The use of honey in hair care is not new at all. Many naturals are already familiar with the humectant, mixing it into homemade conditioners and hair care products. But honey as a sort of shampoo!?! Now this use is not discussed as much.
I first learned of honey as a cleanser, a couple years ago, when I read this article on ConfessionsofaBlogVixen detailing the facial routine of model Dominique Stroman (pictured below). What she uses to cleanse her face are honey and brown sugar mixed together as a scrub followed by lemon juice as a toner. Her skin is gorgeous, so what can I say? Apparently honey is working for her (and it has also worked for women ages before our time). If honey can do no wrong as a gentle facial cleanser, perhaps it could do no wrong as a gentle hair cleanser?

Dominique Stroman
My โhoney shampooโ experience: The cleansing
After reading a few recipes for a honey โshampooโ, I mixed up my own to try for myself. I poured approximately 1 part organic honey and 2โ3 parts water into an applicator bottle and shook the mixture vigorously. Then I used it (on wet hair) as I would my regular diluted shampoo mix.

[LEFT] The homemade cleanser. [RIGHT] Product gunk โ conditioner, dirt โ after washing with the cleanser.
The experience continued: Soft hair, too!
After rinsing and blotting with a towel, my hair was incredibly soft, which was an unintended byproduct of the cleansing. It was easy to separate and detangle as well as very hydrated and smooth to the touch. I was doubly impressed!
In summary: Does it really work?
While I found no concrete research on honey as an effective cleanser, there are studies that support its antibacterial and healing properties[1, 2, 3], especially with regard to manuka honey and medical-grade honey on wound care. Additionally, a review of honey in skin/hair care shares that adding this substance to a shampoo โhas been reported to confer abundance to hairs (i.e., the hairs are less likely to hang together), lubricate, and make combing easier[3]โ. It is also apparent that the use of honey in dermatology is โundergoing considerable expansion[3].โ
Given my cleansing trial, Iโd say that using honey as a โshampooโ is very similar to using a cleansing conditioner. There is a gentle level of cleansing that is ideal for times when you donโt want to strip your hair of all its oils. It also leaves the hair feeling soft and hydrated (which are properties of humectants) making the hair more pliable for subsequent sealing and styling. However, when you do have major product buildup that you want to eliminate, then Iโd recommend using an actual shampoo, instead.
More recipes for honey shampoo
In my search for recipes, I found these three to be the most interesting, in case youโd like to try out honey cleansing for yourself. Keep in mind that the type of honey (manuka, refined vs. pure, etc.) does matter. Also, I highly recommend making enough for just one use or, at the very least, storing the remainder in your fridge:
3โINGREDIENT HONEY SHAMPOO
Ingredients:
3 tbsp filtered water
1 tbsp raw honey
few drops of essential oil (optional)
Instructions: Mix together thoroughly, wet hair, massage mixture into hair, then rinse out completely. (Recipe Source)
ORANGE AND VANILLA HONEY SHAMPOO
Ingredients:
1/2 cup castile soap
3/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup African black soap (or just more castile soap)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sweet orange essential oil
1 tsp vanilla essential oil
Instructions: Mix together thoroughly, wet hair, massage mixture into hair, then rinse out completely. (Recipe Source)
MOISTURIZING ALOE HONEY NO POO
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of pure aloe gel
2 tbsp pure honey
Instructions: Mix together thoroughly, wet hair, leave mixture on hair for a few minutes, then rinse out completely. (Recipe Source)
References:
[1]Carnwath R, Graham EM, Reynolds K, Pollock PJ. โThe antimicrobial activity of honey against common equine wound bacterial isolates.โ Vet J. 2014 Jan;199(1):110โ4.
[2] Al-Waili N, Salom K, Al-Ghamdi AA. โHoney for wound healing, ulcers, and burns; data supporting its use in clinical practice.โ Scientific World Journal. 2011 Apr 5;11:766โ87.
[3]Burlando B, Cornara L. โHoney in dermatology and skin care: a review.โ J Cosmet Dermatol. 2013 Dec;12(4):306โ13.
Have you tried honey cleansing? If so, what has been your experience?
Hmm. Impressive.
Nah never tried honey cleansing but now you mentioned, I might give it a try.
Might start adding honey to my face mud mask (rhassoul + jojoba oil). I also use honey as a deep conditioner and I love it! I usually mix it with kaolin clay which is gentle and can help cleanse the hair. Maybe next time, Iโll skip my shampoo and see how it works. Thanks!
P.S. My clay and honey recipes: http://puffpuffpoof.wordpress.com/?s=honey
My issue with using honey as a cleanser is the sugar residue that might be left in your hair afterwards. Iโd be afraid that cleansing with any sugar-based product could lead to scalp yeast infections (it happens, look it up). Thatโs the reason that years ago I started limiting the use of honey in my hair products even though itโs a great preservative and emulsifier.
Hmm, never thought about that. Do you think do a a ACV rinse after using honey shampoo would keep that in check?
When I searched โscalp yeast infectionsโ โscalp psoriasisโ kept on popping up. Hereโs some info suggesting that honey (mixed with olive oil and beeswax) can be effective against psoriasis: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15022655. This abstract might also be interesting to look at though it talks more about seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff (which are also fungal): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11485891 โThe patients were asked to apply diluted crude honey (90% honey diluted in warm water) every other day on the lesions with gentle rubbing for 2โ3 mins. Honey was left for 3 hr before gentle rinsing with warm water. โฆ All the patients responded markedly with application… Read more »
Thanks, Chinwe! Iโve steered clear from baking soda because it seems harsh but itโs always best to consult a doctor if you have a sensitive scalp and/or a condition.
Iโve been using honey for awhile. That added into my pre-poos with daily coconut oil use really made my hair grow pretty long in a year after I big chopped. Honey is the bomb dot com.
interesting
The only thing Iโd worry about with the usage of honey is the spoiling. It is, after all, a food product. I might consider adding a little bit to my hair products that already have preservatives in them and are meant to be washed out. What do you all think?
I add honey/raw honey to my conditioner all the time. I mix them together in a bowl with oils, add to my hair, then rinse out. It works great.
Honey doesnโt spoil
Honey itself does not spoil. However, mixing it with water will cause it spoil, no matter how pure the water. Thatโs why the author of this blog said to mix enough for one use. You can also store the mixture in the fridge but that might cause some brrrrrr in the shower! My daughter has been using honey instead of shampoo for quite some time and her hair is so beautiful. Her curls are more defined. We are Caucasian but have very curly hair. Back in the day, my brother had a โfro to rival Billy Prestonโs, tho light blonde ๐
Great Article! I used Honey for the whole month of June and half of July and my hair changed tremendously. It is so soft and detangling is a breeze! I used the Aloe recipe you listed, but I added 2 tsp. of Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. Even though Iโm no longer using it (until I can buy more) my hair is still soft and detangling is the easiest task.
Has anyone used honey as a leave in or mixed into their leave in hair products?
I havenโt used it as a leave in though there are companies that use honey in their leave-in products like Oyin and Qhemet. I think it would need to be diluted. Just like you wonโt apply just glycerin without mixing with water etc. Honey is a humectant so it will attract moistureโฆ
I still wouldnโt use just honey as a leave-in because I would worry that the smell may attract bugs or become sticky if I didnโt portion out correctly. Just my two cents ๐
Yes, yes, and YES!! My hair LOVES honeyโฆ Iโm finding more and more naturals who are embracing honey in their regimen too. Loves!! Here is a link to the article I wrote about my experience with honey as a cowash: http://www.thelittleinjenthatcould.com/honey-cowash/
I use to use plain honey to maintain my locks many years ago. I have seborrhea dermatitis and during those years my scalp was the healthiest it has ever been. My hair was absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for this article. I will be revisiting using honey again as a cleanser!
I used honey and coconut oil as a deep conditioner once ( heated it up) when I rinsed my hair was moisturized ad soft but the next day my hair was extremely dry! Do you guys think the honey did this? Oh and afterwards I did my leave in conditioner oils and butters.
IMO thatโs the coconut oil.
Try to mix honey with a different oil, same ratios and you will immediately find out whoโs the guilty one.
Honey + avocado oil.
If same results, try black molasses + coconut oil.
This is a great article!!! I use honey for hair,face and bodyscrubs :-)โฆand I am a licensed esesthetician. Apple cider vinegar works better ay removing build up. Check out my blog for some post on natural skin care routines http://www.janeybloggins.blogspot.com