8 Ways Honey Can Naturally Hype Up Your Hair Game
By: Nicole McCray
Looking for some sweet tips to hype your hair game naturally? Natural beauty products are all the rage these days and you can’t get much more natural than honey. Case in point, we can’t stop buzzing about the benefits of honey for hair. We all love honey for its sweet flavor, but these are eight ways it can help your hair, too
The first thing you need to know is that honey contains natural antioxidants that are great for the skin, so it’s fantastic for scalp health. A healthy scalp is essential for hair growth. Honey also contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other beneficial ingredients which further help to condition and restore moisture to the hair. Not only that, but honey conditioner further stimulates hair growth by bringing moisture to the hair follicles.
Another way honey can hype your hair game is by promoting the growth of skin cells, particularly epithelial skin cells. You may have heard that honey is being used to promote wound healing, but how does this benefit your hair? Well, the hair follicles in your scalp are made primarily of epithelial cells and keeping them healthy also promotes hair growth and overall health.
Honey is also fantastic for creating natural highlights without harsh chemicals. Honey contains an enzyme known as glucose oxidase, which produces hydrogen peroxide, a well-known hair lightener. But unlike chemical lighteners, honey is gentle and natural. It lightens hair over time. Since honey has natural emollient properties, it also leaves your hair softer, nourished, and smelling amazing!
Another reason honey is a superpower ingredient in your hair care routine is that it’s a natural humectant. That means it can draw moisture from the air into your hair, leaving it softer, shinier, and moisturized. Since it contains sugar, honey is amazing for retaining moisture in the hair over time and preventing breakage.
In addition to softening the hair and leaving behind a lovely scent, honey also has antibacterial properties. That means it can prevent an itchy scalp and prevent dandruff by protecting the scalp against bacteria and dryness.
If you’re looking for a natural way to boost the shine of your natural beach waves, honey can help you there, too. Honey is a natural emollient and humectant, so it smooths the hair follicles, reduces frizz, and restores life and shine to dull, lifeless tresses. It also clarifies and conditions, which means it leaves hair looking shinier and more luscious with every use.
Have you heard about the benefits of keratin for strengthening the hair and adding body? Keratin is an essential protein used in hair treatments intended to restore weak or brittle hair that’s been damaged by the sun or chemical processing. Well, it turns out that honey contains a small amount of this protein, and when combined with its other numerous beneficial compounds, it’s fantastic for preventing breakage and restoring strength to damaged hair.
In addition to its antioxidant and antibacterial benefits, honey also contains anti-inflammatory properties. Skin conditions that affect the scalp, such as eczema and psoriasis, can benefit from honey’s anti-inflammatory benefits. Antioxidants are also an essential part of the treatment for these conditions.
So, how can you incorporate this superpower ingredient into your daily hair care routine? The easiest way is to purchase high-quality, honey-infused haircare products. In addition to shampoo and conditioner, it’s commonly found in products that are targeted for damaged or curly hair, like hair oil, leave-in conditioners, and deep conditioning treatments.
It should come as no surprise that honey is commonly added to DIY hair treatments due to its many beneficial compounds and affordability. Of course, just like with any ingredient applied topically to the skin, it’s best to do a patch test on a small area before applying honey to your head. People who are allergic to bee pollen or honey should also avoid using honey topically.
Here are two DIY honey treatments for the hair and scalp you can use once a week.
Honey Deep Conditioning Hair Mask: Mix a teaspoon of honey with enough coconut oil to coat your hair. Warm it in the microwave for a few seconds and apply generously. Leave it in your hair for 10 minutes, then shampoo and condition as normal.
Honey Scalp Treatment: To make a honey treatment for your scalp, simply mix a tablespoon of honey with just enough warm water to make it less sticky. Massage the treatment into your scalp and leave it on for five minutes. Shampoo and condition as normal.