If you haven't heard the buzz just yet, September is National Honey Month! This time of year often marks the end of honey collecting for many beekeepers until spring rolls around, so it's time to celebrate the beginning of fall with some of this golden elixir. But forget about your tea or granola, honey is a super sweet way to make your skincare routine that much more beautiful. Check out these five ways honey can work wonders for all different areas of the body, whether you head the DIY route or choose a few of our product recommendations. Click through the slideshow for product pics!
Body - Ready to indulge in a little pampering? Try a honey bath. Aside from making you feel like you're bathing in gold, a honey bath nourishes and leaves skin super soft. To try on your own, opt for a milk and honey bath. Or, for $40 The Laura Mercier Honey Bath is a decadent treat. The foaming honey moisture body bath leaves skin feeling clean, fresh and supple. Available in five delectable fragrances: Almond Coconut Milk, Crème Brûlée, Ambre Vanillé, Crème de Pistache and Fresh Fig, swirl the Honey Bath onto the wooden honey dipper and place under running bath water to create lightly scented bubbles.
Lips - The cooler months can often cause lips to become cracked and dry. Who needs to deal with that when you wanna cozy up to your honey? To help keep lips kissable, try creating a honey lip scrub. Made with a little honey, sugar and vegetable oil, you can exfoliate lips quickly and easily to keep them soft. The nyakio Hydrating Lip Balm with Kola Nut is also a great way to sweeten your pucker. For $20, the balm is infused with African Kola Nut, Marula Oil, Trichilia Oil and Honey to help relieve and hydrate dry lips. This unique fusion also provides superb antioxidant benefits, leaving lips immediately comforted. The formula is also free of parabens and sulfates.
Face - Now things might get a little sticky, but honey facials are great for skin. The rich benefits in this bee nectar will make you forget all about the goo factor. Honey is filled with antioxidants, helping to protect skin from further damage like harmful UV rays, which can trigger premature aging in the form of fine lines and wrinkles. What's more, honey is great for hydrating skin, as it naturally retains moisture. Hydrated skin looks healthier and retains elasticity. If you want to try it at home yourself, Michelle Phan has a fun honey facial tutorial to follow. But if you're looking for a less messy, more refined way to incorporate honey, try the Hey Honey Take It Off-exfoliating Peel Off Mask. For $35, the mask is infused with rich honey extract and once dry, peels off super easy without the goo factor.
Hands & Nails - We often neglect our hands, so treat them to some the benefits of honey too. For nicks, cuts, and scrapes, Manuka Honey is a super-charged version of this sweet stuff that is more medicine cabinet than kitchen cabinet worthy (just Google it!). Honey and sugar DIY at-home remedies cwork on hands as well to exfoliate, but if you want something you can take on-the-go with you that won't drip everywhere, opt for a hand cream infused with the same healthy skincare benefits. Burt Bee's Honey & Grapeseed Hand Cream is a great option. The formula contains honey, Jojoba Oil and Rosemary extract to treat hands sweetly on a daily basis.
Feet - Honey is also a great way to treat feet. Anthropologists have found evidence showing ancient Egyptians used honey for its healing properties as far back as 5,000 years ago. Honey contains antibacterial and anti fungal properties that help kill harmful germs and fungus on the feet. It is also a wonderful emollient, helping the skin to lock in and hold onto moisture. Simply measure out 1 tablespoon of honey onto a spoon and mix it in with the water of a footbath so it becomes runny in texture. Step in and enjoy!
Fragrance - And who doesn't want to smell divinely sweet? Marc Jacobs' Honey is described as "the height of irresistible charm." Created with a mixture of vanilla, apricot, mandarin and hints of smooth woods and honeysuckle, the fragrance is delightful and has subtle floral scent. The perfume also provides hidden notes of green pear, fruit punch, orange blossom, peach nectar, honeysuckle, and of course a base of honey. Sweet!
Ready for a natural sugar rush? Let us know which of these sweet beauty treats you're ready to try by leaving us a note below!
