honey

Honey Face Wash Challenge – The Results

24 Comments

ETA: Update At The Bottom

Hello my honeys! We are at the end of the two week honey face wash challenge and it’s time to talk about our results!

For those that are just see things for the first time, you can catch up by reading these posts.

Crunchy Betty’s Challenge

Crunch Betty’s Honey Face Wash Makeup Remove & Check-In

Food Embrace Takes The Challenge

Food Embrace’s Week One Check-In

Let’s talk about honey!  I have been dutifully using honey on my face twice a day and I only missed one wash with honey during this whole two week challenge. When Crunchy Betty mentioned using Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) as toner, I have done that a few times as well.

With the makeup remover version, I found that the baking soda was actually a little bit too harsh of a scrub on my face.  I also found that using a straight face cloth to wipe away the honey and to help remove the makeup was also a little rough on my face.  Though that method is much preferred over the baking soda.  It worked well enough but I may need an alternative method for makeup removal.  This will take a bit more research on my part.

In regards to acne, I am pleased to say that no new pimples have popped up since using honey to wash my face.  I was curious to see the results of this and I’m super stoked about the outcome.  I put it to the test too!

I started this challenge just after having some waxing done on my face and I always breakout around my lip and on my chin afterwards.  No matter what, I get small little pimples all over.

With using honey, I got two super super small ones that popped up the day after waxing but with using honey, they were gone the following day.  Poof gone!

Also, I had about the worst case of PMS these past few weeks along with a major amount of stress that I was also battling.  Normally my chin would have erupted and I would have been even more cranky.  But using the honey face wash twice a day, nothing.  Not one little blimp showed up.

This makes me extremely happy.  Pardon the red splotches on my face, this is actually due to the fact that Scott was cracking me up right before taking the picture.  When I truly laugh, my face turns red. Now you know my secret.

My skin is clear and it also has taken on a very lovely kind of “brightness”.  It doesn’t look oily, it just looks shiny like it’s brand spanking new.

When I use honey, I take the time to really massage and rub it into my skin.  Especially in the “trouble” spots which for me is my nose, chin, and around the lip area.  I let it sit on my face for a few minutes and then rinse away.  For now, if I have makeup on, I use a washcloth in small circular motions to remove the makeup and honey.

I am still toning and moisturizing my face like normal.  I’m researching other face creams and pondering creating my own.  For now I’m using a regular face lotion in the AM and then a Lush lotion in the evening.  I might start using that in the AM as well.  We’ll see how things go.

I really enjoy the ACV as a toner.  It’s very refreshing and makes my face feel invigorated so I am going to stick with that.  I briefly dampen a cottonball with cool water and then put a bit of ACV on that.  This helps dillute the ACV so I’m not putting straight vinegar on my face.  Currently I’m using Bragg’s Raw Unfiltered ACV.

Yes it smells like vinegar but it only lasts for a second and once you moisturize that will take over.

Will I continue using honey as my face wash?  Yes.  I like it, it’s simple to do, and for me it works.

I’m very happy I came across this challenge and now I’m ready to start making other natural body care products.  This is something I’m very interested in and can’t wait to have a whole variety of homemade personal care products!

Now let’s talk about you!

Have you been using the honey on your face and if so, how do you feel?

Did you try the makeup remover version, by adding a touch of baking soda and using apple cider vinegar as a toner afterwards?

What are your thoughts on the process?

ETA: Click Here for an update on the honey face wash and why I’ve stopped using it.

Honey Face Wash – Week 1 Check In

6 Comments

Hello all my honey pretties! It’s been about a week since we’ve all joined Crunchy Betty’s Honey Face Wash Challenge. I wanted to check-in and see how everyone is coming along! Let’s get a discussion going!

Here are a few things that I’ve noticed:

  • My skin feels tighter and more refreshed.
  • The more I got used to this method the easier it became to spread the honey on my face and use the right amount for my face.
  • It doesn’t take much honey at all and by working it around your face, that helps it get into the pores and your skin a bit better.

I like to use the honey as a light mask, so I leave it on my face for a few minutes.  In the mornings I put it on before I get in the shower. That way it sits on my face for a few minutes while I’m dry brushing.  I like the way my skin feels after having the honey on for that extra time.

In the evening, I’ll put it on and read a few pages in my book or do some chores (putting away laundry for example) before washing it off.

I still tone and moisturize afterwards.  Some folks on Crunchy Betty’s site have mentioned that they do not need to tone or moisturize after the wash.  My skin tends to feel a bit tight if I forget that step.  I have noticed that I need less moisturizer though now.  Just a week bit goes a long way!

Have you been dutifully washing your face for a week with raw honey?  Have you noticed any changes?

Also, Crunchy Betty posted how to remove makeup with honey so be sure to swing over and check that out!

Honey Face Wash Challenge

10 Comments

Along with incorporating real whole foods into my diet, I also have started researching how to incorporate that into my skin as well.

Confused?

We are what we eat, in more ways than one.  It’s not only important what we choose to feed ourselves but it’s also important how we choose to feed and nourish our skin.  I’ve started looking more into natural skin care and beauty products because if I’m not going to eat chemicals and hormones, why would I put that on my body?

I’ll have another post detailing how I got to this point and what it means to me.  For now we need to talk about the Honey Face Wash Challenge that I’ve signed on to do at Crunchy Betty’s.

Her blog is my current obsession.  For those of us just starting out and dipping our toes into the all natural skin care world, it’s a HUGE resource of information, tips, and recipes. Plus the author actually takes time to respond to comments and tweets, which is a plus!

In my research for an all natural face wash, I was put off by most of the recipes for several reasons.

  • Everything had to be surgical sterile that was used to create the face wash.
  • It only made enough to last a few days.
  • You had to keep it in the fridge.

Okay, no, no, and no.  At this stage of the game I really don’t want to have to prep my kitchen like I’m going to preform brain surgery just for something to wash my face.  If I make something, I want a huge batch of it. Keeping it in the fridge is annoying because that means I would have to remember to pull it out and take it up to the shower with me.

The chances of me forgetting to do that are high.

Then I stumbled onto Crunchy Betty’s challenge and fell in love.  Hard.

All you need is honey and water.  No sterile equipment, no small batches, and no need to keep it in the fridge.  In fact it can stay in the bathroom!

Hooray!

It could not be easier either:

  1. Put honey on face.
  2. Rinse off with water.
  3. Done.

I am in! So I signed up for her two week challenge.  I was two days behind when I signed up but I’ll make those up at the end.  I took a before picture for recording purposes.

Fresh outta the shower and no makeup on (You’ve seen me like this before, all racing photos of me are makeup free). Honestly this is how I look most of the time.  Makeup is a pain and I dislike wearing it.  I only wear it for functions and if I’m out to dinner, for example.  Otherwise this is standard Andrea right here.

Now I will say that this isn’t a “true” before picture because at this point I had used the honey twice on my face already for a wash.

It was amazing!  I can’t even believe how awesome it was.  Please follow the link to Betty’s so you can read all about the challenge and learn about honey.  You’ll need raw honey for this challenge and you can find that at your local health food store or your local farmer’s market.

I’m prone to breakouts either when I’m stressed or when it’s around my period (we’re all adults, you can handle the talk).  If both happen at the same time, watch out!  At 34, I have to tell you that I’m tired of dealing with pimples.  Honey is supposed to help with this.

Only after two washes I can tell that:

  • My skin was tighter and fresher looking.
  • My skin tone was evened out.
  • My skin was very soft.
  • Oil was under control.

I don’t have “oily” skin but I do have skin that is naturally oily.  Meaning, it’s got plenty of good oil without being too much.

I like to leave the honey on for a few minutes before washing off.  When I use this, my skin feels the cleanest it’s ever felt. My $30 face wash that I had been using doesn’t even come close.

For right now, this is to be used only on skin that doesn’t have makeup on it.  So probably your first wash of the day.  If you don’t wear makeup anyway, (like me, most times I do not), you can wash twice a day with it.

So what do you think? You want to take the challenge with me? Can’t hurt to try something new, right?