Honey, the deliciously sweet ingredient produced by buzzing bees, is fantastic for your skin.

It was likely the ancient Greeks who were the first to enjoy the natural beauty benefits of this sweet treat. They soon found that this natural sweetener makes the skin younger and supple. Yet the chemistry behind the benefit was likely unknown to them. Honey is a humectant, a molecule that helps other substances retain water, which means it brings moisture to the skin making it soft and bright.

In time honey was found to have other benefits. Not only does it help keep water where it should be, but honey is also a great antiseptic and antibacterial agent.

The natural amino acids within honey is what gives it its edge. Thanks to these, honey is even a wonderful cure for acne as it cleans out the pores and stops small, invasive impurities from growing on the skin.

Honey is also a natural sunscreen. Thanks to its antioxidant elements, it protects your skin from our sun's damaging UV rays. As a rule of thumb, the darker the honey, the higher its antioxidant content.

So if honey is so naturally effective at helping with skin beauty, why waste money on store-bought creams and moisturizers when the ingredients are right in your kitchen? Mix honey with a few other natural beautifying ingredients and you can cook up your own honey face masks! Start in the kitchen and you are well on your way to solving the problems of acne, scars, and even dark spots.

Making honey masks

There are limitless combinations of recipes for honey masks €"you can add just about anything naturally skin-healthy to honey to make your own homemade natural honey face masks.

Need help kick starting your recipe creativity? Start here:

Combine 1 tablespoon of raw, dark honey with 3 drops of lavender oil. Apply this mixture to your face and let it sit for 15 minutes. Make this part of your routine and enjoy the benefits of this cheap, natural honey face mask every day!

Have especially sensitive skin? Mix half a tablespoon of raw, dark honey with a half banana,cup of cooked oatmeal with a dash of milk, and one whole egg for an all natural mask that is gentle as can be. Follow the same time guidelines as above.

Bad acne got you down? There is a honey face mask recipe for that too. 2 tablespoons of honey and another 2 of milk, a whole squeezed lemon, 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt and a dash of warm water. Mix well and apply it to your face. Let it sit until it dries then gently remove with cool water.

Take the fight to acne's door with a natural honey face mask and a bit of tea tree oil. Add a couple drops of the oil to acup of honey, apply, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Tea tree oil's fantastic antiseptic and anti microbial elements will kick acne to the curb!

We've all heard of aloe vera and combining this naturally wonderful moisturizer with honey is the icing on the cake of any skin care routine! Suffer from itchiness, inflammation, or just a little redness? Just add a tablespoon of aloe vera to 1/8 cup of honey and leave it on your face for 10 minutes. Itchiness, redness, and inflammation are troublesome so do this routine daily and your friends are sure to take notice!

Tips for creating honey masks
All natural honey face masks are only as effective as the ingredients you put in them. Make sure you make your recipes with high quality, preferably organic ingredients, and prepare them just before use. Don't store them! Just make enough for a single use.

Raw honey is just that, so it needs to be filtered. Even sending the honey through a confection sifter is enough to remove the possible dust and pollen in raw honey.

Honey may not be the answer for everyone. Test your recipe on a small patch of unnoticeable skin to give you an idea of how sensitive your skin may be.

Honey is, as well all know, a bit of a sticky mess. But I'm sure you will agree that it is worth the effort to work with this sticky friend to achieve beautiful skin naturally. And don't forget the cost savings!

Honey face masks may take some time but they are worth the effort. For soft, younger-looking, and sweetly supple skin, honey is the ticket. Isn't it time you gave your favorite natural sweetener the job its been looking for?