CLEOPATRA TOOK baths in honey and the wife of the Roman Emperor Nero, Poppea used honey on her face to keep it youthful. Moreover, for centuries, ancient Mayans, Aztec and the Incans used avocados as a wonderful beauty aid. Today, honey and avocados are used in skin moisturizers, facial masks, hair conditioners, and shower gels. Instead of using honey and avocado as food, did you know that they are one of the oldest and most effective beauty secrets?

Staying hydrated is the key! 

 Honey maintains softness, suppleness, and elasticity. As the skin ages and gets exposed to environmental stresses, it starts to lose its moisture and becomes dry and appears wrinkled. Honey could be a humectant, meaning that will attract and retain water. So here’s your answer, HONEY is the natural moisturizer!

<Honey Facial Mask>
Ingredients:
- One tablespoon of honey
- One egg white
- One teaspoon of glycerin
- Flour
Directions:
   Whisk one tablespoon of honey, one egg white, one teaspoon of glycerin and enough flour to form a paste. Smooth all over face and leave it on for ten minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

Honey a natural acne treatment? 

 Honey makes a great remedy for treating minor acne! According to Janice Cox, the author of Natural Beauty at Home, “Honey’s antimicrobial properties make it useful for the treatment of minor acne flare-ups. Also, unlike some acne treatments, honey does not dry the skin.”

<For minor acne>
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of warm water
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- One Cotton ball
- One Cotton swab
Directions:
   Mix 1/2 cup of warm water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, then use a cotton ball and apply directly onto the blemish. Add pressure onto the blemish for a few minutes then use a cotton swab to dab honey onto blemish. Leave it on for ten minutes, and finally rinse with warm water and pat dry. 

<Cleansing Scrub>
Ingredients:
- One tablespoon of honey
- Two tablespoons of grounded almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
Directions:
   Mix one tablespoon of honey together with two tablespoons of ground almonds and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Then gently rub the mixture onto your face, and then rinse with warm water.

Avocado a treasure of nutrients! 

   An avocado contains dietary fiber, vitamin B6, C, E, potassium, magnesium and foliates. They are cholesterol and sodium free as well! So it makes them a great source of monounsaturated fat. This monounsaturated fat provides essential fatty acids for healthy skin as well as the development of body cells.

<Avocado Carrot Cream Mask>
Ingredients:
- One avocado
- One cooked carrot
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream
- One egg
- Three tablespoons of honey
Directions:
   Combine all of the ingredients, mix and mash until they become smooth. Then gently spread the finished product all over your face and leave it for 15 minutes. Then rinse with cold water and subsequently apply with your toner. 

   Avocados are known to increase collagen compounds in skin cells and prevent people from aging. It is the only fruit that contains adequate amounts of oil, so it can capture moisture in the skin cells. Also, avocado has a substantial amount of minerals. For these reasons, it is the key to keep your skin hydrated.

<Puffy Eyes recommended!>
Ingredients:
- Peeled and sliced avocados
Directions:
   Place the crescent-shaped avocados under each eye and rest for 20 minutes and you WILL see the results right away.

<Shiny and Soft Hair Treatment>
Ingredients:
- One avocado
- One egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
Directions:
   Mash the avocado then mix with the egg yolk and 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Then apply the substance onto hair and let it sit for 30 minutes or longer. Then shampoo and condition as usual.

   Currently, people are obsessed with a “well-being” lifestyle. Luckily, honey and avocados are all natural ingredients! Let’s hear what these two professionals had to say about the effects of natural ingredients…

Professional interview 1 : “Back to Nature?”

Dr. Haam Iic Byeong (CEO of Lee Ji-haam Skin Clinic (LJH))
  

  Nature is a field of motivation for everything we use in our daily lives. However, some chemical compounds utilized in cosmetics or artificial gourmet treatments, in fact, are from nature. For example, the origin of the artificial seasonings such as Miwon are a devil’s apron (dasima). The difference between artificial and natural is the rate that nutritive elements are absorbed into the body - natural ingredients are more effective for absorption.

Professional interview 2 : “Approach Natural Beauty”

   Natural ingredients are much more effective when compared to artificial ingredients, because chemical compounds usually are stimulating to the human body. Natural elements are also much safer than artificial ones which might cause side effects. It means that natural elements are skin-safe. Unlike natural ingredients, the results of attaching artificial ingredients might be totally different due to people’s skin types. That’s why Korean ancestors also used natural ingredients as mechanisms in Korean herb clinics. 

 
   Honey and avocado are not just great for food but also wonderful beauty aids! Since the new spring school year has begun, why not kick off the semester with wonderful skin? We hope that Yonseians will walk away with beautiful shinny skin as well as a great boost of confidence. Trust us, and you will be the new “top dog” on campus!