If you’re a regular to the Local Hive Blog, you already know that raw and unfiltered honey can treat wounds, soothe bee stings and freshen up your face, but there are so, so many more uses for honey as a natural remedy or ingredient. Just off the top of our head, here’s one: protecting your hair. Raw and unfiltered honey is an all-natural way to keep your hair smooth and silky, taking advantage of honey’s natural properties to give all hair types the moisture and care they need. Raw honey is an emollient, meaning it has just enough texture to smooth and soften each strand of hair for a shinier surface.

Honey is also a humectant, which means it absorbs moisture from the surrounding air and traps it in place. In this case, the place is your hair and scalp, which become more hygroscopic–or, as we beekeepers call it, “wet”–when honey is applied. Just make sure your hair gets at least 20 minutes to absorb the moisture.

To try it for yourself, thoroughly mix 1 tbsp of Local Hive Honey with 1 tbsp of warm, melted coconut oil in a small dish. After the honey has soaked in, wash with shampoo and conditioner as usual. Never put honey directly in your hair for reasons both obvious and sticky.

Honey has another natural secret: it can lighten hair, albeit slightly. The trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide in every drop of honey act as a gentle, natural lightener, that’s much more mellow than the products you might find on beauty store shelves. Far from damaging dyes, honey will actually heal your hair while it creates highlights, keeping follicles soft. If you want to lighten your hair with honey, you’ll need to do several honey washes. Just keep in mind that results will be subtle.

But raw honey doesn’t stop there: honey has been used to treat itchy scalps, dandruff and dermatitis for centuries. Armed with antibacterial hydrogen peroxide and hydrating enzymes, honey helps keep your scalp moisturized and primed to grow strong healthy hair.

There you have it: raw and unfiltered honey is the perfect treat to start your day–even before you get out of the shower.