Acne is a skin problem that results from oils trapped in pores in a person's skin, especially on the face, neck or back. The oils irritate the skin, causing red, painful spots, which can become infected by microbes. Some acne sufferers have found honey to be an effective natural remedy, the Acne Free Now website notes, due to its properties as a humectant --- meaning it attracts and retains moisture like the oils which cause acne. A variety of honey mixtures can be used as a topical mask to alleviate acne problems.
Plain Honey
Apply honey directly to the affected area of skin without any mixture. This is an easy starting point to see if honey is effective to treat your acne. It can be helpful to rub salt water onto the affected area with a cotton ball before applying the honey, Acne Free Now notes, but this is not crucial. Leave the honey on the skin for about 10 minutes, then rinse it off with clean water and pat dry.
Honey and Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a popular mixing ingredient for honey acne treatments. About three or four tablespoons of cinnamon powder is appropriate for a mask large enough for the entire face, the Organic Facts website reports. Mix with enough honey to make a viscous paste, apply to the affected area and leave overnight. You should notice results after two weeks if the treatment is effective.
Honey and Egg White
For this more-complicated mask, mix one tablespoon of honey, one egg white and one teaspoon of glycerin with enough flour to stir the mixture into a paste. This mask should be applied to hydrated skin --- just after a shower, for example --- and left on for about 10 minutes. Wash the mask off with clean water and pat dry.
Honey and Aloe Vera
Combine one tablespoon of aloe vera pulp or juice with one tablespoon of honey and mix uniformly. Apply the paste to the affected area overnight. Alternately, also mix in one tablespoon of kelp powder, a natural detoxifier, for faster results.
Commercial Honey-Based Treatments
An alternative to mixing your own honey mask is using cosmetic products that contain honey. According to the World of Honey website, there are numerous skin ointments and lotions available to treat acne, each with its own set of pros and cons. Honey products have several advantages over home mixtures: They are already mixed, so application is easier; they tend to be neater and easier to clean up; and because they're professionally formulated, results tend to be faster. A common disadvantage is that, like a lot of cosmetic products, they're often rather expensive.
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