Go Ahead Honey: A Face Mask Recipe by My Sister

Photo "by": Sarah Goertz

Sweet, delicious honey and seductive, ever-tempting coffee team up in my sister's latest homemade creation: honey-coffeebean face mask.

Honey keeps your skin hydrated by retaining moisture and preventing drying. It is an antioxidant and an antimicrobial agent, and can absorb toxins which may be just what you need in the case of a blemish. Honey can be used in sunscreens, baby care products and lotions, but if you don't know the way to mix it up properly you might not want to use honey in something that you won't be washing off. That's why this mask works.


Coffee is, of course, a great source of caffeine. This is nice when my friends want to start watching a movie at midnight, and it's also nice if you want to constrict blood vessels directly under the skin. This does a few things. In the case of your under eye area it can reduce puffiness and discolouration that make you appear tired (oh, let's be honest, that make me appear tired). When applied to chubby or pudgy skin it can smooth it even as far as reducing the look of cellulite. Coffee, like honey, is an antioxidant, but unlike honey it is rough in texture so it can act as an exfolliant, helping to remove dead skin cells and rejuvenating the look of skin. Coffee goes well with honey, even outside of the mug, because unfortunately coffee dehydrates cells so it needs the honey to bring moisture back. Remember, however much I endorse coffee, any overindulgence that damages your liver makes your skin looks worse and this includes heavy coffee drinking.

The instructions:

Mix together a heaping spoonful of fine ground coffee. Decaf will not do the trick. Using a liquid honey drizzled slowly into the mix, make a paste about the consistency of cake icing. Smear this mask concoction all over your face, avoiding the eyes. Leave on for ten minutes and rinse off, wiping with a soft cloth.

Remember, take care of your coffee and your coffee will take care of you. Crap, did I already use that one?