Oh Honey!!
Honey!! First of all, honey goes on everything. Fight me! But to find out that honey can go on my skin, hair and body!?!?!
Sis was floored!! I’m here to tell you all the wonderful ways honey can benefit your outsides and break your little heart about the cute little teddy bears in the supermarket.
Let’s talk types of honey:Raw Honey vs Regular Honey is simple to explain and it’s easy to see why I’ve made the switch. While raw honey can be more pricey, it’s worth it!! No added sugars, all of the nutrients and vitamins because it’s only strained before bottling. Regular honey is processed in a variety of ways that cause the honey to lose many of it’s valuable nutrients and benefits. We don’t want that!!I am partial to Raw Buckwheat Honey and Raw Manuka Honey for my beauty needs because they are of the darker variety which means there are more antioxidants and a higher level of nutrients. (The darker the honey, the more good stuff in it!). Buckwheat honey has a higher amount of antioxidants that Manuka honey and is known more for it’s anti-bacterial properties. However, both are phenomenal for skincare, hair care and body. Benefits/Ingredients
Antioxidant Rich
Anti-Inflammatory
Anti-Bacterial
Anti-Microbial
Humectants
Emollients
Moisturizing
Wound Healing
Niacin
Riboflavin
Pantothenic Acid
Calcium
Magnesium
Manganese
Potassium
Phosphorous
Zinc
Put Some Honey On My……
…Skin
So for my skin, honey and honey based products have proven to be the magic I needed!! I use products from Asali Organics, a MD based skincare company created by Camille Jeanine, for the majority of my skincare and have seen a definite change in my skin. When I’m not using that I just use fresh out of the jar honey to cleanse my face, add it to green tea and jojoba oil for a cooling, hydrating sheet mask or mix with honey powder and vitamin e oil for a gentle exfoliator. You can also add honey into your favorite gentle cleanser for an added boost of goodness!! …Hair
Adding honey to my shampoo & conditioner is a fairly new trick but so far, I’m in love!! My hair smells so yummy after mixing honey in with my Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo & Conditioner and has more softness, bounce and density. Plus the shedding is slowing down!! Honey has cell-regenerating/reparative properties that are said to help with hair growth, hydration, protein and scalp cleansing. The emollients and humectants in raw honey are a magical ingredient that makes it a great addition to your regular routine or solo treatment for hair as a protein treatment (massage from midshaft to ends and leave under a plastic cap for 15 to 20 minutes, add low heat from a dryer for kicks and giggles). …Body
I love a good spa bath at home. (See my next blog about DIY baths) Adding honey to your bath allows all of its goodness to sink into your skin and really give you something great!! My favorite way to spa bath is a hot shower with eucalyptus and my coffee scrub (recipe below) followed by a warm bath with whole milk, epsom salts, dried flowers, honey, lavender oil, coconut oil and whatever other oil I feel like throwing in. If your skin is inflamed or irritated (sunburn, excema, etc.) you can put some raw oats into a stocking or a mesh sachet and toss that in too!! The magic of a hot bath with honey and oil is that your skin is already hydrated and lubricated so you can just hop out, pat dry (leaving a little moisture on your skin is good, especially after an oil bath) and get dressed. *If you are allergic to pollen, bees or any honey related allergies do not do these things!! Check with your doctor if you are unsure!!!
DIY Coffee Scrub Recipe
3 to 4 K-Cup Pods or 1 cup of coffee grounds (I love the K-Cups)
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
Jojoba Oil
Vitamin E Oil
Rosehip Seed Oil or Lavender Oil (optional)
Lavender Essential Oil (or your favorite essential oil for skin (I’ll tell you more about those later)
Raw Manuka or Buckwheat Honey (Or your choice of Raw honey) as wanted
Mix coffee and brown sugar together into a bowl.
Warm carrier oils (DON’T COOK) in microwave or double boiler and mix until well blended. Warm honey and add in. Mix until well blended.
Add honey and oil blend into coffee mix slowly until it begins to form almost a sludgey, muddy type texture. Tap in up to 8 drops of essential oils (as many as desired but more than 8 can be overkill and might not be balanced enough for your skin).
SCRUB!!!!!! Not for use on the face, body only.
