Honey Face Mask for Clear, Glowing Skin

September 26, 2011 1

I recently visited the Honey Hive in Taupo, New Zealand and now I’m fascinated by bees! I’ve always loved honey, but now I have an even greater appreciation for it. One bee will visit thousands of flowers in its lifetime and will produce only 1/2 a teaspoon of honey. And yet that honey holds amazing nutritional and healing properties. Honey is naturally antibacterial and contains powerful healing enzymes.

Honey is obviously tastes great as a sweetener in your tea or baked goods, but there are heaps of external uses as well. It can be used as a natural antibiotic on burns or scrapes, and it can be used as a natural acne treatment!

The Search for Clear Skin

Can I be straight up with you? Is that OK? I’m 26 and I still deal with acne. It’s gross, I know. I’ve wondered for years when I would “grow out of it.” But since I’ve been getting back to my roots and learning about true nutrition, I’ve come to realize that everything I could have done wrong through my life, I’ve done.

Bummer, huh?

Just about all skin conditions originate in the gut–from an imbalance of good & bad bacteria. There are lots of things that can cause that imbalance, and unfortunately I’m the walking poster child for many of them. So here we go:

I was bottle fed as a baby
Took antibiotics for every cough & cold growing up
Drank pasteurized milk
Ate a regular diet of processed & packaged foods (including waaaaay too much sugar)
Took birth control pills for years
Then stripped all the natural oils from my face with harsh chemical products.

Sigh. So I’m working on restoring a good balance of bacteria in my gut by taking a high quality probiotic supplement, cutting sugar and pasteurized dairy out of my diet as much as possible, and starting to implement fermented foods.

I’ve tried a number of natural acne face washes and lotions from the health food store, but they didn’t do much good. I finally just quit washing my face altogether and instead only used coconut oil as a moisturizer (it’s antibacterial as well). Surprisingly enough, washing or not washing my face didn’t make an ounce of difference in my acne, but it did restore the balance of oil on my skin. No more time wasted scrubbing my face twice a day with smelly sulfur based soap! And I no longer deal with oily or dry skin. (Score!)

So, back to the honey. You’ve probably already surmised that I’m going to tell you about a honey face mask for acne. Not only does putting honey on my face keep my acne at bay better than almost anything else (what I eat is the most important), but it has improved the quality of my skin within days.

Here’s how I do it:

How to Make a Honey Face Mask

1. Pull your hair back well with with head band and remove any makeup (or not, but definitely remove eye makeup with this natural make-up remover).

2. Take about a teaspoon of raw honey from the jar using a spoon or the tips of your fingers.

3. Rub your fingertips together a bit, then smear the honey on your face evenly. I find it helps to dot it on first, then smear gently.

4. Leave it on your face anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. (Fix your breakfast, wash the dishes, brush your teeth, read a book. There are plenty of things you can do with honey on your face.)

5. Rinse off with warm water, then pat your face dry. You’ll be surprised at how easily it comes off!

I often follow my honey mask with an apple cider vinegar toner, then moisturize with coconut oil. Don’t worry–the wonderful fragrances from the honey and coconut oil override the potency of the vinegar.

A few notes for you about the honey mask:

You can moisten your face with a small bit of water before applying the honey. This makes it way easier to spread, but you don’t want to water down the honey. Try splashing some water on your face, then patting it almost dry with a towel.
Do this every. single. day for at least 2 weeks to get started. Twice a day is ideal, but once a day is alright, too. After a while you can reduce the frequency of honey masks and just use coconut oil.
Choose a raw, unpasteurized honey to make sure all the enzymes and nutrients are in tact.

Who’s willing to try putting food on your face? If you deal with any kind of skin problem, honey can be incredibly beneficial. And you can’t get much easier (and truly cost effective) than one simple ingredient for a homemade beauty product.

As a side note, I’ve also learned that mead (fermented honey wine) is incredible! If anyone has had experience making their own mead, please let me know. I want to learn!

Who’s in for the honey face mask challenge? Have you already tried using honey on your face? What has your experience been like?

This post is linked to Monday Mania, Simple Lives Thursday, Fight Back Friday

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Patcy
September 7, 2012 at 6:27 am

I live in nigeria, i’ve been sufferin dis 4 a long time acne pimples n whiteheads all over my face but with what i saw on ur post, i hope it works 4 me can i use it with lemon
Acne Treatments for each sort of a skin condition
September 13, 2012 at 2:43 am

I’ve been saying for years never use a wash cloth since it
can be frustrating. The same holds true for hand held cleansing
procedure. I tried a small amount of of them recently and though I do have to admit that they are
rather fun to use, the irritation they hand over is undesirable when it comes to acne affected
skin types. If you want to exfoliatate your face and body and
like how a hand held device works, a optimal option is to use a chemical exfoliation.
My solid suggestion is to just rinse with bare hands,
and never use any energized tool face cloth or otherwise.
Winnie
September 13, 2012 at 5:58 pm

Hi Lori~
I have mildly oily skin, and I’ve been using honey for 3 months and my skin still looks the same..
Other people seem to be having good results with this, so I guess it’s just me? Any other reccomendations for me? Thanks so much!!! :)
Winnie ;)
1. Lori Winter
  September 13, 2012 at 8:35 pm
  
  Hi Winnie! There are a host of different things that could be affecting your skin. Are you still washing your face with soap or using a conventional lotion? What about your diet? Do you eat a lot of sugar or rancid fats/oils? Do you get enough good sun exposure? You may also want to look into using an Apple Cider Vinegar toner (https://www.laurelofleaves.com/2012/05/apple-cider-vinegar-facial-toner/)
  Those are just a few areas to consider. Hope that helps! :)
anupreet k
September 15, 2012 at 10:17 pm

never apply direct honey on ur face… as it could effect the skin.. honey+milk cream,
honey+aloe vera are the best combinations..i havr tried it was so gud… and really gave me gud results… bt plzzzzz do tell me is there any soln for dead dry hair :( ???? wht shd i use to make them smooth …..!!!
len
September 16, 2012 at 10:07 am

Hello lori,
i didn’t had acne before, only this 3rd week of august and to think that i’m already 22 yrs old, this is adult acne already.
I use honey only today. I’m thinking if should i rub my face because i only splash my face with water when i rinse? This is to avoid irritating my skin. I’m afraid that if rub my face, i might cause my acne to breakout more.
ruchika
September 17, 2012 at 4:38 am

hii,
please suggest me which kind of honey should i use???my skin is oily and i am fed up of my acne and acne scars…i didnt get raw honey anywhere..plz help me out..
ashley
September 18, 2012 at 4:14 pm

hi! i just went out and bought organic raw unpasteurized unfiltered honey- can i use that????
Simplify.
September 19, 2012 at 12:35 pm

[…] instead, I continued to receive comments on many of my more popular posts (like my Honey Face Mask and Apple Cider Vinegar Toner). And I was able to take the time I would have spent in front of the […]
Olawale
September 25, 2012 at 5:55 pm

Hi lori!am frm Nigeria,have tried many creams for curing acne,but instead am having skin discoloration,can honey and raw shea butter do the magic?
Eric
September 28, 2012 at 1:31 am

Do you think regular Sue Bee honey will still be effective? I mean it isn’t organic or anything, but it says it’s pure white clover honey. I would have gotten the honey you recommended, but i already have a huge bottle of this honey.
stella
September 29, 2012 at 5:19 am

do you have any solution 4 dark circles?… and does honey work 4 dark circles too??
Natasha
September 30, 2012 at 7:19 pm

Is all natural clover honey ok?
Bridget
October 4, 2012 at 10:47 pm

I have put honey on my face at least once a week since I was 21. I am now 39 and everyone is surprised when they find that out. Even today, someone thought I was 26.
Briana
October 15, 2012 at 6:16 pm

Hi Lori,
I’ve tried a honey mask before and i did like it. It brightened my face and made my skin a little clearer but i didn’t use it every day and i also stopped using it ( i don’t know why i did) but i think im going to try it again. I just have a few questions, well you said that you didn’t wash your face with soap and i was just wondering if thats okay because my mom always told me to wash my face especially when wearing makeup so is it best to not wash your face and just do the honey mask or would it be okay to wash my face and do the honey mask aswell? Also do i have to keep using the honey mask every day or eventually could i stop using it?
1. Lori Winter
  October 19, 2012 at 3:56 pm
  
  You could certainly keep washing your face with soap and using the honey mask, but I’ll bet you get better results using only honey. Most face soaps are full of nasty chemicals and they strip your skin of its natural oils. Honey is naturally anti-bacterial and nourishing for your skin. I wash my face with honey every day and I love it!
Taysia
October 15, 2012 at 6:19 pm

I’m 18 and i have bad acne I’m getting ready to graduate and I’m trying to save every little penny that I have I’m doing good so far with saving money but buying honey and coconut will take a lot out of my fund, so is there anything I can substitute for honey and coconut? I have a honey almond face scrub that I use sometimes do you think that will be a good sub for honey and I still don’t know what to sub for coconut
1. Lori Winter
  October 19, 2012 at 3:55 pm
  
  There aren’t any substitutes for the real thing here. If you live near Trader Joe’s, they sell a couple different varieties of raw honey for right around $5. I used to spend more than that on one bottle of face wash that wouldn’t last me nearly as long as the honey does! I would just recommend finding ways to save or cut spending in other areas. Raw honey and extra virgin coconut oil are worth the expense.
Hui Ling
October 19, 2012 at 10:43 am

Hi Lori,

Am I right to say that you can leave the honey on your face for an hour or so even without removing your make-up before that, and the honey will remove the make-up completely? Also, after the honey mask do you follow-up with further washing (using cleanser, etc)?

Thanks for helping to clarify! I am already 23 and am still having zits all over my face, and it becomes especially worse 1 week before and after every time of the month! ): Am really interested to try this honey mask/cleanser out!

Much love.
1. Lori Winter
  October 19, 2012 at 3:53 pm
  
  Hi Hui Ling! That’s right – I have no issues with applying honey as a make-up remover (though I use coconut oil for my eye makeup: https://www.laurelofleaves.com/2012/03/the-best-natural-make-up-remover/). And I don’t use any other cleanser. Honey is naturally anti-bacterial and it doesn’t strip my skin of its natural oils like soap does. You might also be interested in using apple cider vinegar as a toner: https://www.laurelofleaves.com/2012/05/apple-cider-vinegar-facial-toner/
  1. Hui Ling
    October 20, 2012 at 9:43 am
    
    Thank you very much for the prompt reply Lori!! I have currently just tried out the ACV toner after coming across that post of yours! I find your blog really informative and useful! Continue posting and sharing all your great au natural tips! :D <3
Jamie
October 20, 2012 at 2:01 am

I found this looking for a way to take off my eye make up!! Honey is so absolutely great for your skin.. It dates back to roman times as well.. I wash my face at night with a honey and organic milk.. I have psoriasis and since I started this mnoths ago have had no break outs!! If you are looking for an amazing exfoliater .. Honey and sugar!! And the mixture will not melt the sugar until water is added.. So it will keep (in or out of refrigerator) I keep a jar in my bathroom..face neck and chest..for a super soft finish!!
89vpl
October 24, 2012 at 11:19 pm

I have to say natural is the way to go.I started using only natural products for my face and changed my diet about 5 months (because i might have ms and need my body to be really healthy ) ago and I barely get any skin problems unless I irritate my skin myself. So now I’m going to use honey to see if my skin gets any better. I’ll put down my regimen cuz it’s even helped out a few friends of mine. Ill take off make up if I wear it with coconut oil then ill wash my face with a bar of sulfur, tea trea , or now I’m trying a Japanese probiotics soap that I get at health food stores and use a face scrubber ( which they sell at Sally’s or 99cents store it’s pink and almond shape and usually only use it at night ) then I follow with an alcohol free cucumber witch hazel toner then coconut oil ( in the morning) and Shea butter at night along with vitamin creams ( a & e on the morning and c at night) and I switch up oils since my skin like to adjust to things so ill use vitamin e oil avocado oil or bio oil as well and everything I get are from health food stores and natural I also use sponges to take masks makeup off my face well that’s about it sorry for this long post
Markie
October 29, 2012 at 9:35 pm

what if i heated up the honey in a microwave? i also heard crushed asprin mixed with honey, then heated is good for you? any input?
Benefit Your Health (Part 4) | Forgotten-Not
October 31, 2012 at 11:01 am

[…] It’s one of the super food created by Mother Nature… HONEY. The products of hardworking bees. The benefits of honey exceeds way beyond its splendid taste. You can eat it, drink it, wash your face with it, shower with it, or create your own idiot-proof honey mask! […]
Anna
November 4, 2012 at 9:13 am

Thank you! A few days ago I made a concoction of milk, honey, eggs, and raw sugar and put it on my face. I let it sit for about 10 minutes and it left my face feeling amazing, but I didnt want to waste so much ingredients everyday (well, maybe not waste…but, you know ;) ) So I’ve been wondering if I could do just honey, so I found you!! Great idea, thank you!!

P.S. I was worried that it wouldn’t come off, but it does?
Selena
November 4, 2012 at 8:09 pm

I was wondering if it was ok to buy honey and coconut oil that just said raw. Does it have to say urn pasteurized? Will just raw have the same effect?
Coconut Oil 101: This is Some Amazing Stuff
November 7, 2012 at 1:29 pm

[…] natural product, coconut oil would absolutely top the list. (Or at least tie with honey and apple cider vinegar)! I use coconut oil every single day. Without fail. And it’s one of the […]
Taylor
November 10, 2012 at 6:17 pm

Hi Lori, I have been using the honey mask for a few days now and it seems to be breaking me out slightly more. Is this normal? My skin is much smoother but I have gotten a few little bumps in places. Also, I add lemon juice to it. Should that help or not? And, what would happen if I added apple cider vinegar? I’ve heard good things about it too.
1. Avril
  January 9, 2013 at 3:39 am
  
  Hi i’m not Lori or a dermatologist or whatever but i DO have experience when it comes to acne. ALOT. Lemon juice was basically my savior. i put it on every night!!! for the whole night! :) and now i dont have a lot of acne at all. apple cider vinegar should help if you have severe acne.
Sarah Kirby
November 11, 2012 at 10:55 am

My best friend and I made this mask last night for our movie/girls night! It felt so great!
I used to wash my face with honey when my acne was bad. Except I’d use Manuka (NOT mellaluca/tea tree), its a plant I think that grows in New Zealand, and the honey has manuka oils in it, its expensive, but mankua is good at healing and repairing your skin which is really helpful when you have severe acne. Also mixing the honey with some oatmeal is a good soothing mask that helps bring down acne inflammation.