10 (Or So) Surprising Ways to Use Honey
Regular readers should know that we’re total suckers for the sweet stuff.
I put it raw organic honey in my salad dressings, on my face, on cuts to speed healing, and I take a spoonful of it every time my throat hurts. It’s also great on spots (we have a great reader recipe here) and Alexandra likes to use it to wash her face. (Check out her DIY Honey Face Wash recipe if you haven’t already. It’s so simple and so good! Even better, pure propolis: Nothing kills a cold like propolis. I swear.
So we’re at, what, 6 already? But lo! Our friends at Well+Good have 4 more—and theirs are backed by experts. So read on, little ones. And then tell us…
What do you use honey for?
From W+G: Honey is one of those feel-better foods with a wellness back-story that spans the centuries. It always calls up mention of Cleopatra, who bathed in milk and honey, which sounds lovely. But what can honey actually do for your health?
Plenty, say New York wellness experts, who are buzzing about honey’s healing benefits—specifically the raw, unpasteurized, and darker varieties of honey, as well as medicinal Manuka, which hails from New Zealand.
So how do health practitioners like Gabrielle Francis, Frank Lipman, and Alisa Vitti recommend using the kitchen-cupboard staple?
Read on to learn about how honey does a sweet job as a skin-care treatment, immune-system booster, digestive aid and more…
I am over the moon about this topic! Honey is definitely more than just a delicious condiment in your tea. With active enzymes, minerals, amino acid, and antioxidants it is a superfood with magical powers. I have been studying manuka honey for the last 8 months and have been impressed with specific characteristics that aid in wound healing, killing bacteria, and calming inflammation among other things. As a verified science lover (read, nerd) it still amazes me how something so simple in nature can heal and cure modern ailments, bacterias and viruses.
I use honey to treat insect bites, wounds, scars, acne, a raw throat or infection, and of course for beautifying. Propolis and raw royal jelly provides the highest nutritional integrity of active ezymes. Can you tell I just worship honey? Especially the best of the best, the Queen of all honeys, manuka! Don’t be fooled by those honey claims that add manuka to its list with other types of honey. Keep it pure if using for sickness. True manuka hails from New Zealand and for the best effect it should read UMF (unique manuka factor a term a scientist came up with because of its anti viral, anti bacterial properties) of at least 10.
You gals stay tuned as we are about to bring you something quite lovely for skin care addicts this Fall. So excited to release it!
Victoria
La Bella Figura
Local honey helps my body get used to the pollens in my area. My allergies are lessened quite a bit when I remember to use my honey regularly.
i love using manuka honey and baking soda to wash my face. if i leave it on for a bit i swear i can feel the baking soda tingling under my skin (this may just be me making things up). several of my family members with allergies use local raw honey, they take 2 teaspoons a day and don’t suffer from anymore allergy symptoms!
I use honey as a mask/face wash, spot treatment for blemishes and cuts, in my tea, by the spoonful for colds and sore throats and just because it’s delicious. I am a big believer in the many benefits of honey and propolis.
My new fave tickle-me-pink thing: the powerful, yet gentle, the super duo of Manuka honey (Wedderspoon Active 16+) and Stark’s Green Tea mask! My face is incredibly soft and the honey helps to restore my skin’s moisture balance.
I’m emerging (fingers crossed, chant mantra here) on the other side of a wicked two-year hormone-induce acne struggle. I’ve chosen to treat the acne naturally, so the path has been slow, but I know is the right one for me. It is nice/a relief to find something to anchor my face routine that’s moisturizing, effective, and not drying.
I think the honey is helping to fade the acne scars as well.
My grandma used to moisturize with olive oil and said simple is best when it came to face care – she was so right.
Thank you for this very interesting post!
I love to use simple ingredients for my skincare and occasionally do a honey face mask…i use locally bought honey (i’m from Italy), bought from local farms….i would like to try the Manuka one, as well…
Sometimes i do that after a yoghurt mask, which is meant to be have slightl ‘ peel ‘ effect
My father so thoughtfully made us a jar of lovely honey garlic. <3 He uses a jar of raw organic honey, and chops up a few cloves of raw garlic into it and lets it do its magic over the course of a month. Then it's ready to eat. No refrigeration needed. It's delicious and healthy, I spread it atop a warm piece of flatbread, toast, eggs, anything really. I love it!
@victoria-I can’t wait to see what new product you’ll have out for fall. i live for your barbary fig renewal serum and so does my hubby. When I’m running low he leaves a post it note to remind me to buy more! Lol.