A honey and chickpea flour face mask combines two ingredients that have a long history in household beauty routines: honey and finely milled chickpea flour, often called besan or gram flour. Mixed with a little water or plain yoghurt, they form a soft paste that can be used as a rinse-off cosmetic mask.
The important word is cosmetic. A homemade honey-besan face mask should not be presented as a treatment for acne, eczema, infection, wounds, pigmentation or another medical skin condition.
For another approach, see our the general honey face-mask guide, or explore the honey and rose water mask for related guidance.
What is besan?
Besan is flour made from chickpeas or closely related gram pulses and is widely used in South Asian cooking. It has also been used traditionally in body and facial pastes.
For skincare, use a fresh, finely milled food-grade product without added spices, flavours or raising agents.
Simple honey and chickpea flour mask
For one application:
- 1 tablespoon chickpea flour
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 to 2 teaspoons plain water, as needed
Optional for normal skin:
- 1 teaspoon plain unsweetened yoghurt instead of some of the water
How to use it
- Wash your hands and start with clean skin.
- Mix the chickpea flour and honey in a small clean bowl.
- Add water a little at a time until you have a soft, spreadable paste.
- Apply a thin layer to the face, avoiding the eyes, lips, nostrils and broken or irritated skin.
- Leave it on for about 5 to 10 minutes. Do not wait until it becomes uncomfortably tight or fully cracked.
- Rinse gently with lukewarm water.
- Pat the skin dry and apply your usual fragrance-free moisturiser if needed.
Do not scrub aggressively while removing the mask. Chickpea flour can become physically exfoliating if rubbed hard against the skin.
Patch-test before using a DIY mask
Dermatologists recommend testing new skincare products before applying them broadly, because even familiar ingredients can trigger irritation or allergic contact dermatitis.
For a homemade mixture, the safest approach is to prepare a tiny amount and test it on a small area of skin first. If you develop burning, itching, swelling, persistent redness or a rash, wash it off and do not continue using it.
People with known allergies to chickpeas, legumes, bee products or any ingredient in the mixture should avoid the mask unless advised otherwise by a qualified clinician.
What does honey do in a face mask?
Honey is widely used in cosmetic formulations and is often described as a humectant and skin-conditioning ingredient. It also gives a DIY mask a smooth, spreadable texture.
Scientific literature on honey includes research into medical-grade honey and wound care, but that is a separate clinical context. Those findings should not be used to claim that ordinary kitchen honey in a face mask treats skin disease.
What does chickpea flour do?
In a rinse-off mask, chickpea flour mainly provides body and absorbency. It creates a paste and can leave skin feeling clean after rinsing.
Claims that besan permanently lightens skin, removes pigmentation, cures acne or “detoxifies” pores are not supported strongly enough to present as established facts.
Is honey and besan good for acne?
A DIY mask is not an acne treatment. Acne can have multiple causes and ranges from mild clogged pores to painful inflammatory lesions that can scar.
If acne is persistent, painful, worsening or leaving marks, evidence-based skincare and professional advice are more appropriate than relying on kitchen ingredients.
Also avoid applying homemade food masks to open pimples or broken skin.
Can you add turmeric or lemon juice?
We would not recommend automatically adding either.
Turmeric can stain the skin and clothing and may irritate some people. Lemon juice is acidic and can sting or irritate the skin, especially if the skin barrier is already compromised.
Keeping the recipe simple makes it easier to identify the cause if irritation occurs.
How often should you use it?
There is no medically established schedule for a homemade honey and chickpea flour mask. If your skin tolerates it and you enjoy the feel, occasional use is more sensible than daily application.
Using masks too frequently can contribute to dryness or irritation, particularly when combined with retinoids, exfoliating acids or other active skincare products.
Who should skip DIY masks?
Avoid this mask if you have:
- broken, sunburnt or actively irritated skin;
- a known allergy to any ingredient;
- a current facial rash of unknown cause;
- a skin condition for which your dermatologist has advised a simple, controlled routine;
- recent cosmetic procedures unless your clinician says topical masks are appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Can you mix chickpea flour and honey for your face? Yes, as a simple rinse-off cosmetic mask, provided your skin tolerates the ingredients.
How long should it stay on? About 5 to 10 minutes is enough. There is no benefit in leaving it on until it becomes painfully tight or dry.
Does it remove dark spots? Do not rely on a homemade honey-besan mask to treat pigmentation. Persistent or changing pigmentation should be assessed appropriately.
Can it treat acne? It should not be marketed as an acne treatment. Use evidence-based acne care for persistent or inflammatory acne.
Can I use food-grade honey on a wound? No. Medical-grade honey used in wound care is specially prepared and should not be confused with ordinary eating honey.
Sources and further reading
- American Academy of Dermatology guidance on facial masks and testing skincare products.
- Peer-reviewed dermatology reviews on honey and honey-derived ingredients in cosmetic and clinical settings.