Honey: From Good Eats to DIY Beauty Ingredient

Ok, this isn’t entirely about Good Eats, but bare with me, it’s definitely good…

When we think of honey, we think of the nutritional value of this natural product. I personally almost always think of the many spoons of honey and lemon juice my grandmother, mother and aunts would give me any time I showed any signs of coming down with a cold.

At an event I recently attended, hosted by The National Honey Board,  we feasted on the food by Michael Suppa, Executive Chef at Todd English’s Food Hall at The Plaza; all perfectly prepared using honey, whether as a sweetener or as a complimentary ingredient.

So, it’s easy to think of honey as a medicinal or nutritional ingredient but not many of us actually know about its value as a beauty ingredient.

Well, I didn’t until that evening. The event wasn’t just a highlight of how honey can be used in the culinary world, but also in beauty treatments. And to speak to us all about this was none other than Gretta Monahan, a leading beauty expert, style maven and renowned spa owner, who’s experience and knowledge has earner her many accolades in the celebrity world as well as through her many spas throughout the country.

I loved Gretta. She’s approachable, sweet, and incredibly gorgeous. The event was held at the very glamorous Caudalie Spa at The Plaza Hotel. While we sampled some of the spa’s divine bourdeux, straight from the Caudalie vineyard in France – presented to us by Cliff Rimes, Sommelier – Gretta spoke to us about the many ways honey, an easily attainable ingredient and seen almost in every home, can be used as an effective beauty ingredient. Best of all, she gave us recipes that we could all try, and we even got a chance to mix one of Gretta’s very own honey-infused facial masks!

Now, I don’t know about you, but I love this stuff. As a busy, often traveling, mom of three boys, I rarely have time to sit at a salon or treat myself to hour-long spa treatments. In addition, I don’t always have the extra cash to spend treating myself to expensive, high-end products. So in-home, DIY beauty treatments are things totally up my alley, and I was delighted to test them out in such a beautiful place, with a celebrity stylist right there to guide me through the process.

I didn’t even care that of all the writers present, all of which were beauty writers and editors, I was the only one willing to do so.

I mixed all the ingredients per Gretta’s specification, pouring in what she calls “the liquid gold” (honey), pulled my hair back in a pony-tail, wiped the make up off and started spreading the thick mix on my face.

It felt cold at first and then within about 10-15 minutes or so, it started to dry and harden, at which point it was time to wash it off.

Ok, well, silly me didn’t get an after photo, but I can promise you that my face looked and felt wonderful! I could feel it firmer and everyone, including the lovely Mr. Rimes, ooh’d and ahh’d at what a beautiful glow I had.

So, though this isn’t “technically” a Good Eats post, it is most definitely how you can use a Good Eats ingredient, like honey, and other every day natural products from your own kitchen to mix up ingredients to help you look and feel better.

I wanted to share some of those with you, starting with the facial mask recipe I tried and will definitely continue to use here at home:

Gretta Monahan’s Honey Infused Facial

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Makes 1 treatment

1 Tbsp honey (cleanses and moisturizes)

1/4 cup of oatmeal (rich in Vitamin E and soothes)

3 Tbsp plain yogurt* (softens and smooths)

1. Finely grind oatmeal using a blender or food processor; set aside

2. Using a spatula, stir together honey and yogurt in a small bowl.

3. Add the finely ground oatmeal to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Consistency should be smooth (so if you need to add a tad more honey feel free).

4. Apply mixture to face and neck. Leave it on the skin for 10-15 minutes.

5. Rinse with warm water.

*Plain Greek yogurt optional

You will love how your face feels and looks! Gretta suggests you do this at least once a week. I say if you feel your face needs a little “pick me up” this is it!

Other great DIY pampering recipes she shared were:

Milk & Honey Bath

Pour 1/3 cup of honey and 1 1/2 cup of milk into warm/hot bath water. TIP: Warm the milk a bit after taking from refrgirator before adding to the bath so it doesn’t cool the water down.

Honey Hair Rinse

Mix 1 teaspoon of honey and 3 1/2 cups of warm water – shake together in a lidded jar to mix well. Shampoo hair then pour over your locks but do not rinse. Towel dry and style as usual.

Honey Body Scrub

Mix 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of sesame or jojoba oil, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of vitamin E together in a bowl. Apply to dampened skin in circular sweeps to exfoliate your body, paying attention to dry areas such as knees, ankles/feet and elbows. If the mix is too rough add more oil or honey.

The National Honey Board has an endless list of both beauty and culinary recipes on their site at www.honey.com

For more information on Gretta Monahan, read up on her tips, her entreprenueural ventures and where she will be appearing next, visit her site at www.GrettaStyle.com

To learn more about the Caudelie Spa at The Plaza Hotel and Todd English’s Food Hall, also at the Plaza, visit The Plaza’s website at www.ThePlaza.com.

Recipes courtesy of Gretta Monahan for the National Honey Board.

Photo of me courtesy of The National Honey Board.

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Tags: food, free activities
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