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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Eu
November 12, 2012 at 8:46 am

E super tare
Nabil Ali
November 18, 2012 at 6:13 pm

Wonderful recipe, thank you very much, i tried it today and so far i feel like my skin has became softer, maybe its just the excitement :P …

Have a nice day everybody .
Amanda Price
November 19, 2012 at 12:25 am

I am grateful to have found your website. I to am in the same boat, 25 and have acne like a 16 year old and you’re right it is gross. I have tried countless, expensive, smelly products, time wasted at the doctors, medicine, antibiotics and nothing seems to make a difference. So when I found your website I decided to give this a try. My sister has used a lot of homemade things so my turn now i guess! I know it will take time to seem improvements and I just need to tell myself not to give up, this can work for me. So thank you again for so many good ideas. One question though, so what about taking makeup off, just use water and the honey. I don’t like wearing makeup but I refuse to go out with out it, so I was just wondereing about taking it off.
Alex B.
November 26, 2012 at 12:01 am

I want to try this out– but i’m not sure if I have the right honey!? I bought raw and unprocessed honey that is called honey in the rough. It is in a glass jar and is a thick, yet creamy like yellowish tan color. I do not see any labels saying it is unpasteurized. Will this honey do?
Tori
November 26, 2012 at 10:42 pm

So I’m 16 and I deal with face problems like most kids my own age but I’ve tried washing my face so often and so vigorously that my face is raw and peeling where it isn’t raw. Yeah I know. Nice image. But it’s true and it really majorly sucks. Honey is fantastic because not only does it help with my sore face but it also helps clear my skin and keeps me from scrubbing like a maniac.
1. Avril
  January 9, 2013 at 3:37 am
  
  Dont scrub :P im sixteen too and i did exactly what you did. so now i tried putting on lemon for the whole night and at first it is red but afterwards it looks noticably clearer and it took away most of my acne. i used it for one or two months already and my skin is almost clear and it glows! :)
Gagan
November 27, 2012 at 12:05 am

I am 25 years old from India. I have oily skin. And my face is not even a bit glowing nd is full of acne or pimple scars nd due to a lot of exposure to sun my lips turns to black:(. please suggest me what to do to have a almost diamond like clear nd glowing face without any makeup nd pink lips.
1. Avril
  January 9, 2013 at 3:36 am
  
  put lemon on every night and then wash it with water in the morning. see the results after two to three weeks. it took my acne away :)
Tish
November 27, 2012 at 1:17 pm

How long before the little white bumps go away?
Jocelyn
November 27, 2012 at 10:17 pm

I have struggled with acne on and off since my teen years, visited the dermatologist numerous times, and recently nothing at all seems to work. So I decided to try this (being super skeptical because nothing ever works on my skin) and after 6 days my skin is already noticeably clearer! I am SHOCKED and thrilled. It feels great too- like I can feel it working. Usually my acne gets worse before it gets better, but with this it seemed to get better immediately. I can’t wait to see the results after two weeks!
coolens
November 28, 2012 at 11:18 am

after two weeks i have acne breakout. but i refuse to stop using honey. i give it a shot for another two weeks. and now its getting better. i will see if it gets better after a month or so^^ dont give up^^
zofia
November 28, 2012 at 6:03 pm

Hi, can i use this if i am only 13 ? I have a lot of zits and bumps on my face and I don’t want to make it worser. It says i will have bumps but for how long before i get clear skin ?
1. Avril
  January 9, 2013 at 3:35 am
  
  I was fourteen and a half when i got acne and i still have a bit and im 16 and a half. my sister is thirteen and she has a bit of acne too. You can try everything in the book and you still might not get clear skin. i was extremely hopeful for a lot of things but finally after two years i found something that helped MY skin amazingly- it took away most of my acne. Lemon. i put it on every night and washed it away with water in the morning. i just used lemon and nothing else at all… i hope it works for you too :)
Carlo
November 29, 2012 at 9:07 am

Thanks for this informative article Lori. Yes, I understand how you feel and having this kind of condition is really frustrating such a hindrance and very bothersome on our part, right?! I’ve been suffering acne for years since i was a teenager till i’m in my 20’s but minimal for this time which resulted to pore acne scarring. But thankful enough to the advancement of technology coz i just googled it!:D I’ve been using this honey face mask as well. Very helpful and it worked! `P.S. Don’t forget to use moisturizer and sunscreen w/high SPF everyday. And rehydrate by drinking plenty of water or fluid substitute like juice, soya etc. Regular exercise and a healthy balanced diet. :)
Cool_girl98
December 4, 2012 at 9:06 pm

Hello. I was wondering if it will still work if I use Manuka Honey because I dont have raw honey at home >.<"
1. Lori Winter
  December 17, 2012 at 7:07 pm
  
  Manuka honey is probably some of the best honey you could use! Even better if it’s raw as well, but I’m sure what you have will work great.
Caitlin
December 12, 2012 at 12:27 pm

I’m using bee well wildflower honey. Its raw and unfiltered, also local. Is that ok to use as a face mask?
1. Lori Winter
  December 17, 2012 at 7:07 pm
  
  Perfect!
Lita
December 16, 2012 at 10:11 am

Is that better to use this not on a clean face as a clenser plus mask or on a clean face just as a mask?
I shall try it because it’s all natural.

Do you have any tips for blackhead, spot and minimizing pore?

Thanks a lot.
1. Lita
  December 16, 2012 at 10:57 am
  
  OK, I have read all comments so it’s best to use it as a cleanser. However, I’d still like the tops for removing blackheads, spots and minimizing pore. Thanks :)
2. Avril
  January 9, 2013 at 3:32 am
  
  You cannot leave blackheads alone. They dont just magically go away. :P you have to pop them and then put alcohol or aloe verra on the spot afterwards.
Lita
December 16, 2012 at 10:57 am

Ooops, I meant the tips for removing blackheads, spots and minimizing pore.
Rozzy
December 17, 2012 at 11:07 am

I had a very smooth and nice facial but as usual with Woman wanting to try this and that finally spoiled my face trying different chemical products from cheap to expensive and nothing seems to work. I’m now desperate looking for a solution and tried the honey thing. To be sincere, i dont know whether to continue or not because after 5 days of appying honey, i have this serious bumps all over my face even on areas have never had breakouts. Please advise me should i continue or stop. Im confused right now. My face look worse than it was. Im loosing my confidence….please please help Lori
1. Avril
  January 9, 2013 at 3:31 am
  
  i spoiled my face for one and a half years as well until my dad refused to let me buy all those expensive chemical products. if i were you i would use lemon. Lemon every night for three weeks. see if it helps. you leave it on the whole night. when i lost hope, lemon took away almost all of my acne (yes it was red in the beginning). i dont know about honey i never tried it.
Michelle
December 18, 2012 at 4:04 am

I use honey that’s on it’s way to crystallization so it’s more like a scrub. Is that ok?
Calvin
December 24, 2012 at 7:08 am

Hi Lori.i am 13 year old .i tried using aloe vera on my face but didn’t do well if I use the honey will it get bad at first like coming out a lot of spot or like acne then it will slowly decrease and get better isit..I also use a acne lotion ,can I use it after I use the honey ..
1. Avril
  January 9, 2013 at 3:29 am
  
  i used aloe verra but my face became all dry. if i were you, i would use lemon, not those antibacterial lotions (i have tried all of them). im 16 and still have a bit of acne.
  Here are some tips:
  – LEMON LEMON LEMON LEMON it took all of my acne away! i put it on for the whole night (yeah gross what can you do) and after a month most of my acne was gone! :)
  – aloe verra only for the very red parts or new oily zits. and dont leave it on for more than fifteen minutes. trust me, i’ve experimented.
  – wash your face twice a day with regular nivea acne soap. but dont overdo it or your face could dry out.
  – i would try putting on honey for twenty minutes a day if your acne is moderate. you can put whatever you want on afterwards. :)
  Hope this helps!
Top 12 Posts of 2012
January 2, 2013 at 3:12 pm

[…] 1. Honey Face Mask for Clear, Glowing Skin […]
rebecca
January 5, 2013 at 6:55 pm

Lori, what is wrong with you? All of the posts are saying that it clogged their pores apparently. I hope this does not happen to me after I applied it and read the disarming comments. That would be a disaster.
1. Tina
  January 6, 2013 at 2:56 pm
  
  i use to use honey over night when i was a teen. it helped with healing and minimizing a zit.
  
  now, i use it in a scrub mix with coffee beans, carrot juice, pineapple juice, almond milk (or coconut milk), and a squirt of lemon and lime juice: http://wearyourskin.wordpress.com/2012/11/18/pineapple/
  
  i leave it on for some time in the morning before i shower or rinse it off!
Avril
January 9, 2013 at 3:25 am

I am 16 and a half and i have been suffering from moderate acne for two years :P
I have tried EVERYTHING in the book, including from the internet. i have tried those chemical removing creams from Loreal and Nivea and G-d knows what else. Then i stumbled onto something by utter mistake- Lemon and aloe verra. Basically (sorry i havent tried honey, crazy as it sounds but i dont like sticky things) every night before i go to sleep i put lemon on my face and leave it for the WHOLE night. Sure, for the first fifteen minutes my face is seriously red but after doing that for a few weeks, 80 percent of my acne vanished, INCLUDING scars!!! :D As for the aloe verra, i just put it on when i pop a zit or blackheads and then my face goes back to normal (instead of staying red for days). Lemon also brightens your complexion and as i’m naturally extremely white, it gave this sort of glow to my skin and everyone is complimenting me about it! :D I tried a grapefruit oatmeal mask once and it was OK but nothing has helped my skin (which is sensitive) better than lemon and aloe verra. i used to put on aloe verra every night for the whole night and my zits went away but my face became SO dry. and i dont use any face creams because they supposedly clog pores. So i wash my face twice a day with regular nivea soap (well not totally regular) and then i use the lemon. Lately i dont even have to use lemon anymore (the results come after a month or so) because i only get a zit now and then. sure, i still have around 13 percent acne on my face but its much better than the 50-60 percent i used to have. :) and my acne is due to hormones so if you are above 18 then maybe this could really help :) (Also for back acne lemon at night is good, i used to have and then it went away within two to three weeks)
Calvin
January 10, 2013 at 9:26 am

Hey ,anvril thank .but if i use lemon isit I just press the lemon water out n put it on my face
1. Tina
  January 11, 2013 at 1:05 am
  
  no, dilute it. 1:1 ratio of lemon juice and water is good. you may want to start with a more diluted version like 2:1 (water:lemon) to prevent the burning and itching irritation until your skin is more used to it. then work your way down to 1:2 (water:lemon).
Calvin
January 11, 2013 at 8:05 am

Which type of lemon should I use the small one like got orange bit like that or the yellow normal one
Sissa
January 22, 2013 at 8:23 am

I have raw organic honey (I use for my hair) but it doesn’t look as thin as the one pictured. Could I still use the thick one still as a face mask. I want to try this!
1. Lori Winter
  January 23, 2013 at 1:49 pm
  
  You can absolutely use thicker raw honey for the face mask. The honey I am currently using is indeed thicker than the one pictured.
Imogen
January 22, 2013 at 1:01 pm

Can I use Manuka Honey for this face mask?
1. Lori Winter
  January 23, 2013 at 1:48 pm
  
  Yes! Manuka honey is fantastic.