Home Remedies for Acne & Pesky Pimples

Pimples always pop up at the wrong time. They always come when you have an interview, a date or an event where you know a lot of photos of going to be taken, and there is just nothing worse. Yes, yes there are the usual tips or do's & don't's - such as don't touch the problem area or always make sure your pillowcase is clean (technically it should always be clean, but you know what I mean), but sometimes this just isn't enough. I'm all about using natural products that will sort the problem out as soon as possible, and avoiding those harsh chemicals and expensive scrubs. These home remedies will help to get rid of your acne or that pesky pimple, using every day products you will have in your household.

1. Apple cider vinegar Powerhouse

Apple cider vinegar is a powerhouse when it comes to acting as an acne remedy. It kills off the bacteria that may be causing all the trouble in the first place, and it also becomes alkaline, and balances the pH of your skin, which in turn makes it harder for bacteria to thrive. To top it all off it’s an astringent, like lemon juice, and will help dry up excess oil. This is great for those of us with oil skin, but keeping that in mind, don’t overdo and dry out your skin too much. This could cause the sebaceous glands overproduce to compensate, therefore triggering an outbreak.

You will need… -Pure unfiltered apple cider vinegar -Fresh water

Directions Wash your face with water and pat dry. Using a ratio of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water, dip a cotton ball into vinegar and apply it directly to the blemish.

Leave on for at least 10 minutes, or overnight. Reapply several times a day, washing face thoroughly after each time. Make sure to use a moisturiser afterwards as well if you feel like your skin is getting dry.

2. Cinnamon and Honey mask

Honey is sticky, and cinnamon is spicy, so it seems like they’re both things you’d want to avoid getting near your skin, right? Surprisingly, while it may sound strange, honey and cinnamon make a killer combo (literally) when it comes to acne. Cinnamon has antimicrobial properties, so it can help stop bacteria from getting out of hand. If it does, the honey is a natural anti-biotic, ready and waiting to wipe the little buggers out.

You will need… -2 tablespoons of honey -1 teaspoon of cinnamon - paper towels

Directions Wash your face with water and pat dry. Mix 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon together until they are thoroughly blended and have formed a sort of paste. Apply the mask to your face, or the problem area and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off completely, and pat your face dry. This is a sticky mixture, so make sure you have some paper towels at on hand.

I also recommend adding some nutmeg and tea tree oil. If you struggle with acne scars I recommend adding 2x tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon, instead of tea tree oil.

3. The land of milk and honey (or yogurt)

While there is quite a bit of issue around dairy products causing acne, applied topically it seems that milk can improve your outbreaks and skin tone. The reason it is suggested that milk would cause acne is because of the extra hormones in it, but unless it’s ingested, this doesn’t matter. For the most part, it just soothes the irritated skin, and helps tone down the redness. Cleopatra swore on the milk baths she took, and well she was Cleopatra. You could also use yogurt instead of milk. The acids in it are antibacterial while the fat provides moisture, making it quite nourishing for skin.

You will need… - 1 tablespoon plain low-fat or full-fat yogurt or milk, anything but skim - 1 tablespoon of natural, raw, honey

Directions Let yogurt or milk come to room temperature (or close to) so you don’t get a chilly shock when you put it on your skin. Mix 1 tablespoon of milk or yogurt thoroughly with 1 tablespoon of honey. You can apply the mixture with a cotton pad, but scooping it up and patting it on works just fine as well. Let each layer dry before adding a new one, until the mask is the thickness you want. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash your mask off and use a washcloth to gently scrub in a circular motion, getting rid of loosened dead skin. Once you’re finished,moisturise as usual.

4. Whip up some ‘whites

Egg whites are an easy and affordable way to help reduce acne and fade scars left by unfortunate blemishes. The reason people have found egg whites to be helpful for their skin is because they’re packed full of proteins and vitamins that both combat acne, and help to rebuild your skin cells. They also soak up excess oil, which means excess sebum, which means less stuff for bacteria to feed on. Just make sure to use a good moisturizers afterwards, as they can dry your skin out a bit.

You will need… -2 to 3 egg whites, separated from yolks -Bowl -Washcloth

Directions Wash your face with water and pat dry. Separate the whites from the yolks. You can use as many as you like, but normally 2 to 3 is enough. Whisk the whites until they’re frothy, and let them sit for a few minutes. Cover your face with the mixture, applying with fingertips is easy and focusing on problem spots. 3 to 4 layers is usually enough, but make sure to wait for the first layer to dry before applying more. Allow the mask to sit and dry for about 20 minutes before rinsing off completely with warm water and a patting dry with a soft washcloth. Apply moisturizer appropriate for your skin type.

5. Papaya for the pimple prone

Papaya is an essential ingredient in a lot of beauty products on the market today. Plain raw papaya is an all-natural acne remedy that removes dead skin cells and excess lipids from the surface of the skin, leaving it soft and smooth. Lipids are a general term for fats, of which oil is a form of. Papaya also contains an enzyme called papain, which reduces inflammation and helps prevent the pus from forming.

You will need… -1 fresh papaya

Directions Rinse your face with water and pat dry. Mash up the flesh of the papaya well, until it is of a consistency that can be easily applied to your skin. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes, and then rinse off completely with warm water. If your skin has a tendency to get dry after you cleanse it, use a moisturizer appropriate for your skin type afterwards.

6. Tap into tea tree oil

You’ll read about tea tree oil for a lot of home remedies, but will most likely see it mentioned the most when comes to skin care, specifically, acne. But why, when too much oil is clogging the pores and making you break out, would you want to use more oil? Tea tree oil isn’t like the oil your skin naturally produces, rather it is more like a solvent that cuts through the extra sebum and dead skin cells, and unblocks the pores. Its antibacterial properties also kill off the acne causing bacteria, and prevent further outbreaks.

Note: Tea tree oil is ok for topical use, but should never be ingested. It should also always be diluted before use.

You will need… -Tea tree oil (a small bottle will do) -Clean water -Q-tips or cotton balls

Directions Wash your face and pat dry. Dilute tea tree oil by mixing 1 part oil to 9 parts water. Dip a Q-tip or cotton swab in mixture, and apply to problem areas. If you decide you want a stronger dilution after a while, you can slowly (slowly!) begin to increase the strength, making sure to use each new mixture for at least a week for making it any stronger. Again, it should never be applied undiluted. You can apply a light moisturizer afterwards if you wish.

Another option, especially if you have sensitive skin, is to dilute it with aloe vera gel instead of water.

7. Strawberries and honey

Honey and strawberries make a home remedy for acne that sounds pretty sweet (pun intended) and it combines two things that are used commonly in pricey, often time’s harsh, facial scrubs and cleansers. Strawberries may seem random, but consider the fact that they’re high in salicylic acid. Salicylic acid, a primary ingredient in many commercial acne treatments, encourages the epidermis to shed its cells more readily, opening up clogged pores, and neutralizing bacteria. It also shrinks up the pores a little bit, which prevents them from clogging up as much in the future, and encourages new cell growth. Honey also works against bacteria that may be behind your acne, and is an anti-inflammatory.

You will need… -3 fresh strawberries, washed well -2 teaspoons of good honey-raw is best

Directions Wash your face and pat dry. Rinse 3 strawberries and mash them up well, taking care that they don’t get over-mashed and runny. Add the strawberries to two teaspoons of honey, and thoroughly blend them together. Apply to your face and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes. Rinse off completely with warm water, pat dry, and moisturize if your skin has a tendency to dry out. Use twice a week for at least a month.

8. Oatmeal boost

Oatmeal can power you up from the inside out and the outside in. If you soak/cook your oats and use them in mask, they can reduce the inflammation and redness that accompanies breakouts. Add some honey to your mask and you have a great recipe for a rather tasty sounding acne remedy. Keep in mind that oatmeal on its own will not cure your acne, and should be used as part of a sensible routine acne treatment. However, it may very well reduce the blatant, painful, appearance of the breakouts.

You will need… -One serving of oatmeal-steel cut seems to work well -Water -Two tablespoons raw honey

Directions Whip up a batch of oatmeal as usual, or by following the directions on the box. When it is finished and still hot, add two tablespoons of honey. Let mixture cool to room temperature. Keep in mind it retains quite a bit of heat, so really make sure it’s a comfortable temperature before applying it to your skin, the last thing you need is a burn! Leave it on for 20-30 minutes. When it has set, rinse off with warm water and pat your skin dry.

9. Sugar scrub

Sugar, white or brown, helps get rid of the excess skin cells clogging up your pores by acting as gentle exfoliator. Mix it up with honey, olive oil, or just plain water, and you have a sweet scrub to help rid you of your acne. There are plenty of different recipes out there, but we found this one to be particularly delightful

You will need… -1 ½ cups of white sugar -1 ½ cups brown sugar, light or dark -2-3 tablespoons coarse sea salt -Roughly 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil -10 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract -1 whole vanilla bean (totally optional)

Directions Mix 1 ½ cups of brown sugar and 1 ½ cups of brown sugar, adding in a few tablespoons of coarse sea salt for extra exfoliation, and mix. If you’re using the vanilla bean, scrap out the caviar (the inside stuff) and mix it in at this point as well. Put about 2 cups of this sugar/salt/vanilla mixture into a liquid measuring cup and pack it down nice and snug. Pour the extra virgin olive oil over the top, and let it soak through half the mixture, leaving a little layer on top. Mix this up in the measuring cup, and then add it to the rest of the sugar/salt/vanilla mix. Add 4-5 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract and mix it in. Now you can spoon your scrub into whatever containers you wish to store it, making sure to pack it down. If you like, drizzle one tablespoon of vanilla extract on top to ensure that you’ll get the delicious scent when you open it up. This will fill 4 half-pint jars.

10. Avocado & honey mask

There are so many rumors surrounding diet and acne, it’s hard to know what’s right and what’s wrong. Amongst these rumors is the claim that avocado (eating it and sometimes applying it topically) will make you breakout, because it’s higher in fat. As far as I am concerned, there’s no concrete evidence to prove this, and far more people seem to have success using it than not. It’s so full of good vitamins and nutrients it seems it can really help tone down the acne. If you have sensitive skin, too, it’s quite mild. There are different combinations you can try, as with most home remedies, but this one blends together avocado and honey.

You will need… -1 avocado -1 tablespoon of honey

Directions Rinse your face with water and pat it dry. Scrap out the inside of the avocado and mash it up, then stir in the honey. Continuing mashing/stirring until it turns into a paste. Apply it to your skin and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. When you’re done, wash off the mixture with lukewarm water and pat your face dry. Depending on your skin type, apply moisturizer.

#beauty #tips #facemask #home #remedies #acne #pimples