5 Natural Home Remedies for Acne that Actually Work

It is estimated that 85% of the world’s population will get acne at some point within their lifetime (Source www.DrMajidShah.com), If you are reading this article you may already be experiencing a breakout.  

Acne is caused by dead skin cells blocking up your pores.  When a pore gets blocked bacteria can grow within it and the body then sees this as an external threat and releases antibodies to attack this bacteria.  This war fought between the antibodies and bacteria produces nasty outbreaks of whiteheads, blackheads and inflamed skin.

To fight acne you are going to need to exfoliate often, but exfoliation with products bought over the counter can sometimes be expensive and these products can also be harsh on your skin. To get around both problems you can try a natural solution.

In this article, we will take a look at some of the best natural home remedies to fight acne.

1) Honey and cinnamon face mask

If you want a face mask that exfoliates without causing too much harm to your face then a honey and cinnamon face mask could be the choice for you.  The mask smells great, exfoliates without cutting the skin and clears your pores to help prevent acne breakouts.

All you need to do to create this face mask is to mix 2 parts of honey with one part cinnamon and apply to the skin generously.  When the concoction is applied to the face you will then need to leave it sit for 15 minutes. After the time has elapsed, wash it off with cold water and your skin will be refreshed.

2) Use tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is one of the best natural solutions that I have used on my skin and I highly recommend using it if you have problems with acne breakouts.  

Tea tree oil is very strong and because of this, you should dilute it before using it on your skin.  

An easy way of diluting tea tree oil is to add 1 part of it to 10 parts of water.  When you have the right ratios of tea tree oil and water mix them and apply it to your problem areas on your skin for a few seconds with a cotton ball.  Then wash off with cold water. You can do this a few times a day, but be sure not to leave the tea tree oil on for too long or you may risk irritating your skin.

When using the above method you will need to keep an eye on your skin, the more you use this method the more chance of drying your skin out.  If your skin feels or looks too dry, stop using this method for a few days before going back to it.

3) Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a great natural home remedy that has been used for years to fight acne breakouts and treat acne scars.  Just like tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar needs to be diluted with water.

Use one part apple cider vinegar to two parts water and apply the solution generously to the skin.  Leave your skin soak in the solution for 30 seconds and then rinse and repeat this process for 15 minutes.

If you feel your skin reacts too much to this mixture, add more water to dilute the apple cider vinegar, this will dilute the acidity and will be less harsh on your skin.

4) Reduce stress through yoga

While not a skincare treatment, the effect of stress and acne has been recorded many times over and if you suffer from stress or anxiety Yoga can help you fight your acne breakouts.

Yoga can help you learn to deal with stress better through breathing and stretching techniques and unlike working out it has low impact levels on your muscles and bones which means people of all ages can participate in Yoga.

To learn how Yoga can help your skin either watch some Yoga tutorials on youtube or you could join a local class.

5)  Aloe Vera 

In clinical testing, Salicylic acid and sulfur have been shown to help with reducing acne flare ups and inflammation, which is exactly why we recommend using Aloe Vera as these are the active ingredients inside of it.

Aloe vera can be used for many skin conditions including sunburn but we have seen great results using it on acne-prone skin too.  Aloe vera also smells amazing and out of all the skincare creams on the market, it’s very affordable too.

To use aloe vera on your skin, simply squeeze the gel into your hand and rub it into your face like a moisturiser.  Most aloe vera gels can be left to be absorbed by your skin, please read the bottle before hand to see the usage directions of your cream.

Conclusion

Treating acne can be expensive and frustrating.  Some over the counter creams can cost so much and produce little results, in some cases they can make the situation worse.  

In this article, we took a look at some of the natural ways of fighting acne without breaking the bank and without making your skin worse.  If you have any acne-fighting tips please leave them in the comments below.