August 17th is World Honey Bee Day, and it puts the focus right where it should be, helping save these incredibly important little creatures. You know how important bees are for the health of the environment, but did you know that bees can also improve the health of your hair? It’s the honey that does it, and it’s phenomenal.

How honey helps your hair

If you’ve never considered putting honey in your hair, it’s time that you do because you’re missing out on a ton of hair benefits.

1. Emollient

Honey is an emollient, meaning it soothes and softens your skin and hair. When there isn’t enough moisture in the air, emollients can help fill in the open spaces with lipids. This results in a softer and smoother finish.

2. Humectant

The emollient nature of honey can smooth out hair follicles and add shine, and the humectant properties bond with water to bring much-needed moisture to dry strands. This is the best of both worlds.

3. Antioxidant

Working as an antioxidant, honey can protect your hair and scalp by giving it the power it needs to fight free radical damage caused by oxidation.

4. Antibacterial

If you have little white pimples on your scalp and skin, it could be that you have a minor infection called folliculitis and not a bad case of acne. The antibacterial nature of honey makes this a perfect tool in your efforts to fight any infections on your scalp.

5. Antiseptic

Working as an antiseptic, honey not only fights infections, but it can also soothe skin issues. If you’re someone who suffers from eczema or psoriasis, you’ll appreciate this. Even people with dandruff will love how it soothes the itch.

6. Cleaning agent

Honey is excellent at cleaning your hair follicles and removing impurities. Slight clogging like this can really hinder your hair growth potential. Once the follicle is free of debris, your hair is able to grow to its potential.

7. Promotes cell growth

A 2013 study looked at the benefits of honey and found that it can promote the growth of epithelial cells. These cells are key in your scalp and hair growth, which makes honey a great help for hair growth.

8. Conditioning

The goal of a good conditioner is to restore moisture to your hair. Honey is an emollient and a humectant, making it a perfect agent for restoring and maintaining moisture. Not only that, but it’s full of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other compounds that nourish your hair.

With all of those benefits going for honey, why isn’t it in every haircare product you own? Well, it doesn’t need to be. What will help is a regular honey-based hair mask that will give your hair the moisture and shine it so richly deserves.

DIY honey hair masks

These do-it-yourself honey-based hair masks are incredible. Try one or try them all, and see how luxe your hair can be.

Honey olive oil hair mask

Pairing honey with the moisture-adding power of olive oil and the proteins in buttermilk is just the right recipe for moist, nourished hair.

Ingredients:

Half cup of honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Blend the honey and olive oil together and microwave for about 30 seconds. Once the mixture has cooled, add the buttermilk and stir well. Apply mixture evenly to your hair and scalp and let it sit for about 30 minutes. It’s best to wear a shower cap to prevent dripping and drape your shoulders in an old towel.

When you’re done with your mask, rinse clean with warm water and then shampoo and condition like normal.

Egg and honey hair mask

This time you’ll give your hair a powerful one-two punch of moisturizing honey and protein-filled eggs.

Ingredients:

2 whole eggs
1 cup honey

Directions:

Beat the two eggs, and slowly add the honey while continuing to beat. You want the end result to have a smooth consistency.

Apply the mixture to your hair, starting at the roots and working down to the ends.
Once again, a shower cap and an old towel can help keep the mask in place. After about 20 minutes, rinse, shampoo, and condition.

Final thoughts

Honey is a pretty miraculous substance, and it’s hard to believe that all of that nutrition and those powerful hair-healthy qualities come from bees. But it’s true, and it’s a testament to how important bees are to our lives, in big and small ways.

Support your local honey farmers by picking up some local honey for your next snack, and make your hair look more fantastic than it ever has before.