10 Brilliant Ways to Use Honey For More Than Sweetening Tea

Revitalize dry, damaged cuticles Give your nails a little TLC with a spa-like DIY treatment.  To do: In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp. of honey, 1 tsp. of aloe vera juice and 1 Tbs. of olive oil. Stir well, then massage onto your cuticles and under your fingernails. Leave in place for 4 to 5 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. The honey helps soften rough skin and cuticles, the aloe vera reduces inflammation and the olive oil moisturizes.

Ease the itch of mosquito bites The little one in your life had a blast at the park, but now she’s covered in bug bites and she can’t stop scratching.  The at-home remedy: Rub a small amount of honey onto each spot. Since honey is an anti-inflammatory, applying it topically will soothe irritated skin, reducing her urge to scratch.

Ant-proof your home — fast! To chase away stubborn ants, mix 1 Tbs. of honey and 2 tsp. of borax, place on small pieces of cardboard and set in areas where you’ve spotted them. (Just be sure to keep the mix away from children and pets.)  The honey will attract the ants, so they’ll carry it — and the borax, which is toxic to them —  to their nests.

Ensure deep sleep tonight Need to catch up on your rest but can’t seem to drift off no matter how many sheep you count? Try eating a spoonful of honey before you doze.  The sweet stuff is high in sleep-inducing tryptophan, so you’ll fall asleep in a blink — and stay that way!

Tone down overly spicy salsa Your homemade salsa is all ready to go for your picnic, but when you give it a taste test, the first bite leaves you feeling like your mouth is on fire.  The save: Stir a spoonful of honey and a squeeze of lime juice into the salsa. The combination of sugar and citric acid will help cut down on the peppers’ heat. Delicious!

Get bouncy, beautiful locks If your hair is looking lackluster, give it some oomph by mixing 2 Tbs. of honey with 1/2 cup of yogurt and massaging onto wet hair. Leave on for 3 minutes, then rinse.  Honey’s humectant properties will add shine while yogurt’s proteins nourish.

Remove unwanted hair naturally Skip chemical-laden wax products to nix pesky hairs that pop up.  Instead, mix 1/4 cup of honey, 1 cup of sugar and the juice of half a lemon in a bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Let cool to room temperature, then use a clean Popsicle stick to spread onto hair. Once it hardens, use your fingers to pull the formula off in the opposite direction of hair growth. The mix will bind to the hair, not the skin, for easy removal.

Extend the life of garden blooms Nothing brightens your home quite like a bouquet of fresh flowers from your garden. To keep the blooms healthy as long as possible, add 1 Tbs. each of honey and vinegar to the vase each time you change the water.  Honey’s sugar provides nourishment while vinegar’s acids kill any bacteria that causes wilting.

Reveal smooth, radiant skin Instead of buying pricey acne treatments to nix the blemishes that popped up on your chin, try this:  Mix 2 Tbs. of honey with 1 Tbs. of lemon juice and apply to acne-prone areas. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes, then rinse off. The honey will hydrate skin while lemon’s citric acid will break down excess oil and exfoliate. (Repeat up to twice a week.)

Soothe a dog’s upset stomach Buster enjoyed too many handouts at your backyard barbecue, and now he’s gassy and acting sluggish.  To help him feel better fast, let him lick a small spoonful of honey. The kitchen staple is packed with digestion-aiding enzymes that will cure his upset stomach so he’ll feel great again in no time! This story originally appeared in our print magazine