Honey is a healing and nourishing natural ingredient for homemade beauty products and DIY facial treatments. It is suitable for all skin types, it helps to relieve inflammation, and it promotes wound healing. Honey contains antioxidants, nourishes dry skin, and because it is antibacterial and antiseptic, it is great for both oily skin and to prevent and heal blemishes and acne. You can even use it in homemade hair conditioner recipes.
DIY Face Mask with Honey and Lemon
I saw this easy recipe in a magazine or a book a long time ago and wrote it down, but I only tried it recently. The original recipe called for lime juice, but I used freshly squeezed lemon juice. I think this is recipe works best for oily skin types, or anyone who is prone to acne spots. Both lemon juice and honey are antiseptic and antibacterial.
- 1 tsp runny honey
- 1 tsp lemon or lime juice
One small spoonful of each ingredient was enough for me, but use two teaspoonfuls of each if you also want to cover the neck and the chest. Mix the ingredients and apply the mask on your face, avoiding eyes. Leave on for 10-15 minutes and rinse off with warm water. Remove any residue with a natural face toner such as rosewater, and moisturize afterwards.
Honey, Yogurt & Oatmeal Home Facial Treatment
This slightly exfoliating face mask is suitable for all skin types. Natural live yogurt softens and rejuvenates the skin, and it is also mildly whitening. Oats are gentle enough even for sensitive skin.
- one tbsp of finely ground oatmeal or porridge oats
- one tbsp of natural live yogurt
- a little bit of runny honey
Blend the ingredients well and apply the mask on clean face. Leave it on for approximately 10-15 minutes. To benefit from the oats’ exfoliating effect, I massage the mask into my face for a couple of minutes before removing it and rinsing my face with warm water. I use rosewater or orange flower water to remove any leftover bits of the mask.
Honey and Olive Oil Homemade Hair Conditioner
For this easy DIY hair conditioning treatment, you’ll need:
- one part olive oil
- two parts clear (runny) honey
Honey on its own would be too sticky, but the olive oil makes this mask easier to apply and to remove. Olive oil is also nourishing to the hair and especially good for dry hair. Mix the ingredients together, massage into your hair, cover your head with an old towel and leave on for at least 15 minutes, although you can leave oil treatments in your hair for much longer if you have time. Wash your hair as usual.
If your skin is sensitive, always try a new product on a small patch of skin first, even if you are using natural ingredients.
Photo by Siona Karen
