Honey in skincare & hair care can trace back many centuries. In Vedic times, the honey considered as a gift—its remarkable useful properties were valued more than its taste.
Since honey is now a hot topic for modern researchers, it increasingly recognizes as an excellent source for the medicinal and nutritional properties.
However, these dietary properties are made it a staple of Ayurvedic practices for thousands of years. Not even in just Ayurveda, using honey for skincare dates back to around 5000 B.C. by the ancient Greeks.
Many people in this period used honey for scrubs, facial masks, and even dressing wounds. The ancient Greeks would also soak in baths with syrup as a regime to have softer skin.
I still remember that when my mom used to apply honey on her face as a facemask. Today, at Clean Beauty Magazine, I want to share this natural skincare ingredient: Honey! What exactly is honey?
What are their properties, and how can we use them in our day-to-day routines? (Check our other posts here)
Natural Skincare Ingredient: Honey
Honey is a bee-derived saccharic secretion. Honey bees store honey in their system. The use of honey is the same as to use of Glycerin. It is a humectant, which means that it attracts and traps moisture on the skin.
Honey is a source of carbohydrates, several vitamins, and minerals including calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. It is also a potent source of antioxidants.
It also includes chrysin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalase, and pinocembrin. And as if all of that isn’t enough, honey is also anti-bacterial. (Formula Botanica).
That’s why Ayurvedic texts have described how honey promotes healing of wounds and sores. It acts as an antiseptic, a pain reliever, and a cooling balm that speeds recovery from burns.
Honey nurtures the skin and contributes to regulate the mildly acidic pH of the upper protective skin layer. Also, it shows anti-irritant properties, making an excellent ingredient for sensitive skins. That’s why It uses in a variety of cosmetic products.
Adding honey in your homemade skin care regimen is always a good idea. Just mixed with natural herbs, found in your refrigerator makes for an effective and inexpensive beauty treatment. Applying honey regularly on your skin or hair can give you results beyond your imagination.
Honey can cause preservation issues in water-containing products, so try to use cosmetic-grade honey or even freeze-dried honey powder. Hence, there are many types of honey available in the market, use honey which you eat.
We always believe that you use an ingredient that you can eat. Since fall & winter is here, in Ayurveda, it’s VATA season. In the Vata season, the skin needs plenty of natural moisture and oil to keep it supple and maintain elasticity.
As per Yoga International, here is a simple facial cream recipe using honey:
In a bowl, mix equal parts ghee and rose water. Add a teaspoon of honey and a few drops of your favorite essential oil to add fragrance.
Transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Rub a small amount of the solution onto your face and neck at least once a day.
Let’s know, once you use this recipe by Yoga International.
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