Honey has served humans for its medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The earliest evidence of that is an 8000-year-old rock painting. In this short article, we dip into the story why this golden glue has held thousands of years of healing history together.

What It Can Improve

• Hydration
• Plumpness
• Hyperpigmentation
• Redness/Inflammation
• Breakouts
• Wounds

What Is in It?

• Sugar of different types—95–97% of its dry weight
• Gluconic acid is the main acid and determines the pH level. The pH of honey is 3.2–4.5 whichis closer to the skin's pH than water
• All 9 essential amino acids (Proline is the primary amino acid—essential to build new collagen)
• All water-soluble vitamins
• Antioxidants: Superoxide dismutase Glutathione
• 31 Minerals:
  phosphorus, sodium, calcium, potassium, sulphur, magnesium, and chlorine, silicon (Si), rubidium (RB), vanadium (V), zirconium (Zr), lithium (Li), and strontium (Sr)
• 30 different types of polyphenols:
  e.g., quercetin and gallic acid, ferulic acids (many of these are ingredients of high-end cosmetics)
• Flavonoids:
  luteolin, anthocyanin, genistein
• Prebiotics (Oligosaccharides) 

Why Honey Is So Good for the Skin

Antimicrobial

The oxidation of glucose (sugar) releases hydrogen peroxide, which kills bacteria. Also, the acidic pH level creates a hostile environment for bacteria and yeast.

Honey activates the immune response when an infection is present (cytokine release in leukocytes, increased phagocyte activity, antibody regeneration, increased B and T lymphocyte proliferation, etc.).

Manuka honey has the strongest effect in fighting microbes compared to other honey. Manuka is specifically limiting Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Anti-inflammatory & Antioxidant

The antioxidants in honey neutralize the free radicals COX-2 and iNOS (found in melasma). Honey supports a healthy gut with prebiotics.

Ways to Use It

1. Apply a thin layer on the cleansed skin including the eye (2 mm away from the inner eyelid) and lip area. Leave for 10–20 minutes and rinse it off.
2. Spot-treat it on breakouts, cracks and other inflamed blemishes.
3. Apply honey on dry and cracked lips.

Note: Keep the honey clean. Use a clean wooden—wood is less reactive than metal and gentler to the biochemistry—spatula or spoon to take the honey from the jar.

Which Quality Features to Look Out For?

1. Raw and unheated honey is best to preserve the medicinal purposes.
2. By choosing honey from a local beekeeper, unnecessary travel that pollutes the environment isavoided.

Note: The darker, the higher the value of antioxidants.

Please Keep In Mind

Honey is primarily food for bee larvae and not meant to be used wastefully by humans.Treat the honey with respect and as a medicine with utmost reverence for our bees.

The next time you are heading to the beauty store and about to invest $$$ in the newest face mask featured in a glamour magazine, please consider to spend the money on the best quality local honey, benefit from the medicinal effects inside and outside and support the beekeepers.

Reference

1. Samarghandian, Farkhondeh, and Samini, “Honey and Health.”
2. Eteraf-Oskouei and Najafi, “Traditional and Modern Uses of Natural Honey in Human Diseases.”

       3. Cliff Van Eaton, “Manuka: The biography of an extraordinary Honey”