Honey As A Face Cleanser : My Review

Honey has been used for thousands of years for it's many health benefits. It has been used and is still used today as a dressing for open wounds due to it's natural antibacterial and healing properties. It has also been used to help with skin care problems, which is what I'll be writing about today.

The best things about honey is not just that it's antibacterial, but it also keeps your skin moisturized. Since I have started using honey to replace my old facial cleanser, I have not had to use a moisturizer and my skin no longer feels tight or gets dry. I've also noticed that my complexion seems brighter and my pores smaller. My skin has also taken on a smoother appearance and my acne scars have faded.

Most of the cons are more of minor inconveniences than bad effects that using honey as a facial cleanser has had on my skin. It definitely takes more time in the morning and at night then traditional facial cleansers. Before I started using honey to clean my face, I would just use my cleanser and then moisturize. My routine only took a few minutes. The unfortunate thing about using honey is that in order to get it's full benefits, you really have to leave it on for at least 5 minutes. Another inconvenience is getting the honey in your hair. It's not a real problem if you're doing your cleansing in the shower, but it can be bothersome when you're not about to wash your hair.

So far, these are the things I have noticed about using honey as a facial cleanser. To me the benefits really do outweigh the inconveniences.

There are a few things you will need before getting started with using honey to clean your face. I have compiled a short list of the items that I use, but feel free to substitute for similar items.

1. Raw Organic Honey. There are many different kinds of honey that can be used, but I just buy mine from the supermarket. Make sure it is raw and organic before you buy it though. If you don't mind spending some extra money, you can always go for Manuka Honey, which comes in different grades. If you do go for Manuka Honey, do not go above UMF 10. Anything above that is unnecessary(and more expensive).

2. Washcloths. These will be used to wipe away the honey and to help open your pores. They also provide some gentle exfoliation

3. Hair clips. This will help keep the hair off your face and minimize the amount of honey you get into your hair. If you are taking a shower, it's not really necessary.

1. Wet the washcloth in hot water and then wring it out. Place onto the face and keep it there for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until it gets cool.

2. Re-wet the washcloth, this time only wringing it out partially(still using hot water). Use it to wet your face.

3. Put however much honey feels appropriate to you onto your hand and then rub it in between your hands. Use your hands to apply it all over your face, except for the eye area and lips(unless you want to lick it off).

4. Massage it in for 1 minute. If the honey is hard to work into your skin, try wetting your fingertips with warm water. The honey will start to feel kind of grainy, but this is a good thing. It is getting the sebum plugs and bacteria out of your skin.

5. After massaging it in, repeat step 1.

6. Feel free to let the honey stay on for a little bit longer, but you can wipe it off at this point using the washcloth and warm water. I usually wipe it off using circular motions with the washcloth all over my face to help with exfoliation.

7. (Optional) Sometimes I like to wet the washcloth with cold water and then rub that on my face as well to close the pores.

8. Pat face dry and you are done.

Honey can also be used as a spot treatment for acne. Simply put a dab of honey onto the pimple and then lightly tap a piece of tissue onto it. Stay like that overnight and it should really help with the swelling and inflammation.

Another way to use honey is to mix it with milk(equal parts) and slather it onto your face as a mask. Leave it for about 30 minutes and then rinse off. This helps to lighten acne scars, clean pores, and moisturize.

It is not a guarantee that what I do for my skin will work for you. My skin tends to be oily with large pores. I do not know how this will work on dry skin, but I do recommend that people with dry skin who use this method use a moisturizer(maybe some Extra Virgin Olive Oil). You might also want to test the honey on a patch of your skin first to see if you have an allergic reaction.