Milk & Honey, Cleopatra & Poppea

Cleopatra and Poppea

Legendary beauties have used milk and honey as part of their skin and hair care treatments for millennia.
Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, was known for her exquisite complexion and famous for her milk and honey baths. Poppea, wife of Roman Emperor Nero, used a honey and milk lotion on her face to keep her looking youthful.
By the time cosmetics were beginning to be mass produced in the late 1800s, honey was a popular ingredient. Today, manufacturers are increasingly using honey in skin moisturisers, facial masks, hair conditioners and shower gels in response to consumer demand for more natural formulations. They are also ideal ingredients to mix up some beauty treatments at home.
Though Cleopatra and Poppea were born beautiful, they realised that natural beauty can be preserved through the application of products. Though they weren’t aware of the science, they were using two of nature’s most skin-beautifying ingredients.
The lactic acid in milk is an alpha hydroxy acid, which helps to cleanse and exfoliate the deepest layers of the skin. Milk works like a gentle glycolic peel, which results in smoother, clearer skin.

The health properties of milk and honey

Honey has an abundance of health properties. First of all, it is composed of sugars such as glucose and fructose, so it is also a gentle alpha hydroxy acid, like milk. It’s made up of both minerals and vitamins to help nourish and heal the skin.
Since honey also contains phytochemicals that kill viruses, bacteria and fungus, it has a natural anti-inflammatory effect, which heals spots and wounds quickly. This makes honey a good substitute for wound dressings. All-natural honey is an effective treatment for minor abrasions and burns. A recent review of medical research documents its effectiveness as an antimicrobial agent.
The skin’s ability to stay hydrated is an important factor in its ability to maintain softness, suppleness and elasticity. As skin ages, or as it is exposed to environmental stresses and chemical agents, it loses this ability to retain water, becomes dry and appears wrinkled. Honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains water. This makes it particularly suitable for s variety of moisturising products including cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners. Because honey is also an anti-irritant, it is suitable for sensitive skin and baby care products.