Have you heard a lot of flattering reviews about the use of honey for cosmetic purposes, but did not dare to try it for yourself? But in vain! Natural honey in scrubs and masks works real miracles of rejuvenation, renewal and restoration, regardless of the age and initial condition of the skin! From this article you will learn what they are useful for, what effect they have, existing effective recipes and other important information for every woman who always wants to look perfect!
Indications and contraindications
Bee honey is a multicomponent product consisting of water, carbohydrates, enzymes, amino acids, minerals, proteins, fats, hormones and vitamins. Scrubs made on its basis are suitable for people with different skin types: oily with enlarged pores, dry, aging skin.
A homemade honey scrub has an antimicrobial, wound-healing, cleansing, antitoxic and soothing effect on the skin. In addition, it significantly improves blood circulation, tissue metabolic processes and increases the immunity of the skin.
But honey is one of the most powerful allergens, and therefore scrubs made from it have contraindications:
- allergy to honey and its components;
- diabetes;
- herpes;
- temperature increase;
- pregnancy;
- inflammation of the skin at the site of the cosmetic procedure;
- spider veins.
Facial scrub at home. Rules for using facial scrubs
The intensive action of scrubs is aimed at cleansing and toning the skin, improving blood flow and synthesis in cells. By following the rules of application, you can forever forget about hardware cleanings and professional intervention by a cosmetologist.
- For each type of dermis, the use of a scrub has its own regularity. For normal and combination skin – once a week is enough; for oily, problem skin – 2-3 times every seven days; for dry and dehydrated skin – twice a month. When deciding how often to use a deep cleanser, it is necessary to diagnose the current condition of the skin. If excessive dryness and irritation occur, the procedure should be postponed.
- After making a facial scrub at home, apply it along the lines of a classic massage with light rubbing movements. The cleansing composition should not be used on the areas around the lips and eyes. Also, the skin is pre-moistened with water or herbal decoction so as not to injure or scratch the epidermis.
- The face must be cleaned, pre-steamed with herbal compresses, and only then can you use a scrub.
- If any unpleasant sensations occur during the scrubbing process - burning, itching, you must immediately complete the procedure. A possible reaction is caused by an allergy to the components, or too large particles have damaged the integrity of the integument.
- After the procedure, moisturizing is mandatory; the pores of problematic and oily skin are wiped with citrus juice, and only then the cream is used.
Terms of use
Honey scrubs must be prepared immediately before use. To obtain the desired result, you can add other components to them as desired. Honey, before mixing it with other ingredients from which you plan to prepare a scrub, must be warmed to room temperature. And it is best to do this in a water bath.
Important! Honey after 80 degrees loses all its beneficial properties, so when heating it, the main thing is not to overdo it.
Before applying the finished honey scrub to the whole body, be sure to apply it first to the wrist to test for sensitivity. If after some time there is no allergic reaction, then it can be safely used for its intended purpose.
Advantages and disadvantages
Homemade scrubs have a number of undoubted advantages.
- 100% natural. Even if the jar of supposedly organic cosmetics says that it is made from completely natural ingredients, you cannot be sure of this. You haven’t been to the factory, you haven’t seen the conditions under which these cosmetics were prepared and what was actually added to it. You just have to take the manufacturer's word for it. If you made a scrub at home in your own kitchen with your own hands, you know exactly what’s inside.
- No parabens, preservatives or other dangerous chemicals . Factory-made scrubs and masks are designed for a long shelf life; they cannot be used without preservatives. Homemade cosmetics are used immediately after you prepare them, so there is simply no need for chemistry.
- Cheap . Home remedies are inexpensive and made from simple and affordable ingredients, and they contain a lot of beneficial substances and vitamins for the skin. Cheap store-bought cosmetics will not bring any benefit; they are full of harmful components.
There are few disadvantages to homemade cosmetics. One of the first is that it cannot be hypoallergenic. Honey, lemon juice and other natural products can cause allergic reactions. Although in rare cases, this cannot be completely ruled out.
In terms of effectiveness, homemade scrubs still cannot be compared with expensive professional products, and even more so with the procedures that can be offered to you in a cosmetologist’s office.
Recipes for honey and coffee scrubs
Honey mask-scrubs for the face, prepared at home with the addition of coffee, will cleanse, refresh and give the skin a velvety feel. Honey is a natural product rich in antioxidants and has excellent cleansing properties, while coffee stimulates the skin and helps create a protective film on it that prevents acne and pollution. All recipes for honey and coffee masks are easy to prepare and do not require much time, and the results from their use can exceed all expectations.
To prepare the simplest coffee face scrub at home, you only need two ingredients: natural honey and coffee grounds, which remain in the Turk or filter after brewing. You can also use ground, unused coffee. Liquid honey is mixed with wet coffee until a homogeneous mass is obtained, after which all problem areas are rubbed with it. At the end of the procedure, the coffee scrub is washed off with warm water. This honey scrub will give your skin a healthy glow after the first procedure. And it is best to spend it in a bathhouse after the skin is well steamed. If you don’t have liquid honey on hand, you can use candied honey, but it must first be heated in a water bath.
When in contact with the skin, coffee facial scrub promotes the production of collagen and elastin in the tissues, due to which they are toned and highly protected from negative environmental influences. To prepare a coffee scrub-mask for normal skin types, you will need olive oil, honey, ground coffee and blue clay. First, you need to mix the clay and coffee in a separate bowl, then pour boiling water over the resulting mixture, remembering to stir the mixture until a sour cream consistency forms. After this, oil and honey are added to the mixture and again everything is thoroughly mixed and applied to the face, where the mask should be kept for 15-20 minutes and rinsed thoroughly with cool water.
Recipes for honey scrubs with coffee for those with dry skin include other products, namely: freshly ground coffee or coffee grounds, honey and a rich cream used for daily moisturizing of the face. Honey is first heated in a water bath until liquid, after which it is added to coffee and cream. The resulting mixture must be rubbed in with circular, lightly pressing movements, after which the residue is washed off with cool water. This coffee scrub will saturate dry facial skin with essential nutrients and give it a healthy, velvety appearance.
Beneficial properties of honey for skin
Honey is a product rich in natural enzymes and vitamins that are ideal for renewing, moisturizing and nourishing the layers of the epidermis from its innermost layers.
Below we explain why honey has become an integral part of many beauty treatments:
- Thanks to its active ingredients and natural enzymes, this powerful cleanser is great for skin care, completely removing impurities and toxins.
- It is ideal for effective skin exfoliation because it contains fructose, glucose and acids, which help eliminate all accumulated dead cells and also refresh the skin.
- This is one of the best natural moisturizers in the world. Honey contains many vitamins and minerals to nourish dermal tissue and moisturize it. It also protects its natural elasticity and firmness.
- By preventing the formation of impurities and the proliferation of bacteria, honey is an excellent aid for the treatment of acne and oily skin.
- It contains many antioxidants that slow down the aging process and help keep the skin elastic and free from fine wrinkles.
- After this procedure, the skin becomes moisturized, elastic, smooth and bright.
Due to the elements contained in honey - glucose, sucrose and fructose, it is an excellent scrubbing agent.
Honey scrubs with salt
For the health of the skin of the face, it is necessary to use only those products that contain natural ingredients. And for this, recipes for preparing honey-based masks at home are perfect. Thus, a honey-salt scrub will help to significantly improve the condition of the skin and prolong its youth. To prepare it you will need:
- liquid honey – 1 tbsp. l;
- coarse table salt – 1 tsp;
- cinnamon – 2 tsp;
- olive oil – 1 tsp.
Instead of olive oil, you can use any other oil, such as sunflower or almond oil. All ingredients are mixed in a suitable bowl, after which the resulting mass is applied to the skin of the face with gentle massaging movements and left for several minutes. After time, the honey mass is washed off with cool water. If you use salt scrubs regularly, your skin will become healthy and beautiful.
Very often, cottage cheese is used to prepare nourishing scrub masks at home, which helps smooth out wrinkles and soften the skin. To make a healthy honey scrub-mask, you need to mix one teaspoon of sea salt and liquid honey with 1 tbsp. l cottage cheese. The resulting mass is applied to the face, where it is left for 10 minutes and then washed off with warm water.
Regular honey peelings with sea salt and vegetable oil will help improve the condition of dry skin with the first signs of aging. To do this, salt, liquid honey and vegetable oil are thoroughly mixed, after which the resulting mass is applied to the facial skin with massaging, slightly pressing movements. After 15 minutes, the honey mass is washed off with water, and a rich cream is applied to the face. This honey and salt scrub helps increase skin elasticity and improve its color.
Tips for proper skin cleansing
Exfoliating your face is a task that must be done correctly; otherwise, not all dead skin will be removed and new skin cells will not be regenerated.
Pay attention to the following recommendations and try not to make any mistakes:
- The scrub is best used on slightly damp skin.
- To exfoliate the skin, movements should always be smooth and circular.
- Do not apply the scrub to sensitive or delicate areas of the face, such as around the eyes and the skin around the lips.
- Do not apply the scrub to irritated or damaged skin.
- After the procedure, remove the scrub with warm water - avoid using hot water, and apply moisturizer to your face.
- It is advisable to use a homemade scrub once a week.
Thanks to the natural properties of honey, it is possible to provide the skin with proper care, in the form of hydration and nutrition, which will help you do without salon procedures and save money. By combining honey with various ingredients, the effectiveness of the scrub will double and your skin will glow!
Honey scrub with lifting effect
The following recipe will help get rid of blemishes, redness, pimples and blackheads, leaving your facial skin incredibly soft and velvety. To do this you will need acetylsalicylic acid, liquid bee honey and some water. Tablets (3-5 pieces) are placed in a flat bowl, after which a drop of water should be added to them. As soon as the water is completely absorbed, and this will happen in about ten seconds, the aspirin is crushed and honey is added to it, after which the mixture is thoroughly mixed. The finished honey scrub is applied to a cleansed face with massaging movements. You need to keep it for no more than 20 minutes, after which the remaining mixture should be rinsed off well and a nourishing cream should be applied to the face.
Important! If a burning sensation appears on your face immediately after applying the mixture with coffee and aspirin, it should be washed off immediately.
Homemade facial scrubs with a lifting effect are an excellent alternative to salon treatments. Natural products used for their preparation, when properly combined, lead to stunning results.
To maintain the results obtained after using honey scrubs, the facial skin cleansing procedure must be carried out regularly.
For body
Honey scrub for the body can be harsher than for the face. You can use ground coffee, cane sugar or sea salt as a scrubbing element. Coffee honey scrub perfectly tones the skin, improves blood circulation, smooths out wrinkles.
Cane sugar rejuvenates the skin, makes it smooth and velvety, and contains many vitamins. Sea salt is ideal for oily skin that needs to be slightly dried and tightened; many vital trace elements accelerate cell regeneration and improve skin structure.
Honey-egg mask for oily skin
The above mask recipe can be slightly improved by adding protein. The result is an excellent product that can be used to remove oily shine from your face.
Components:
- honey – 15 g;
- lemon juice – 30 g;
- egg white – 1 pc.
To prepare the mask, beat the egg white until fluffy. Combine with honey and juice. Keep the mask on for 15 minutes and then wash off.
Types of honey wraps
Depending on the temperature of the treatment composition, procedures are divided into two types: cold and hot.
In the first case, the wraps are carried out using a beekeeping product at room temperature. The auxiliary components are:
- seaweed;
- clay;
- vegetable oils;
- dairy products;
- herbal decoctions;
- esters with a cooling effect (for example, mint).
This type of manipulation is available for women with varicose veins and cardiovascular diseases. The permitted duration of one procedure reaches 90 minutes.
For hot wraps, honey is preheated in a steam bath to a temperature of 38–40°C.
Attention: at 60°C the product loses most of its beneficial properties!
It is permissible to keep hot pastes under the film for no longer than 30 minutes. The mixtures can be supplemented with the same ingredients that are used for cold sessions, and you can also use additional warming substances. For example, pepper, mustard and others.