I may have discovered a new friend in my ongoing battle to keep my skin healthy and glowing. I’m talking about bee pollen for acne, a nutrient dense superfood from the hive that is changing the rules when it comes to keeping your skin healthy. You could even say that bee pollen is the king of all superfoods as it provides virtually everything needed by the human body to stay healthy and balanced!
The beauty benefits of bee pollen for acne
As it turns out, bee pollen is full of anti-oxidants, fatty acids and beauty-boosting minerals such as zinc and silica!
- Anti-oxidants – Anti-oxidants protect the skin by limiting the production of free radicals, which can damage skin cells.
- Fatty acids – Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) cause healthy cell transference, which helps dissolves the fatty deposits that block pores and cause acne. They also work to repair the skin damaged by pimples and blemishes.
- Zinc – Zinc assists in the proper structure of proteins and cell membranes, improves wound healing, has anti-inflammatory effects, and protects against UV radiation.
- Silica – silica can be beneficial for skin hydration and slowing down the signs of skin ageing.
Another great acne fighting vitamin that you can find in bee pollen is vitamin B. It’s especially rich in vitamins B2, B3 and B5. Vitamin B5 is a great supplement for acne suffers, it supports skin healing and regeneration, especially when applied topically (see my bee pollen face mask below!).
Bee pollen is hugely versatile, you can use sprinkle them on top of your granola, incorporate them into your raw protein bars/balls, grind them into your smoothies (get my bee pollen smoothie here), mix it into a salad dressing or make up your own home-made face mask.
What about the sugar content of bee pollen?
Great news if you’re cutting back on the sugar to heal your acne (read this post here for all the reasons you need to quit the white stuff!) Bee pollen only contains 1.2g of natural sugar per tablespoon compared to 17g of natural sugar in 1 tablespoon on honey!
Raw Honey + Bee Pollen Face Mask
This is a great way to benefit from that all important vitamin B5 found in bee pollen as it’s most effective when applied directly to the skin. Don’t be scared of using organic, cold-pressed oils in your home-made face mask – they will not cause you spots! Jojoba and Hemp oil are none pore clogging and need to be lovingly welcomed into your skincare routine if you suffer from acne – they have low comedongenic ratings which means they are safe to use on acne prone skin and won’t clog your pores. In fact, it will actually help to balance out your excess sebum – so please don’t be afraid of using them on your skin!
- 3 tsp Jojoba or Hemp Oil
- 1 tsp of Raw Honey
- 1 tsp Chlorella powder (optional)
- 2 tsp of Ground Bee Pollen
Blitz the Bee Pollen granules in your Nutri Bullet till its a fine powder then pour into a mixing bowl and add the oils, chlorella powder and raw honey and mix till nice and smooth.
Cleanse your face and apply the mask with your fingers. Leave on for 20 minutes, and then rinse with warm water. Pat dry and apply your usual moisturiser!
Have you tried bee pollen for healing acne? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Peace, Love & Clear Skin
Great post, I love the picture! I have bee pollen in my protein shake each morning 🙂
Thank you! 🙂 What protein powder do you use? A great idea adding bee pollen to your morning shake!
Nice post! I am taking propolis complements at the moment. Do you know it?
http://www.mademoisellenature.com
Thank you! Yes propolis is great, especially at this time of year – it's anti-bacterial properties are ideal for keeping away colds and flu! What brand do you take? I only know of Comvita? 🙂 Amy x
Ooh I never thought about using bee pollen in a face mask! Great idea x
Hi Amber! My skin always feels really smooth after doing this mask and much much calmer the following day – but that's probably due to the avocado and raw honey too! 🙂
Hi Amy,
This is amazing! I would love to try this one out. How often do you recommend that I use the mask, like on a weekly basis? I have an oily skin, btw. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jenny,
Yes 1-2 times a week is best for any face mask! 🙂
A x
Hi Amy.
Thanks for sharing. Bee pollen as a face mask is effective when treating acne. I have tried it already and such amazing just a couple of days of continued use.
What do you think about raw honey? Is too much raw honey (say like 3 tablespoons a day) bad for acne prone skin?
Hi Fatima,
I would say 3 tablespoons of honey is still too much when trying to clear acne. Sugar is still sugar – no matter how ‘healthy’ it’s marketed as. There’s over 51g of sugar in 3 tablespoons of honey, a can of cola has 35g in comparison.
Amy x