This post was submitted by Tejas Shahakar, health and wellness blogger with a main focus on natural remedies and Ayurveda and Content Manager at RawForestHoney.

I was standing in the beauty and personal care section of a grocery store with an aisle full of women staring at a number of ingredients of a newly launched Ayurvedic beauty products. Kesar (saffron), coconut oil, shea butter, turmeric, aloe vera, honey, etc.

Out of all these natural products, honey in particular caught my eye. I saw honey versions of lip balms, shampoos, face cleansers, foot scrubs, and moisturizers. There were honey variants for all the products one could imagine from tip to toe.

What makes honey so special?

It didn’t take me long to find out that raw honey has been used in a variety of ways since ancient times. For thousands of years honey has been used both for its sweet and soothing taste, and as a natural remedy. Even today honey’s benefits go beyond just sweetening up your favourite yogurt or afternoon tea.

Packed with a powerful punch of antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, raw honey may help with everything from low energy to skin irritations and seasonal allergies. But that is not all; what if I tell you that this golden syrup has amazing applications when it comes to treating skin related problems. The raw honey uses for your beauty regimen are numerous; from helping treat blemishes, dark spots and split hair ends to its soothing and moisturizing skin properties. Applying raw honey to your skin regularly can work wonders and bring the much desired glow to it.

Here are 7 Raw Honey Uses For Skin, Hair & Body:

Fight Acne

One of the most common raw honey uses is for the skin and specifically for acne. Raw honey can help acne problems on multiple levels. For starters, it is a great cleanser that draws out impurities from deep inside your pores and it’s also gentle on all skin types. It’s antiseptic and antibacterial which helps calm inflammation and tackles the infection that may contribute to acne spots. Honey also keeps the skin moisturised without making it too oily, thereby making you less prone to acne breakouts.

Directions

Apply a thin layer of 1 tablespoon raw honey infused with 1 teaspoon cinnamon on your face. Leave it for 30 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. You could also apply honey only to the area of the breakout. Take a small amount on your finger or a cotton ball and apply to the area of the breakout. You can also mix in half a teaspoon of matcha green tea and a drop of tea tree oil to boost honey’s acne fighting powers.

Soothe an itchy scalp

Thanks to its anti-fungal properties, honey may help to remove the impurities that clog hair follicles, leading to itchy scalp.

Directions

Combine 1 tablespoon honey with 4 cups of warm water to make a honey hair rinse. After shampoo, pour this mixture into your hair, massage your scalp and the strands. Let it sit in your hair for 2 minutes and then rinse with warm water. Repeat every other day until your scalp is flake-free.

Exfoliator & cleanser

Natural raw honey has the ability to draw out dirt, pollution and impurities from your skin and truly cleanse it. It is also a great face makeup remover which also nourishes your skin. Try a honey cleansing scrub to remove all the dead skin cells and get over-all smoothness on your skin.

Directions

Mix 2 tablespoons raw honey with 4 tablespoons of finely grinded almonds or oats, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Rub this gently onto your face and body. Rinse with warm water and dry with a soft towel. This mixture will gently exfoliate your skin and restore moisture to prevent dullness and clogged pores.

Body Lotion & moisturizer

Pure honey is extremely moisturising and regular usage can improve your complexion. The sugars in honey act as natural humectants and emollients that increase the water content in your skin. Humectant is a natural substance that draws moisture from the air into your skin. This moisture stays in your skin and prevents dryness. This is the reason why honey is used as a base for a large number of skincare products. The enzymes in honey go deep into the skin and acts as a moisturizer.

Directions

Mix 2 tablespoons honey with 2 teaspoons milk or cream and spread this mixture on your face thoroughly, leaving it on for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Your skin will feel soft and moisturized. To deal with rough spots on your body instantly, mix together 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and apply as a lotion on rough, dry skin areas of your body. Rinse with warm water after 10 minutes.

Lip Balm

With the cold months make an appearance, the season change has already started causing our lips to chap. Honey can be used to tackle cracked lips. Honey can also help to nourish the lips to make them pink and plump.

Directions

Just apply a thin layer of honey on your lips and leave it on overnight. It will seep into your lips and leave them smooth and soft in the morning.

Hair Conditioning

Another awesome raw honey use is as a hair conditioner. The humectant qualities of honey draw in moisture to your hair from the air and keep it locked in. Applying honey to your hair regularly will add volume and shine. For best results make a hair mask with honey and use it twice a week before you shampoo.

Directions

Combine 1/2 cup honey with 2 tablespoons olive oil for normal to oily hair. If your hair is dry, use 1/4 cup oil. First, moisten your hair a bit with water. Next, use your hands to apply the honey mixture throughout your hair. Cover with a towel and leave on for 30 minutes. Shampoo, rinse and dry as normal. The honey will condition your hair, restoring moisture from root to tip.

Foot Scrub

Cracked heels result when your feet are exposed to dry air or when they’re constantly rubbing against a shoe. Make a scrub by mixing two parts of honey with one part of baking soda, mix well and rub gently over your skin to get rid of dead skin. You can also use this mixture for all over body exfoliation. After a long day, soothe your feet and get rid of all the dead and dry skin by trying out this foot spa treatment at home with honey.

Directions

Mix 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon liquid soap, 2 tablespoons coconut oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl. Fill up your foot bath with warm water, add this mixture and soak your feet for 10 minutes. The honey will soften and moisturize your feet bringing back softness and freshness.

The above Remedies using raw honey are being used by people since ancient times and have proven to be of great benefit when used routinely. Do you use raw honey as part of your beauty regimen? Let us know below.

Tejas Shahakar

Tejas Shahakar is currently the Content Manager at RawForestHoney. His experience as a content manager includes working on content related to all things ‘honey’. He is also a health and wellness blogger with a main focus on natural remedies and Ayurveda.