I’m a sucker for honey face masks. I mean, if you want to talk about one type of mask that does it all—moisturizes, exfoliates, brightens, repairs and calms—honey face masks are where it’s at! Here I give you a list of my top 5 store-bought honey face masks and their benefits. Ready to have glowing skin? Let’s dive in.
I mean, I’m even a sucker for just putting straight up manuka on my face and calling it a sesh. But if you’re still back at “did she just say honey on her face?”, let’s chat about why honey is great for glowing skin and then I’ll dive into some of my faves.
IN THIS POST
- How does honey help your face?
- Leahlani’s Meli Glow
- Laurel’s Honey Berry Enzyme Mask
- Me Time Botanicals Berry Bright Mask
- May Lindstrom’s Honey Mud
- LILFOX’s Jungle Glow
- Can you make your own honey mask?
- Common questions about honey masks for skin
How does honey help your face?
- Honey is naturally antiseptic and antimicrobial. (1, 3, 4, 5, 6)
2. Honey helps promote wound healing, which can be beneficial for sensitive skin, blemishes, irritation and more. This makes it helpful for any maskne you may be experiencing right now (raises hand). (8)
3. Honey draws moisture to the skin. (2, 7)
4. Honey is naturally anti-inflammatory, which can be very calming for maskne symptoms. (2, 5, 9)
RELATED: What’s the best skincare routine for your skin type? Check out our downloadable guide!
The best store-bought honey masks IMO
Leahlani’s Meli Glow | $54
It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with honey masks. I can often be found making my own or masking with straight Manuka. But nothing compares to a beautifully formulated honey mask like Meli Glow.
This mask is made with exotic fruits, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and stimulating clays. The directions say to leave it on for 5-15 minutes but because I’m extra like that, I could leave on all day. This is a ready-made mask so out of the jar it goes on thick (like honey) and works to draw in moisture and deliver nourishment while plumping cells, exfoliating, stimulating circulation and promoting even skin tone.
In other words, applying this mask is like buying two tickets to Glow City so if you are down with that—hook yourself up.
Ideal for dry combination or mature skin.
To apply: Start with a freshly cleansed face. Stir well to activate the crystals at the bottom of the jar. Massage 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (I usually use more) of Meli Glow into damp skin in gentle, circular motions. Leave on skin for 5-15 minutes before rinsing well with warm water.
Laurel’s Honey Berry Mask | $54
Honey Berry Enzyme Mask is designed to gently exfoliate via plant enzymes, as well as moisturize. And it will knock your ever-loving socks off.
With maturing skin, one of the number one things you need to keep in mind is hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! This will keep cells happy and plump. When cells get dry, they start to shrivel and wrinkle (WRINKLE!!!).
The other key is you want to keep skin renewed by routinely removing dead skin cells to help encourage cell turnover. This mask does both of these things and leaves my skin feeling plump, refreshed, hydrated and glowing. How does it do it?
Along with raw, organically farmed California honey, this mask adds in raw, organic raspberries, which are dense in vitamin C, high in enzymes + gentle acids help to exfoliate, lighten and brighten skin tone, scars and hyperpigmentation. At the same time, organic blueberries and aronia berry deliver superfood antioxidants; organic blackberries aid in collagen formation; and Hawaiian macadamia nut oil delivers vitamin E, tannins and essential fatty acids.
To apply: Moisten your face and hands. Apply 1 teaspoon or less of HBE Facial Mask to fingertips then glide and massage over damp clean skin. Leave on for 10-30 minutes then rinse. Exfoliating 1x per week is a good rule of thumb—although some people can handle more and some may need less.
RELATED: Want more fast-acting masking tips? Check out our recs for organic face masks.
Me Time Botanicals Berry Bright Mask | $33
A fruit smoothie for your skin, this mask takes on all your skincare woes by visibly brightening dull skin, calming breakouts, gently exfoliating and smoothing dull, textured skin.
Made in Charleston, SC, Berry Bright calls on local, raw honey to work the skin, while an organic berry blend of cranberry, blueberry and aronia delivers antioxidants, flavonoids, polyphenols, anthocyanin and vitamin A + C to strengthen collagen and fight free radicals.
Consider this a budget swap for Laurel’s Honey Berry Enzyme Mask. Leaves skin feeling glowy, plump, soft and fresh and hydrated.
I love this mask.
SAVE: Use code TNK15 for 15% off!
To apply: Dampen face and apply 1/2 teaspoon (I usually double that) of Berry Bright Exfoliating Mask. Massage onto face and throat. Leave on for 15-30 minutes.
May Lindstrom’s Honey Mud | $90
Girl. It’s back and better than ever. If you’ve never tried Honey Mud, one whiff of this pillowy pudding will send you over the edge!
The Honey Mud features a beautiful blend of raw honey, silver, white halloysite clay, exfoliating acid and aromatic plant oils to detox, exfoliate and hydrate.
I love that this mask can be classified as either a clay mask or a honey mask. Most clay masks I try, I hate because they just pull on my skin and dry it out. Not this one. You get the detoxing benefits of clay but also the hydrating, exfoliating and repairing benefits of honey.
On top of that, we also see newly added salicylic acid from wintergreen leaves for a boost of exfoliation.
To apply: Use this treatment as a mask leaving it on for up to an hour—or a cleanser applying it to damp skin so it emulsifies into a gorge silky cleansing milk. Get ready for soft, plump, glowing skin.
LILFOX’s Jungle Glow | $75
This 3-in-1 treatment is a cleanser, mask and exfoliator. It features raw, unprocessed, rainforest honey; antioxidant-rich raw, organic cacao; anti inflammatory and skin-plumping Brazilian maracuja oil; and kaolin clay to help cleanse and pull impurities from the skin.
It also contains finely ground rosehip seeds to provide the most gentle, manual exfoliation.
Love the smell of this product (calling all neroli lovers!) and my skin is left feeling plump, smooth and SOFT.
To apply: Use 1 teaspoon as a cleanser or leave it on for 45 minutes or so as a mask. Great for all skin types especially congested, acne, dull, dry, mature, and inflamed skin.
Can you make a face mask with honey?
YES, you can! If you want to try your hand at a homemade honey mask, I recommend this anti-inflammatory powerhouse that was featured in Better Homes and Gardens print magazine or this one-ingredient, fool-proof DIY honey mask.
What’s your favorite honey face mask?
Common questions about store-bought honey masks for skin
It can! Honey helps promote wound healing, which can be beneficial for sensitive skin, blemishes, irritation and more. This makes it helpful for any maskne you may be experiencing right now (raises hand).
Yes! Honey is naturally antiseptic and antimicrobial, and it draws moisture to the skin, making it helpful for combating dryness.
Honey is naturally anti-inflammatory, which can be very calming for irritation or blemishes. It also draws moisture to the skin, helping with plumping and dryness.
References:
- McLoone P, Warnock M, Fyfe L. Honey: A realistic antimicrobial for disorders of the skin. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection. 2016;49(2):161-167. doi:10.1016/j.jmii.2015.01.009
- Burlando B, Cornara L. Honey in dermatology and skin care: a review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2013;12(4):306-313. doi:10.1111/jocd.12058.
- Basualdo C, Sgroy V, Finola M, Marioli J. Comparison of the antibacterial activity of honey from different provenance against bacteria usually isolated from skin wounds. Vet Microbiol. 2007;124(3-4):375-381. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2007.04.039.
- Pasupuleti V, Sammugam L, Ramesh N, Gan S. Honey, Propolis, and Royal Jelly: A Comprehensive Review of Their Biological Actions and Health Benefits. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:1-21. doi:10.1155/2017/1259510.
- Nweze J, Olovo C, Innocent Nweze E, Okechukwu John O, Paul C. Therapeutic Properties of Honey. Honey Analysis – New Advances and Challenges. 2020. doi:10.5772/intechopen.86416
- Mandal M, Mandal S. Honey: its medicinal property and antibacterial activity. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2011;1(2):154-160. doi:10.1016/s2221-1691(11)60016-6.
- Pavlačková J, Egner P, Slavík R, Mokrejš P, Gál R. Hydration and Barrier Potential of Cosmetic Matrices with Bee Products. Molecules. 2020; 25(11):2510.
- McLoone, Pauline et al. Honey: A Therapeutic Agent for Disorders of the Skin. Central Asian journal of global health vol. 5,1 241. 4 Aug. 2016, doi:10.5195/cajgh.2016.241.
- Abd Jalil MA, Kasmuri AR, Hadi H. Stingless Bee Honey, the Natural Wound Healer: A Review. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2017;30(2):66-75. doi: 10.1159/000458416. Epub 2017 Mar 15. PMID: 28291965.
