Honey face mask for a clear skin: 10 recipes to try right now!
Honey is a natural ingredient that can deliver impressive results to your skin. It can help fight inflammation, bacteria, ageing, improve circulation, help heal wounds, and so much more. Especially for people with acne, honey can help eliminate the bad bacteria causing pimples, without drying out the skin. A win-win situation! Try a honey face mask and see for yourself.
Below are ten no nonsense honey face mask recipes that will help you get rid of acne and achieve the clear and fresh skin you want.
1. Honey and turmeric face mask
Simple but effective – this classic face mask will help you clear your skin from acne. It has been used in Asia for hundreds of years.
Turmeric contains curcumin, which has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. [1]
The ability of honey to get rid of inflammation and bacteria that can cause acne, in combination with the ability of turmeric to do the same, can be very effective for people with acne.
Not just acne, this mask could work against many types of skin problems including inflammation and redness.
Be careful, in some cases turmeric could temporarily stain your face yellow. To avoid that, try not to mix turmeric with water and use honey or yoghurt instead.
If you want to avoid staining your face, it is also important not to use too much turmeric. A little bit goes a long way.
If you are really worried about the turmeric staining and want to be sure, test the mask on your forearm first.
What you need:
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
How to prepare:
Combine the ingredients and mix into a paste.
Spread a thin layer on your face and neck. Avoid the eye area.
Let it sit on your face for around 20 minutes.
Gently wash off with lukewarm water.
You can use this face mask up to once per day, if you want to.
2. Honey and banana face mask
Banana peel contains polyphenols, such as tannins. [1]
These molecules can have astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties.[1]
What you need:
1 tsp honey
1 banana peel
How to prepare:
Scrape around 1 tsp of the inside of the banana peel.
Mix well with the honey to form a paste.
Gently spread evenly on your face and neck.
Let it sit on your face for around 15-20 minutes, or until it is dry.
Wash off with lukewarm water.
3. Honey and aloe vera mask
Aloe Vera is excellent for keeping the skin moisturised.
The beneficial effects of Aloe Vera have been studied in numerous clinical trials. According to the results, Aloe Vera can be very effective as a complimentary treatment for wounds. [1]
If you have made more Aloe Vera gel, than you need to use, simply just pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Make sure you thaw it before using for your mask.
What you need:
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp aloe vera gel (fresh from the plant or thawed)
How to prepare:
Mix the aloe vera and honey into a thick paste.
Carefully apply on your face, while avoiding any sensitive areas.
Leave it for around 20-30 minutes.
Wash of with cold or lukewarm water.
4. Honey and avocado face mask
Avocados contain plenty of vitamins E and C. In addition to that, they contain many antioxidants and healthy fats that can help nourish the skin.
The lactic acid in yoghurt can help to very gently peel and brighten your skin.
What you need:
1 tsp honey
1 tsp ripe avocado
1/2 tsp yoghurt
How to prepare:
Mix all the ingredients together, until a smooth paste forms. Make sure to get rid of all the chunks.
Apply on your face, while avoiding any sensitive areas.
Leave on for around 20 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water.
5. Honey, rice flour and green tea face mask
Rice flour has been used in Asia for centuries. It is said to have brightening and anti-aging effects on the skin, but there is very little scientific research done to support these claims.
Green tea contains many polyphenols, such as EGCG. These are said to have many anti-inflammatory, antibacterial anti-aging, and antioxidant properties. [1]
What you need:
1 tsp honey
1 tsp rice flour
1/2 tsp of green tea (make sure the tea is not hot when you mix it in)
How to prepare:
Make a cup of green tea and take around 1/2 tsp from it for your mask.
Add the tea to the honey and mix, then add in the rice flour.
Mix until everything is well combined. If the mask is too liquid, you can add a bit more rice flour.
Apply on your face for about 15-20 minutes, then gently wash off.
6. Honey, turmeric and yoghurt mask
Another excellent mask against acne and impurities. The addition of yoghurt helps brighten and deliver extra hydration to your skin too.
The lactic acid in yoghurt can help to gently peel and brighten your skin.
The honey and yoghurt should be very effective at preventing staining from the turmeric.
If you are really worried about the turmeric staining and want to be sure, test the mask on your forearm first.
As already mentioned above, turmeric contains curcumin, which has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. [1]
What you need:
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp yoghurt
How to prepare:
Combine the ingredients and mix into a paste.
Spread a thin layer on your face and neck. Avoid the eye area.
Let it sit on your face for around 20 minutes.
Gently wash off with lukewarm water.
You can use this face mask up to once every two days, if you want to.
7. Honey and oil face mask
It is very important to choose the right oil for your skin type. The wrong oil could definitely ruin your skin. If you are unsure about this, check out my post on choosing the right oil for your skin type.
Even though there is usually no need to rinse face oil off your face, do not leave this mask on overnight or for too long! You still have to rinse it off, because of the honey.
What you need:
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp natural face oil for your skin type
How to prepare:
Pour the honey and face oil in a small bottle.
Shake really well, until everything is well combined.
Take a few drops from the mixture and gently massage on your face.
Leave on for around 10-15 minutes, then rinse.
Store the rest of the face mask for another time.
8. Honey and matcha mask
Matcha powder is full of antioxidants, such as EGCG.
EGCG and other polyphenols can be very effective in the treatment of acne. [1] These compounds can help prevent the growth of bacteria.
The polyphenols in matcha can also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. So they can help against much more than just acne.
Be careful not to add too much turmeric powder, because otherwise you might temporarily stain your face yellow with it.
If you are really worried about the turmeric staining and want to be sure, test the mask on your forearm first. Remember that the turmeric is completely optional in this recipe, so don’t add it if you don’t want to.
What you need:
1 tsp honey
1 tsp matcha powder
1/2 tsp hot water (or oat milk)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
1/2 tsp of ground peppermint leaves (optional)
How to prepare:
In a small bowl, combine matcha and hot water, then wait for it to cool down a bit.
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir well to combine.
If you want the paste to be thicker, add some extra matcha or turmeric powder.
Carefully apply on face and neck.
Leave on your skin for about 20 minutes, then rinse off.
For optimal results, you can use this face mask once or twice a week.
9. Honey, oat and green tea mask
This face mask is especially good for people with dry skin, who are looking for more hydration.
Oatmeal can be very effective against dry skin. According to a study from 2018, oatmeal can reduce itching, irritation and help restore the skin barrier function. [1]
Green tea helps against irritation, bacteria and ageing of the skin
Instead of green tea, you can use white tea, matcha tea or any other tea you like. Just make sure it does not irritate the skin.
What you need:
1 tsp honey
1 tsp ground oatmeal
some green tea
How to prepare:
Make a cup of green tea the usual way.
In a small bowl, combine oatmeal + 1 tsp of green tea and stir. You can add more green tea for a lighter consistency.
Then add the honey and stir everything well.
Apply on the face, leave for about 10-20 and then gently wash off.
10. Exfoliating honey, raspberry and green tea mask
This superfood face mask delivers tons of antioxidants, while helping your skin stay healthy and hydrated. The green tea leaves provide gentle exfoliation and help clean your pores.
Raspberries contain vitamin C and antioxidants, which helps preserve the collagen in your skin and fight off free radicals.
The green tea leaves gently exfoliate your skin, while helping get rid of bacteria and delivering antioxidants for a youthful and healthy skin.
Feel free to experiment with white tea instead of green, or green tea mixed with peppermint if you want to.
What you need:
1 tsp honey
1 small bag green tea
3 raspberries
some ground oatmeal or rice flour (optional)
How to prepare:
Make a cup of green tea and keep the bag.
In a cup mash the raspberries until all the chunks are out, and the leaves from the teabag.
Add the honey and then stir to combine.
If necessary, add some ground oatmeal or rice flour to make the mask a bit thicker.
Apply on your face, wait for around 10-20 minutes, and then rinse off.
Because this mask is exfoliating, it is best to use it only once or twice per week.
Final notes
If all these face masks are too complicated ant time-consuming for you, don’t worry, you can also just make a simple one-ingredient honey face mask. Apply on a clean face and leave on for about 20 minutes. Honey has so many benefits for the skin on its own, you really don’t need to combine it with anything to see results.
Is honey good for everyday use on the face?
Yes, Honey can be used on your face everyday. It is excellent for skin with acne and pimples. If using any of these honey face masks, keep in mind that even though honey can be used every day, some of the other ingredients in the mask may not be for everyday use.
When should I not use these face masks?
If you are allergic to any of the ingredients, do not use them on your face! Also it might be good for people with certain skin conditions to avoid some of the ingredients above. Consult with your dermatologist when in doubt.
Everybody is different, so even though these recipes will likely work for most people, that might not be the case with everyone. If you experience any itching or other signs of irritation, inflammation, or allergy, wash off immediately and stop using the mask.
Summary
Honey can do so much for your skin. whether you apply it on its own, or in combination with other ingredients, honey can offer so much to your skin. So if you are battling acne or impurities, or just want a clear and hydrated skin, give honey a try!
If you want to know more about the benefits of honey for the skin, check out my article.