Last month we told you about local entrepreneur Eve Blair, who recently began selling her “honey superfood,” HoneyMed  at the 30A FARMERS’ MARKET at Rosemary Beach and Grand Boulevard, as well as online. The all-natural blend was inspired by a traditional Russian folk medicine. Well, Blair is also a licensed esthetician. So this month, to complement our Natural Beauty theme, she shares five simple folk recipes using honey, citrus, olive oil and essential oils to boost the health of the skin, hair and nails and the entire body.

Vitality Elixir 

La dolce vita, or “the sweet life,” is how we often refer to our blessed lifestyle here on the sugar-white sand beaches of the Emerald Coast. This year, however, has brought a distinctly sour taste, leaving most of us feeling anxious, tired, stressed out and depleted. Luckily, Mother Nature still bountifully provides for her ungrateful children, and these healing gifts are within reach. So when life gives you lemons, add raw honey with superfoods to make Vitality Elixir.

What may sound like a complex concoction is nothing but our good old friend lemon water, elevated to another level with HoneyMed—locally sourced raw honey blended with superfood spices. Lemon water is long known for its energizing, detoxifying and alkalizing effects on the body. Add the nutrient-rich, unpasteurized honey with anti-inflammatory turmeric, gut-soothing ginger and bacteria-fighting cayenne pepper, and you have a perfect drink to start your day. 

All you need to prepare it is a cup of warm water, a wedge of lemon and a teaspoon of HoneyMed. Stir it up and sip slowly on an empty stomach every morning or before going to bed each night, and watch your body start transforming from within. 

Instant Skin Tonic

After you squeeze the lemon into your Vitality Elixir, instead of rinsing the juice off your fingertips, pat it over your face and hands in a gentle tapping motion. Lemon juice tightens your skin, minimizes pores and lightens dark spots. Just don’t forget to follow up with moisturizer and sunblock before going outside.

“Eat Me” Body Scrub

If your honey becomes crystallized, don’t throw it away. Instead, make a body scrub so delicious you’ll want to eat it—which is also totally fine. Crystallized honey is perfect for gentle exfoliation before a bath or shower. Apply in circular motion all over your face and body (avoiding the eyes), and leave it on for up to 30 minutes before rinsing off. Your skin will feel so smooth and nourished, you may not even need to moisturize. Non-crystallized liquid honey can also work as an exfoliant if you add a pinch of baking soda as a soft scrubbing agent. 

 Lemon-Honey Hair Mask

While enjoying a bath or lounging around the house, you may as well give a little loving to your locks. In addition to lemon juice and honey, you will need olive oil and a few drops of essential oil for extra goodness and natural fragrance. (I like rosemary essential oil for its beneficial effect on the hair.) Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and massage into dry hair from roots to ends. Leave on for 20 to 30 minutes before thoroughly shampooing. After this treatment, your hair should feel soft and shiny. 

Strong As Nails

Another super-simple recipe for stronger, brighter nails and softer, more youthful skin on your hands is lemon juice mixed with warm olive oil. Thoroughly massage this mixture on your hands and nails at night and slip into a pair of cotton gloves for better product absorption. You’ll see rewarding results in the morning. 

All the above recipes are wonderfully simple, tried and true, and affordable, which makes it easy to repeat them regularly. Taking care of your body doesn’t need to be expensive and time-consuming. It should bring you joy and relaxation, resulting in a more youthful and nurtured appearance.

For more information about HoneyMed, visit HoneyMedBiz.com.