The Honey Cleansing Method

I wash my face with honey!

I’m washing my hair with honey… so it only makes sense that I would wash my face with it, right? Yep, because in my house it is “use honey for ALL the things!”

But I don’t wash my face with honey because I aspire to resemble pooh bear with his head stuck in a honey pot. Actually, raw honey (also called unpasteurized honey)  provides a gentle and affordable alternative to your facial cleanser.

The benefits of using honey to wash your face

• Honey gently removes dirt and impurities without stripping the skin of natural oils. Foaming cleansers and soaps frequently strip the skin of these protective oils and cause the skin to overproduce oil.
• The natural antibacterial and probiotic properties of raw honey effectively reduce breakouts and prevent new acne.
• Since it is so gentle and nurturing to the skin, it is ideal for very sensitive skin, rosacea, and eczema.
• It works well on all skin types. It balances oily skin and moisturizes dry skin.
• As far as excellent facial cleansers go, it is much cheaper than store bought options!
• Although any raw honey works excellently, manuka honey boasts superior antibacterial and healing properties. It is recommended for acne-prone skin.

How to wash your face with honey

Get your hands on RAW honey. It must say “raw” or “unpasteurized” or “unfiltered” on the label, “all natural” doesn’t mean diddly-squat. That supermarket honey in the clear bear is literally processed to death and all of the glorious enzymes and probiotics (yes, probiotics in honey!) and antibacterial properties are destroyed. Look for raw honey at your farmer’s market. If you can’t find it, here’s the raw honey I recommendavailable online. If you want to splurge, try the potent manuka honey, which contains vastly higher levels of antibacterial properties to heal acne.

This will not remove makeup. Use it in the morning (and evening, if you don’t wear makeup). For removing makeup, I recommend The Oil Cleansing Method or my 2 Ingredient DIY Makeup Remover.

Take about 1/2 teaspoon of the honey on your fingers. Warm it between your fingers. Add just a few drops of water if necessary to make a spreadable consistency.Smooth it gently on your face.

Rinse off with warm water and pat your face dry. If you have time, you’ll get the best results by leaving the thin layer of honey on for at least 10 minutes before rinsing.

Finish with patting a toner on your face for best results. You can make your own by mixing 2 Tbs. raw apple cider vinegar with 1/2 cup of water or aloe vera and putting this in a jar or spray bottle.