Effects of Honey on the Skin
- Honey is a fluid made by bees when they collect nectar from flowers.honey pot with some honey image by Francois du Plessis from Fotolia.com
Honey has been used for more than 5,000 years as a sort of food, medicine and skin care product. The use of honey for various treatments is called apitherapy. While honey is used in food products often these days, not everyone knows of its amazing properties when used topically on skin. There are three major benefits that honey provides when used in a skin care routine. - Honey is known for helping skin retain and attract water and moisture in order to prevent dehydration. As a result, it is used in face/body masque recipes, as well as moisturizers and scrubs because it keeps skin supple and smooth. Products with honey extracts can be purchased, or you can make a few home remedies of your own. Mixing a dollop of honey with 1/2 cup of sugar makes a great body scrub, and as a moisturizer, just rub honey on your face and let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
- Honey has natural antiseptic properties. When honey is applied to a burn, bug bite or wound, it clears inflammation, infection, pain and swelling. Not only that, but it heals the wounds quickly with minimal scarring, and its antimicrobial qualities also prevent microbial grown in moist wounds. Honey is also safe to put on skin that is irritated, sensitive, has acne, eczema or skin discoloration.
- The same properties in honey that allow it to heal skin are what allow it to renew, rejuvenate and regenerate skin cells to reduce the appearances of wrinkles and fine lines. It has natural antioxidants, so it fights aging, skin damage and free radicals. Applying honey to the face is beneficial as a natural anti-aging substance.
