Religious scriptures including Qur’an, Vedas and Bible had documented exceptional benefits of honey. It is renowned for its healing properties. This write-up is on using honey for skin whitening.
Not just consuming, you can topically use it over injuries, wounds and to make the skin glow. Using honey to lighten your skin dates back from ancient times.
What Causes Dark Skin Complexion?
Being the largest organ of the body, your skin is protected by natural oils. But when you get out of your house, the impurities, dirt and dead cells accumulated over your skin blocks its pores. This can lead to pigmentation and dark spots on various parts of the body.
Apart from impurities and dead cells, excess exposure to sun rays may result in dark complexion.
Your skin gets its color from a pigment known as melanin. Excess exposure to UV rays triggers excess production of melanocytes resulting in darker complexion and dark spots on different parts of your body.
Chronic skin ailments like acne, eczema and psoriasis leave scars on the skin.
Is Honey Good for Skin Whitening?
Essential vitamins and minerals that your skin needs are fortunately packed is honey. Topical or internal consumption of honey can improve your skin texture and make it supple.
- Nutrients in honey exhibits bleaching property, which can lighten dark spots on your face.
- Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in raw honey will restrain bacterial infection over the skin.
- Antioxidants residing in honey kill free radicals that can damage skin cells.
- When added with other ingredients like baking soda, honey can turn into an excellent exfoliator.
- Vitamins and minerals present in raw honey helps to guard your skin from harmful UV rays.
- Enzymes housed in this natural ingredient can help to promote cell regeneration and lighten your skin.
- Regular application of honey can brighten your dull and damaged skin.
- Assorted nutrients in honey can unclog skin pores and avoid skin ailments like acne.
- Humectant property exhibited by honey can lock moisture on the skin and increase your skin’s ability to rejuvenate.
How to Use Honey for Skin Whitening?
Enticing nutrients in honey made cosmetic world to incorporate honey into their skin care creams. I think they’re adding honey solely for marketing purpose, because when a research team tested 60 honey products they found no pollen and raw honey include pollen. This means manufactures are using filtered honey that lacks required amount of nutrients.
If you want to get benefited from nutritional value of honey, then you must opt for raw or unpasteurized honey. Commercial or pasteurized honey is processed and may sometimes incorporate chemicals.
Instead of applying only honey, you can mix it with other natural ingredients listed below to make it inexpensive.
Below mentioned are different recipes. Choose any one of them and stick with it for weeks to see positive results.
#1 Honey and Lemon Juice
Lemon has bleaching property that can lighten dark spots on your face, whereas honey is packed with emollient agents that can hydrate dry skin. As lemon juice can make your skin sensitive, its recommend to use it with honey or water.
- Mix 1 tea spoon of raw honey and 1/2 tea spoon of lemon juice in a bowl, wash your face with water and pat dry.
- You can use cotton ball to apply lemon and honey for skin lightening.
- Repeat the process 2-3 times in a week.
Also read: Honey for stretch marks
#2 Honey and Yogurt Face Mask
Lactic acid present in yogurt helps to lighten the appearance of scars and dark spots on your skin.
It is also packed with hydrating properties that can moisturize your skin.
There is no harm in applying raw honey directly over your face without adding any other innate ingredient. Apply pure honey with cotton ball after washing it with water.
- Alternately, you can add yogurt to honey.
- Add 1 table spoon of yogurt and 1/2 table spoon of honey thoroughly and apply it over face evenly.
- After leaving it for 15-20 minutes rinse it off. Regular use of this face mask will help you attain glowing skin.
#3 Honey and Multani Mitti
Multani mitti is nature’s best clay that can remove impurities off the skin. Skin disorders like acne; itching and oily skin can be treated using multani mitti.
- Mash one banana in a bowl; add 1 tbsp of honey and aloe vera gel to the bowl.
- At last add required amount of multani mitti to make paste like consistency.
- Mean while, wash your face and pat dry. Apply mixed face mask over the face evenly and leave it for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it off with water.
Alternatively, you can add almond oil or other natural ingredients to honey for skin whitening. Regularly apply the mask to see effectively results.
#4 Cucumber and Honey for Skin Lightening
Cucumber is renowned for its soothing, healing and skin lightening properties. Vitamins residing in this ingredient can effectively promote collagen production and reduce appearance of wrinkles.
- Mash ½ peeled cucumber with 2 tbsp of honey.
- Mix the ingredients well to form smooth paste like consistency.
- Wash your face and apply the mask on it evenly.
- Allow it to dry for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it off with water.
#5 Gram Flour and Honey
Chickpea flour or gram flour is my favorite ingredient to obtain glowing skin. Packed with exfoliating abilities, this natural remedy can remove excess sebum, impurities and dead cells off the skin.
Repeated application of this mask will improve your skin texture and make it supple.
- Mix 2 tbsp of gram flour with 1 tbsp of honey and 4 tbsp of rose water.
- You can replace rose water with distilled water.
- Now, apply this obtained paste on your prewashed face.
- Allow it to dry for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it off with water.
#6 Oatmeal, Avocado and Honey
Oatmeal is prominent for its weight loss ability. However, you can use this on your skin to obtain whitening face.
It has exfoliating property that can remove impurities and improve your skin complexion.
Avocado is packed with B complex vitamins, vitamin A, K, C and E. These vitamins help to promote cell regeneration, moisturize your skin and improve elastin of the skin.
- Take fresh avocado and mash it into smooth paste.
- Add 1 tbsp of finely grounded oatmeal and 1 tbsp of honey to it.
- Mix well for few minutes and then apply the paste on your prewashed face.
- Allow it to dry naturally for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it off with water.
#7 Papaya and Honey for Skin Whitening
Papaya is packed with hydrating and skin brightening abilities. Its application will help you to get rid of dry itchy patches.
- Take ½ papaya and slice it into small pieces.
- Add 1 tablespoon of honey to it and grind to make smooth paste like consistency.
- Wash your face with normal water and then pat dry with a soft cloth.
- Apply the mask and leave it for 20 minutes.
- Rinse it off with water.
#8 Tomato and Honey for Glowing Skin
Tomato is packed with astringent ability that reduces large skin pores and tightens your skin. Vitamin A, B and C packed in this ingredient can lighten your skin and prevent premature aging wrinkles.
- Take ½ piece of ripe tomato.
- Peel and mash it to obtain its paste.
- Now, add 1 tbsp of raw honey to it.
- Mix well and apply it on prewashed face.
- Rinse it off with water after 15-20 minutes.
Must read: Is Tomato Good for Skin Whitening?
#9 Turmeric, Milk and Honey
All three ingredients in this recipe are prominent for their abilities to combat ailments.
Skin whitening, antiseptic and exfoliating properties packed in turmeric powder is a boon for you.
- Mix ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder with 1 teaspoon of milk and 1 teaspoon of honey.
- Apply the obtained paste on your face.
- Rinse it off with water after 15 minutes.
- Limit excess use of turmeric powder if you see yellow stains on your face.
#10 Honey and Carrot Facial Mask
Ingesting carrot juice regularly will reduce wrinkles, as it is packed with vitamin C. It can also stimulate collagen production and improve your skin texture.
- Extract juice from grated carrot.
- Add 1 tbsp of honey to the juice and stir well.
- Using a cotton ball apply the obtained lotion on your face.
- Allow it to dry naturally.
#11 Rice Powder and Honey
Rice water is renowned for its beauty benefits. Wash your face with rice water can make it bright and wrinkle free.
Same abilities are housed in rice powder. Additionally, it can help to remove impurities and dead cells with its exfoliating ability.
- Mix 1 tbsp of rice powder with required amount of water to make smooth paste.
- Add honey to rice powder paste and mix thoroughly.
- Now, apply the mask on your prewashed face and allow it to dry for 20 minutes.
#12 Pumpkin and Honey to Lighten Skin
Vitamin E packed in pumpkin helps to improve blood circulation and rejuvenate skin cells.
Alpha-hydroxy acid housed in pumpkin whitens your skin and improves its elasticity.
- Slice small pumpkin and peel it.
- Grind it into smooth paste and add 2 tbsp of honey to it.
- Mix the paste thoroughly and then apply it on your face.
- Rinse it off with water after 15-20 minutes.
#13 Baking Soda and Honey
Prominent for its exfoliating abilities, baking soda application will remove dead cells and lighten the appearance of your skin.
Regular application will remove blackheads and prevent skin ailments like acne.
- Blend 1 tbsp of baking soda with 1 tbsp of raw honey.
- Mix thoroughly and apply it on prewashed face.
- Allow it to dry naturally for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it off with water.
#14 Aloe Vera and Honey
Sticky nature of aloe gel will help to remove dead cells, impurities and protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
Hydrating ability of this ingredient can effectively lock moisture on the skin and helps to get rid of dry itchy patches.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel in a bowl.
- Add 1 tbsp of honey to the same bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Wash your face and pat dry with a soft cloth.
- Apply the obtained mask on the skin and allow it to dry naturally for 15-0 minutes.
- Rinse it off with water.
#15 Honey and Strawberry for Face Whitening
Lactic acid, alpha hydroxy acid and assorted vitamin housed in strawberry helps to lighten the appearance of scars and dark spots.
- Take fresh strawberries and mash them to form smooth paste.
- Add 2 tablespoons of honey to it and mix thoroughly.
- Apply it on prewashed face and then rinse it off after 20 minutes.
Important Tips
For best results, use only organic or raw honey.
- If you experience allergic reaction after using any of these ingredients, then stop using it and consult physician.
- Avoid using chemical incorporated creams, as they may strip natural moisture from your skin.
- Protect your skin from harmful UV rays by applying sunscreen cream.
- Hydrate your skin from inside by ingesting vitamin rich diet.
- Consume foods that reduce melanin.
- Studies show that stress can trigger skin ailments, so avoid it.
Stick with one recipe to see positive results.