skin

There are several ways to use honey as part of your skincare routine.

1. Honey Face Wash

Honey can be used a daily face wash. To cleanse the face, simply apply honey to damp skin and massage in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes, rinsing with warm water to remove. If you want to use honey to remove makeup or sunscreen, try mixing it an oil such as jojoba, creating a potent oil-cleanser.

2. Honey Blemish Spot Treatment

Honey is naturally anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, so it’s worth using it as a natural blemish spot treatment. Apply directly to the blemish and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Gently rinse with cool water.

3. Honey Face Mask

To use honey as a face mask, apply it directly to your skin and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with warm water, ideally in the shower for ease of clean up. For more tips and tricks for using honey as a face mask, you can find our 7 best honey face mask recipes listed below.

How To Make A Honey Face Mask

With all the skin benefits of honey, it’s really no surprise that you can use it weekly as a face mask. In order to get the best results from your honey face mask, we’ve outlined our favorite recipes below. As always, we recommend using it before a shower or bath for ease of clean up.

Please Note: Before using honey on your skin, even if you have never had a reaction to it, you should always do a test patch first. You should never use metal when handling honey or clay. Also, raw, local honey from your neighboring farmers is always best. This reduces your chances of buying adulterated honey, commonly sold in grocery stores. And who doesn’t love supporting local farmers?

7 Best Honey Face Mask Recipes

The best way to reap the skin benefits of honey is to use it as a face mask. However, we do not recommend purchasing pre-made honey face masks sold at beauty stores because they contain harsh preservatives and typically have cheap filler ingredients that offer no skin benefits.

A freshly made honey mask is always going to be best for your skin and wallet! You can also purchase a dry face mask formula such as our Detox Clarifying Mask or Reborn Brightening Mask, both made with a powerful blend of skin-loving clays and transformative botanicals, to mix with honey. Because our face masks are in powder form, they allow you to activate the formula when you are ready to use it, ensuring each treatment is as fresh and potent as the next. Or simply make your own DIY honey face mask at home, using the recipes listed below.