Tuesday, January 7, 2020
While I’ve talked at length about my love of coconut oil for skin care, I’m excited to finally dive into the benefits of honey and using a coconut oil and honey face mask.
If you’re skeptical about slathering honey and coconut oil all over your face—don’t worry, I was too. It took me at least a year to finally work up the nerve to put natural oils on my face and clean my face with coconut oil. Now, I’m a huge fan of natural skin care, mostly because of how it’s completely changed my skin.
Why Do a Coconut Oil and Honey Face Mask?
Facial masks are beneficial because they provide concentrated nutrients to skin. Typically, they’re made from a single nourishing ingredient, like clay or honey, or a combination of ingredients depending on your skin’s needs.
While raw honey serves as a spectacular sweetener in the kitchen, it also can be incredible for your skin when mixed with coconut oil and applied topically. Honey is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs water molecules from the air and retains moisture. It also has strong antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, making it great for acne-prone skin and other inflammatory conditions.
Honey contains varying concentrations of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that counteract the effects of free radicals, and may help repair damaged tissue. It also contains alpha hydroxy acids, which makes it a great gentle exfoliator.
In short, because honey has moisturizing, antimicrobial, and restorative properties, it’s great for using as a homemade face mask. It also may help improve a variety of skin conditions, which makes it great for all skin types.
After using this coconut oil and honey face mask, I highly recommend using an apple cider vinegar facial toner. This will help freshen skin and remove any excess residue of the face mask that may have been left behind.
DIY Coconut Oil and Honey Face Mask
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1.5 teaspoons raw, unpasteurized honey
- 1-2 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
Directions:
Mix raw honey with coconut oil and lavender essential oil (optional) by stirring with a toothpick or small spoon. If mixture is too viscous, throw it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes. Once it’s hardened slightly, remove from fridge and whip it with a spoon. After cleansing your skin, apply DIY coconut oil and honey face mask across your face with your fingers using small circular strokes. Leave mask on for 10-15 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
1. It’s important to make sure you use raw, organic honey from a trusted source. I recommend purchasing it from Y.S Organic Bee Farms, or Tropical Traditions.
2. As with all natural skin care ingredients, please make sure to spot test this coconut oil and honey face mask on your skin, especially if you have sensitive skin. There is no such thing as one size fits all skin care, and it is possible that honey and coconut oil may not be right for your skin.
3. Coconut oil’s melting point is 77 degrees Fahrenheit. So, to mix evenly, the coconut oil must be cooler than 77 degrees, but not completely solid. If honey is too hard, heat up for 2-3 seconds in the microwave and stir with coconut oil.
4. To remove, simply use a wash cloth soaked in warm water. You can let the wash cloth sit on your face for 10-20 seconds, and then gently wipe away the mask. Rinse and repeat if needed.
5. The lavender essential oil is completely optional. Lavender essential oil is included because it has antimicrobial and antioxidant characteristics, which may help with acne, and can be an effective way to soothe inflamed or irritated skin.
6. Please be careful with the ingredients you choose to put on your face. For example, lemon juice and cinnamon are sometimes suggested, but both can irritate the skin, especially when exposed to the skin in concentrated doses.
Have you tried this coconut oil and honey face mask? Let me know your experience below!
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