First, honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture. This makes honey a natural fit in a variety of moisturizing products including cleaners, creams, shampoos and conditioners.
Honey also acts as an anti-irritant, making it suitable for sensitive skin and baby care products. Honey's prospects in skincare are looking even sweeter; research is currently underway to develop a process using honey to create alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). AHAs are an important ingredient in many skin creams and moisturizers because they help exfoliate the skin. Increased exfoliation, or renewal of the skin cells, can give skin a younger, more vibrant look.
Look for honey in store-bought beauty products or try whipping up some simple beauty recipes yourself.
Historical Honey Beauty Secrets
Madame du Barry, the infamous last mistress of Louis XV, used honey as a form of facial mask, lying down for a rest while the honey did its work.
Cleopatra of Egypt regularly took honey and milk baths to maintain her youthful appearance.
It was said that Queen Anne of England used a honey and oil concoction to keep her long hair lustrous, thick and shiny.
It was claimed that another famous Englishwoman, Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, used her own secret recipe for a honey water to keep her hair beautiful.
Chinese women have a tradition of using a blend of honey and ground orange seeds to keep their skin blemish-free. (thesoapdish.com)
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