HONEY IN BEAUTY/PERSONAL CARE


Honey has been used in beauty regimes since the time of Cleopatra and is just as popular today. It’s easy to see why. Honey’s natural properties and wholesome image satisfy the increasing demand for products with minimal artificial ingredients.


Honey is a natural humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture. It’s
also an anti-irritant, making it suitable for sensitive-skin and baby products. And
honey has no additives or preservatives—it’s one of the few products that can be
packed and sold straight from nature. It requires no processing or refining.


The most popular health and beauty products on the market today containing honey are in the skin care category, particularly bath and shower products, face creams and skin lotions. Of beauty products that contain honey, hair care is the category experiencing the most growth.


Research is currently underway to develop a process that uses honey to create alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), ingredients that are included in skin creams and moisturizers because they help exfoliate the skin.


Look for future use of honey in sun care and sun screen products, as companies develop products that combine traditional sun blocking properties with moisturizing and anti-irritant functions. (Tilton, Helga. 1991. Global Makeup. Chemical Marketing Reporter, CMR Special Report. July 1991. p. SR310.)


Today, honey is used in an ever-increasing number of consumer products for both men and women. Look for a wide range of products that contain honey, from skin moisturizers and body scrubs to hair conditioners and bubble baths. Or try one of the following “beauty recipes” for yourself.


** All information, except where noted, is from “The U.S. Personal Care Market and Honey,”
National Honey Board, Product Research/Food Technology Program, May 1997.
* over-

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HOMEMADE HONEY BEAUTY RECIPES


Honey Cleansing Scrub


Mix 1 Tablespoon of honey with 2 Tablespoons finely ground almonds and ½ teaspoon
lemon juice. Rub gently onto face. Rinse off with warm water.


Firming Face Mask


Whisk together 1 Tablespoon honey, 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon glycerin (available at drug
and beauty stores) and enough flour to form a paste (approximately ¼ cup). Smooth
over face and throat. Leave on 10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.


Smoothing Skin Lotion


Mix 1 teaspoon honey with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and ¼ teaspoon lemon juice. Rub
into hands, elbows, heels and anywhere that feels dry. Leave on 10 minutes. Rinse off
with water.


Skin Softening Bath


Add ¼ cup honey to bath water for a fragrant, silky bath.


Hair Shine


Stir 1 teaspoon honey into 4 cups (1 quart) warm water. Blondes may wish to add a
squeeze of lemon. After shampooing, pour mixture through hair. Do not rinse out. Dry
as normal.


HISTORICAL HONEY BEAUTY SECRETS


Madame du Barry, the infamous last mistress of Louis XV, used honey as a form of facial mask, lying down for a rest while the honey did its work.


Cleopatra of Egypt regularly took honey and milk baths to maintain her youthful appearance.
It was said that Queen Anne of England used a honey and oil concoction to keep her
long hair lustrous, thick and shiny.


It was claimed that another famous Englishwoman, Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, used her own secret recipe for a honey water to keep her hair beautiful.


Chinese women have a tradition of using a blend of honey and ground orange seeds to
keep their skin blemish-free.