Want Glowing Skin? Try This Milk and Honey Face Mask

The use of milk and honey in beauty treatments dates back to the time of Cleopatra. She is famously known for taking milk and honey baths to keep her skin beautiful. Perhaps this was the secret to the mesmerizing spell of one of the most wanted women of all time.

What can milk and honey do for your skin? Both contain antimicrobial properties, so together they make an excellent cleanser for the skin. The lactic acid in milk is an alpha-hydroxy acid that naturally eats away dead skin cells.

Honey helps open the pores to better clear away dirt. Because honey is antibacterial, it is very effective in the prevention and treatment of acne. Honey also moisturizes the skin and is a humectant, actually drawing moisture to the skin.

If you want glowing skin, milk and honey are a perfect combination to use. Many spas offer versions of milk and honey body treatments, but you do not need to go to the spa to enjoy this skin miracle. Here is a simple recipe you can mix up at home to truly pamper your skin and yourself!

The lavender buds used in this recipe are mostly for aromatherapy, but lavender itself is soothing to irritated and dry skin. Plus, lavender, like honey, contains antioxidants that fight aging and help contribute to glowing skin.

This mask can be customized to your skin's needs. The final add-in can be your choice of oats, almonds, or coffee.

Choose oats if you would like a gentle, cleansing mask that soothes the skin. Oats contain a naturally occurring chemical called saponins. Saponins are found in many plants and are added to beauty products for extra foaminess. This foamy nature lifts and washes away dirt. Plus, the oats are softening and exfoliating.

Mix in almonds if you would like a polishing mask that brightens the skin. Ground almonds gently exfoliate the skin and contain healthy fats to balance the skin's natural oils.

Go with coffee if you would like a mask that will tighten and detox the skin. The caffeine in the coffee helps tighten the skin and aids blood circulation so that skin appears smoother and more toned. Ground coffee also exfoliates.

Set aside an hour of me-time to mix, use, and enjoy the effects of this body mask. This recipe makes approximately two full-body masks. Keep the unused portion in the refrigerator. Use within one to two days.

Supplies:

• High-speed blender
• Measuring cups
• Rubber spatula
• Mixing bowl
• Fork or whisk

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dried lavender buds (if using frozen, thaw completely)
• 1/2 cup raw Eastern Shore Honey
• 1/2 cup raw or whole milk
• 1/2 cup ground oats (use a coffee grinder or mini-chopper to coarsely grind oats), or ½ cup ground almonds or almond meal, or ½ cup ground coffee

Directions:

1. Measure the first three ingredients and add them to the blender.

2. Blend until ingredients are mixed well.

3. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl.

4. Add your choice of ground oats, almonds, or coffee.