Raw honey may have benefits when applied to the skin, including reducing bacteria, exfoliating, and speeding up the healing process.

Honey is the sweet, sticky substance that bees produce and store in hives.

In its natural form, honey is produced by enzyme activity, plant matter, and live bacteria, which combine to create a powerful ingredient with a multitude of practical uses.

The unique process that creates honey makes it especially valuable for cosmetic uses, such as clearing acne, healing scars, and evening out skin tone.

Raw, unpasteurized honey has the most potential for topical application on skin. Keep reading to find out how honey can be applied to your face and help your skin.

Raw honey shows promising results for many skin conditions, such as infections, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, necrotizing fasciitis, and ulcers.

Honey is packed with components that may be beneficial for your skin, including phytochemicals. However, it’s important to note that many studies have only been carried out on mice or in vitro, so it’s unclear whether the phytochemicals in honey will have the same benefits in humans.

Manuka honey is thought to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Indeed, medical-grade honey is often used to manage wound infections.

Manuka Health suggests their face serum of Manuka honey, royal jelly, and bee venom may improve fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, hyperpigmentation, dryness, and skin health in a 2025 study. The study saw improvements from week 2.

Applying honey to your face is fairly simple, though there are different ways to do it.

Honey for face acne, psoriasis, and eczema

Honey can be used to help treat chronic skin conditions as a paste, spot-treated, or as a face maskleft on for several minutes. A 2023 study suggests manuka honey can activate certain skin components that may reduce inflammation, which may have implications for allergic skin diseases.

The most important thing about using honey to treat these conditions is to use unpasteurized honey, such as manuka honey.

To be effective, the honey you use must still contain its healthy bacteria. This will activate your immune system, help with inflammation and redness, and heal blemishes.

One way to use honey for your face is to mix it with other ingredients to create a soothing face mask treatment. Before doing this, make sure to do a patch test of the honey and any other ingredients to ensure you won’t have an allergic reaction.

Allergy warning

If you have allergic reactions to pollen, celery, or other bee-related products, steer clear of using honey on your skin.

A mixture of raw honey and cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant and antimicrobial combination.

  1. Mix three parts honey and one part freshly ground or pure cinnamon (“true” cinnamon).
  2. Warm the mixture slightly in the microwave.
  3. Apply to your skin and leave it on for 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Rinse off completely using warm water and pat your skin dry.

Don’t use if you’re allergic to cinnamon.

If you have severe skin conditions, be extra cautious. Honey may not suit your skin condition, and it’s a good idea to speak with a doctor or dermatologist first for personalized advice.

Honey for skin lightening and brightening

Research hasn’t shown that honey can lighten dark spots.

But since honey has exfoliating properties, using it on your face can eliminate dead and dry skin cells that make your skin look dull. This could help make your skin appear brighter as it reveals new skin cells underneath.

After washing your face with soap and water, apply manuka honey or another variety of unpasteurized, raw honey to your face. If you’d like, dilute the honey with purified water to make it less sticky and easier to remove.

Leave the honey on your skin for several minutes before rinsing off.

Honey for scar fading

Honey helps your body’s healing process, which may help fade acne scars. You can use honey as a spot treatment on scars, applying it as a paste every day or every other day at the site of your scarring.

You may also see results if you use honey face masks as a part of your beauty routine, as described above. Keep in mind that research on honey is limited.

Honey is unlikely to cause an allergic reaction in most people. Use these remedies with caution if you have any known allergies to:

Always test new products on a small, minimally visible area of your skin first.

Make sure to remove any honey from your face before you go to bed. Honey left on your face can attract dust and other debris, which could worsen an active breakout.

Using raw honey on your face may help with acne, scarring, and dull or dry skin.

Raw honey is more expensive than other kinds of honey, but it’s relatively inexpensive compared to other skin cosmetics for your face.

As long as you don’t have an allergy, there’s little reason not to give it a try.