Honey

I know that I love honey. It’s just too delicious and its divine in tea. My favorite is orange blossom honey. I ration myself or my consumption can quickly get out of control.

There are other uses for honey that may surprise you. Honey, used in personal care, has been a well-kept ‘secret’ for generations. It is actually the oldest skin care ingredient known to man and used by many cultures around the world.

Honey in Personal Care

Ancient Egyptian women chewed pills made of honey and spices to freshen their breath. They used honey and sodium bicarbonate for vaginal irrigations. Though some success could be attributed to the alkalinity of the sodium bicarb, the active effects come from the antibacterial/antimicrobial properties of honey. Japanese women attributed their wrinkle-free hands to daily use of honey as a lotion.

• As a hair remover? Yes! With sugar and a few drops of lemon juice. Heat together. When just warm, apply the gel-like mixture to hair and remove the same way as you would wax hair removal.

• Need a quick exfoliator? Try some honey and baking soda. I add a few drops of water and gently massage it on my neck and lower jaw. Follow with a warm water rinse. Honey’s natural hydration comes from its ample supply of amino acids. For lips, use a small amount of fine, white sugar and a little honey. Gently, massage over and around lips. Rinse and pat dry.

• A natural antibiotic? Yes! The antibiotic effects are due to the flower source of the honey. Different flower types, convey the level of antibiotic activity. Manuka honey leads the way, proving that it is able to have positive effects against methicillin-resistant staph A. (MRSA) strains.

Wound care

Used for wounds? Yes, honey is an anti-inflammatory. It reduces swelling and helps prevent dressings from sticking to wounds. Again, Egyptians used a mix of honey and vegetable fibers as wound treatments. Its use as treatment for burns and wound healing is supported by empirical evidence. It can inhibit bacterial growth and help speed healing.

An ancient source of sweetner, food, skin and wound care, honey requires no processing. It does, however require continued conservation of precious honey bees’ health and preservation of their environment.