10 Unusual Uses for Honey

When you think of honey you probably think of a big sticky mess. But there are so many wonderful, unusual uses for honey that make this sticky stuff worth all the trouble. Honey has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties which makes it fabulous to use for skin care. It’s also rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. And really, it’s not actually as sticky as you think. Here are some of our favorite unusual uses for honey.

1. Wash Your Face – While it may sound strange, honey is an excellent way to wash your face. Honey has natural antibacterial properties and contains vitamins and antioxidants that are great for your skin. Plus, honey is gentler on skin that soaps. To wash your face, just wet your face with warm water. Then put about a teaspoon of raw honey in your hands. Massage the honey into your skin. You can either rinse immediately with warm water or leave on for 5 minutes for deep cleansing.

2. Body Scrub – Honey is the perfect addition to your homemade body scrub. It brings natural moisturizing properties to your mix and will help you have brighter, healthier skin. My favorite way to use it is in this Brown Sugar & Honey Body Scrub!

3. Strengthen Your Hair – Raw honey is great for moisturizing your scalp. It also helps prevent dandruff and leaves hair silky smooth. Simply mix 1 tablespoon of raw honey with 2-3 tablespoons of warm water. Do this in a small mason jar or bottle and shake until the honey dissolves. Add essential oils like Lavender for scent and other benefits. Then use it like you would regular shampoo. You can also just add a teaspoon of honey to your regular shampoo every once in a while.

4. Moisturize Cuticles – If your cuticles need a little moisturizing love, mix 1 teaspoon each of raw honey, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar. Rub this mixture into your cuticles and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then rinse.

5. Use as Lip Balm – Homemade Lip Balm is one of the easiest beauty products to make yourself. When you add a little honey to your recipe, you have soft, smooth lips and a lingering sweetness. Here’s one recipe to try for Honey Lemon Lip Balm.

6. Treat Cuts & Burns – Thanks to it’s antibacterial properties, honey is an excellent option to help speed recovery from cuts and burns. Most people agree that Raw Honey is best for treating cuts and burns and that Manuka Honey is even better. You probably won’t see that same results if you just use plain-ole, regular honey.

7. Tackle Seasonal Allergies – Some research shows that trace amounts of pollen in local honey can increase your immunity to pollen. If you are a seasonal allergy sufferer, try taking a few teaspoons of local honey and see if over time your symptoms improve. Just make sure you find and use local honey. Farmer’s Markets are a great resource.

8. Sore Throat & Cough Remedy – Honey is an excellent natural cough medicine. Just take a spoonful of raw honey to coat the throat and help relieve a cough or sore throat. If you are extra ambitious, you can even make homemade honey throat drops or homemade cough syrup with honey.

9. Get Rid Of Hiccups – You’ve heard that a spoonful of sugar can often get rid of hiccups. Honey acts the same way. So if you are looking for a more natural hiccup remedy for the kids, give them a small spoonful of raw honey.

10. Get Rid of Bad Breath – Thanks to it’s antibacterial properties a honey gargle is a great way to eliminate bacteria in your mouth that can be a cause for bad breath. Just mix one teaspoon of honey with 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 cup warm water. Use this to gargle in the morning and evening, if necessary.

What is your favorite unusual use for honey? I’d love to hear more fabulous ideas!