How to bathe like Cleopatra!

Good afternoon bees! Did you have a nice weekend? September might be well underway, but this weekend’s blue skies were BEEautiful! We decided it was time to slow down and engage in some much-needed rest and relaxation, as the changing of seasons always leaves us feeling a bit sluggish!

So if like us, you’re feeling a little worse for wear, then don’t fear, as we’re here to help with another honey hack! Today we’re sharing a luscious, all natural, honey and milk bath soak, which apparently kept Cleopatra herself looking and feeling beautifully radiant! It seems like there’s nothing that our favourite golden ingredient can’t fix. If it worked for Cleopatra in Ancient Egyptian times, then it’s sure to work for us right?

Did Cleopatra really like to bathe in honey?

Yes she really did! Queen Cleopatra (the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt) is widely remembered as a sharp and powerful ruler. However, aside from her authority, she is also widely known for her stunning beauty. And it seems that Cleopatra’s beauty secret was her “milk and honey” bath!

Apparently she used to bathe in young donkey milk with fresh honey and essential oil – but don’t worry as we’re not suggesting donkey milk now! According to historians, even when she travelled, she would take a few donkeys with her, just in case! Nowadays we recommend regular cows milk as it contains the same medicinal properties and is much easier to come by… But as Cleopatra also liked to add lavender oil or rose petals to her bath, we thought we’d try it too. We loved it – the smell is BEElicious!

So what’s the science behind her bath soak?

Cleopatra’s “milk and honey” bath kept skin looking beautiful and radiant and for good reason!

1. Milk

• Milk contains lactic acid, which is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). If you’ve never heard of AHA then fear not, as we’re here to do a bit of explaining!
• AHAs have been used in the skincare industry for years as they penetrate the top layers of the skin to remove dead skin cells. This exfoliation stimulates the skin and helps to regenerate healthy cells.
• They are either sourced from natural ingredients (like milk) or synthesized in laboratories. We prefer those that are naturally sourced, hence our use of fresh milk!

2. Honey

• As we’ve mentioned before, honey is great for your skin due to it being naturally antibacterial, which helps to prevent any unwanted breakouts or skin irritation.
• Honey also contains high levels of antioxidants, which help to repair your skin and to protect it against oxidative and environmental damage.

Now it’s time for the honey and milk bath soak that combines these two BEElicious ingredients!

Honey And Milk Bath Soak

Time: 5 minutes

Makes: enough for 1 BEEautifying bath!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240ml) of whole milk
• 1/4 cup (40g) honey (we love Pa Harper’s runny honey of course!)
• 5 drops of pure lavender essential oil (optional but it smells BEElicious!)

Method: 

• Pour the milk into a small jar.
• Add 1/4 cup of honey.
• Close the lid and shake really well to mix the two ingredients together. You may need to use a spoon to help gather any honey that’s settled at the bottom of the jar.
• Run a deep warm bath. (*Warm is okay bees, but not boiling! If the water is too hot, it will destroy the beneficial properties of the honey).
• Whilst the bath is running, pour in the milk and honey mixture. Give it a swirl with your hand to make sure the mixture is dispersed and then dive right in!
• Soak for at least 10 minutes, but we recommend soaking for as long as you can bees!
• Once BEEutifully SOAKED, rinse in fresh water and towel yourself dry.

So what do you think bees? Is bathing in honey one step too far or are you tempted to give it a try? If it was good enough for the gorgeous Cleopatra (and modern day science) then we think it’s worth a shot! We’d love to see your BEEautifying bath set ups (no nudity bees, of course!) so make sure to comment below or tag us on our socials at @justbee.honey and let us know how you get on with this one!

Until next week bees!

Blogger Bee x