Several skin care product manufacturers are now including honey as a main ingredient. Honey is nourishing for the skin, but the products on the shelves often also contain other substances that will dry the skin, defeating the purpose of using the honey. Fortunately, you can concoct honey-based remedies in your own kitchen or bathroom, and they make a great adjunct to your basic natural skin care routine.

For basic cleansing, you can make your own soap from honey, oatmeal, and bee propolis – the waxy anti-bacterial, anti-fungal substance bees use to seal and protect their hives. The honey attracts and retains moisture, the propolis protects against bacteria and fungi, and the oatmeal exfoliates. The overall effect is clean, smooth and supple skin.

After cleansing, a toner made from honey and rosewater gets rid of residual dead skin, impurities and excess oil, and restores the pH balance. You can use cotton balls to apply it, making sure they look totally clean before you stop the toning process. If you have oily skin, you may want to include a little witch hazel.

A honey facial mask, used about once a week, is also beneficial for natural skin care. First open the pores with a warm, damp cloth, smooth the honey on your face and neck, leave it on for 15 to 30 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water. Splash you face with cold water afterwards to close the pores.

One of the common causes of dry skin is bathing. It may be hard to believe that being in a tub full of water can dehydrate the skin, but, nevertheless, that’s exactly what it does. Because honey is a natural humectant – which means it attracts and helps retain water – adding ¼ cup of honey to your bath will help your skin stay hydrated, and leave it feeling smooth and silky.

After you’ve finished your honey beauty treatment, keep your skin looking that way for hours with a shielding lotion. It will lock in moisture, and keep chemicals and environmental pollutants from irritating the skin.

The world’s greatest beauties from days gone by obviously did not have access to the barrage of chemical skin care products now available, but nature provided them with everything they need. More and more,dermatologist and other health professionals are recognizing that nature does indeed have something to offer, and natural skin care products are becoming more popular. With luck, you will soon find everything you need on the shelves instead of in your kitchen.
---
Author, Gloria MacTaggart, is a freelance writer who contributes articles on skin care for The National Skin Care Institute. For more information, visit http://www.skincarenet.org.