9 Surprising Beauty Uses for Raw Honey

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Honey’s benefits go beyond sweetening up your favorite Greek yogurt or afternoon tea. Packed with a powerful punch of antiseptic, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties, it’s one of the best ways to give your beauty routine a boost. The key is to use raw honey that hasn’t been pasteurized, processed, or heated in any way as that preserves the best qualities. Read on for 9 different ways—concocted and tested just for you by the Health beauty team—that you can use a jar of honey on your face, body and yes, even in your hair.

On your face

Combat acne. Leave it to honey to attack the bacteria that causes breakouts, while also drawing moisture to the skin. Dab a small amount onto blemishes, leave for 15-20 minutes, then rinse.

Lighten up dark circles. A spoonful of honey may help fade dark circles and ease swelling under the eyes. Mix equal parts honey and almond oil, then apply as you would an eye cream before bed; rinse off in the morning.

Smooth out wrinkles. Got an avocado lying around in your kitchen? This all-natural concoction hydrates dull skin and may help fight wrinkles. Mix 1 tablespoon of raw honey with half a ripe avocado. Spread out evenly over face and rinse off with warm water after 15 to 20 minutes.

On your body

Reverse cuticle damage. Cracked cuticles are not only unsightly, but they’re also an invitation for fungus and bacteria to creep in. Coat your cuticles and nails with a mixture of raw honey and apple cider vinegar (1 teaspoon each) to cleanse and soften. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse off.

Reduce razor burn. Soothe the irritation caused by shaving mishaps by smearing a dab of raw honey over razor bumps post-shave. Rinse off after 10 to 15 minutes.

Pamper your skin. Did you know Cleopatra allegedly bathed in milk and honey to achieve a flawless complexion? Try your own honey bath: Just dissolve 2 to 3 tablespoons of raw honey in 1 cup of hot water. Pour into a hot bath, sit back, and relax—you’ll emerge feeling like a queen.

In your hair

Add shine. Treat your hair to this volume and shine-boosting mask: Mix 1/2 cup raw honey and 1/4 cup olive or coconut oil. Apply to your hair from roots to tips, leave in for 20 minutes, then rinse. Use once weekly for hair that shines like silk.

Soften strands. Raw honey is a humectant, meaning it locks in moisture. Revive dry, lackluster hair by thoroughly mixing in 1 teaspoon of raw honey with your shampoo. Lather up as usual and rinse well. The goo will wash out (we promise!), leaving strands super-soft.

Soothe an itchy scalp. Thanks to its anti-fungal properties, honey helps nix the gunk that clogs hair follicles, leading to itchy flakes. Dilute 1 tablespoon of honey with a teaspoon of water and massage it in to your scalp for two minutes; rinse with warm water after two hours. Repeat every other day until your scalp is flake-free.

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1Qcf4al

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