Skincare Saturday: Honey
Illustrations by Kirsten Lam
Oh how sweet the taste of honey is ~ from drizzling it on my french toast to mixing it with my tea, I love honey. Not only is it great with food, but it can be used as a medicine too. My grandma would always make me a warm cup of honey tea whenever I would get a sore throat, soothing it instantly. Thank you Mother Nature for giving us this natural sweetener.
I’m sure most people know that honey is made by bees using nectar from flowering plants. But what you may not know is the numerous benefits it provides to your skin. This golden liquid has natural antibacterial and antiviral properties, protecting your skin from bacteria. It’s also a humectant that provides moisture to your skin and soothes it. Honey comes in different colors, and certain colors are better than others. Dark-colored kinds of honey tend to have a stronger antioxidant effect than lighter-colored kinds of honey, meaning the darker the honey, the better it’ll protect your skin from damage. These antioxidants are used to help fight free radicals from the sun and the environment which is one of the major causes of skin-aging (creating wrinkles and age spots). But enough with the chemical talk, let me tell you how exactly honey can help your skin:
1. Calms pimple, acne, and even some skin diseases
As said earlier, honey has antibacterial and antiviral properties which help tackle the bacteria in your skin that cause unwanted blemishes to appear. Of all the different types of honey, Manuka honey is the best type to use for this kind of treatment. This is great for calming inflammation which reduces redness on your skin as well as healing acne. It’s also a great remedy for eczema and psoriasis as it can help speed up the healing process while providing moisture to your skin.
Product recommendation: CNP Propolis Energy Ampule
2. Treating sunburns and hydrating dry skin
Honey is a humectant, so it draws in moisture from the environment and feeds it to your skin. This is the reason why it’s great for hydrating dry skin, often lacking that moisture. In the case of sunburns, your skin is even more dehydrated (and damaged), so honey helps soothe and heal it by providing the moisture it needs to return to normal.
Product recommendation: Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel
3. Skin brightening
Honey has exfoliating properties that help rid of dead skin cells on your skin. Clearing that provides new skin cells the opportunity to appear, thus making your complexion brighter and healthier.
Product recommendation: Skinfood Black Sugar Honey Mask Washoff
4. Scar fading
With all the healing properties honey has, it’s no surprise that it can help fade acne scars which are often caused by severe acne breakouts. This won’t do the complete job of fading scars that are caused by deep cuts and burns, but it can be used as a spot treatment on acne scars to help restore and heal skin due to honey’s calming properties and nutrients (like antioxidants and vitamin B) which increase the growth of healthy new skin cells. For extreme cases, it’s best to see a professional for help.
Product recommendation: Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Mask
