Acne-Free Face| 17 Natural DIY Remedies

The advertisement ongoing for acne free facial and skincare products are just too much, you may wonder what’s all the advert for and why shouldn’t I do it myself.

You may have seen the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos of models used in showcasing the shocking results of those who will purchase the products. Or you have spent a small fortune on acne treatments only to find yourself frustrated and your acne getting worse. If this is you, I’m here to tell you to relax. As someone who battled with acne for long, I’m going to give you my very own homemade remedies that you can use all by yourself to clear your acne at home, get that acne-free face and have your self-esteem back; if you ever lost it as I did!

 

My Own Acne Experience

The truth is, when people with clear skin tell you that they have once battled with acne for long, don’t doubt them. They most likely did, but then they were able to conquer their acne along the line. It also goes to say that if you have ever suffered acne, it doesn’t mean you will never be free from them. Well, as long as you do what’s necessary, you are sure to have that dream face without waking up to acne every morning.

For me, I have gone through stressful years of trial and error, testing products, spending money on recommended treatments, and staying up many nights looking up different tips, tricks, hacks, remedies, treatments and all that to help put me out of my acne misery! You will not believe my excitement when I finally got a routine that helped me conquer my acne battle. The most exciting part is that these remedies were something I would spend almost nothing to create, and they were done with natural ingredients so I was sure my skin is not getting any harsh chemicals on.

If only we can learn that most of the so-called ‘treatments’ and ‘solutions’ heavily promoted for acne can actually intensify our acne and cause excessive breakouts, we would stay far away from these things when people talk to us about it. If I had known about the remedies I’ll share here long ago, I would have spared myself years of anxiety, low self-esteem and too much products use. Just because I know exactly how it feels, I have decided to share so that you can save yourself from the extra stress. The home remedies are what I have tried myself over the years successfully; and that my friends and other people I know also used and achieved great results.

What Causes Acne Majorly?

If you suffer from acne breakouts, you are not alone. Even if you know no one else, just remember that the person writing this has also suffered it for long. I can relate with the feeling of waking up one day and finding pimples on your face just when you thought the previous one is gone for good!

So what exactly causes this to always show up unannounced on your face? Well, acne is a skin condition that causes pimples, blackheads, whiteheads and scars. Though the severity can vary from person to person, the causes can also vary based on different things. First, acne is basically a disorder triggered by overactive sebaceous glands that discharge sebum, or oily substances onto the surface of the skin. People affected with acne have sebaceous glands that are particularly sensitive to a hormone called testosterone, which causes the release of too much sebum, which is what causes acne.

While we cannot just point at one particular thing to be the cause of acne, there are different things that can cause it to appear on peoples face. Some of these include:

1. Hormonal changes:

Hormonal changes to the body often cause constant breakouts of pimples, pustules, and even cysts. This is why:

• The onset of one’s puberty triggers a rise in the number of hormones, specifically androgens. These hormones cause the oil ducts on a person’s skin to begin producing oil and this condition is what causes acne in some people.
• Puberty likewise causes an increase in a type of bacteria that typically exists in the skin and thrives on sebum as nourishment for its growth. As the body attempts to counteract with the excess bacteria, white blood cells are drawn to the follicle and then yield an enzyme that destroys follicle walls.
• Premenstrual and pre-menopausal difficulties cause breakouts too as a result of the change your body is going through.

2. Chocolate:

The thing about chocolate (and other sugar foods) is that it has not yet been proven to cause acne.  However, many people still say that their acne pops up mostly when they have consumed a lot of chocolate. This subject is still widely debated so it’s best for you to stay away from it if you ever notice breakouts after consuming them. The same thing goes for some nuts.

3. Some Cosmetics:

In case you are not aware, too much makeup and some other cosmetics can cause acne. The breakouts are brought about by those products that contain so much oil. The oil can stick to your face and clog it. Oil buildup in your pores affects the skin’s follicles which can result in acne. Acne is mostly triggered by blocked pores, so using products with so much oil that can clog your skin will contribute to your acne.  And people with an oily face should do well to stay away from such products as their skin is producing enough oil on its own.

For some people, even a certain product can cause them to break out, so if you realize that your skin is reacting to some products, stop using them. Not to mention that you must always use products that are correct for your skin type as using the wrong one can also contribute to acne.

4. The Sun:

Some people always think that spending time in the sun can make their skin look better. They totally forget about UV rays, sunburn and tanning. Beware of exposing your skin to the sun for so many reasons. First, prolonged sun exposure will age your skin rapidly and put you at risk of skin cancer; the sun that shines from 9 am-4 pm has harmful effects on your skin; and some products you are using can react negatively when exposed to the sun’s rays, making you much more likely to get sunburned.

5. Emotional Stress:

Stress, especially emotional stress, is a factor that contributes to acne and some other skin problems. When the body becomes tense, it releases chemicals and hormones that eventually turn into toxins and waste that the body must expel.  Some of these waste products will be excreted through the skin and will contribute to acne. If you are stressed, try exercising as it is a proven stress-buster.

6. Frequently Scrubbing and touching your Face:

If your skin is vulnerable to acne, try to use only mild when washing. Never think that scrubbing your face hard especially with harsh soaps can stop your acne; it will only aggravate and worsen the condition. Keep your skin clean but don’t scrub frequently with harsh abrasives as it only serves to irritate and injure the skin.  It is delicate and can easily become damaged, thereby leaving it unable to act as a shield against harmful bacteria. And then when your (dirty) hands are always touching your face, you are leaving bacteria and creating room for acne to develop.

7. Pollution:

High humidity and other unnatural environmental conditions can cause acne. If your skin is exposed to humid conditions for a prolonged period of time, it can cause swelling which blocks the pores and contribute to acne.

8. Dietary habits:

Many people notice that certain foods they eat cause their acne to flare up.  This is true as your dietary habits can certainly contribute to breakouts and you should note the products causing the most problems so that you can avoid them in the future. The most common foods that can do this include fats and dairy products.

9. Heredity:

If you have family members that had bothersome acne, there is a possibility that you may develop acne too. Some people say that acne is not directly hereditary, but if your parents suffered from severe acne, you are far more prone to acne yourself. Though it is still unlikely in some people, if it happens to you, you already know where it came from.

10. Medicines:

Some medications, such as steroids, barbiturates, and anti-seizure drugs; and some with bromides, iodides, including oral or injected steroids, have side effects and may produce acne as a potential consequence. Before taking any drugs at all, it’s always best to check with your physician to be sure it’s safe for you. And if it is prescribed and you see it is causing you acne, still let them know to understand the way forward.

Other factors, such as lifestyle and environment, can also affect your skin.  The best things you can do for your skin is learn how to properly care for it, keep it hydrated, keep it clean, and try to eliminate the factors that are causing your skin to have acne.

Who Gets Affected By Acne?

Well, gone are the days when people believe that only teenagers can get acne as a result of the transition to puberty. Today if you think acne affects only teenagers, then you may need to think again. Acne strikes adults on a daily basis and it can be overwhelming to start noticing breakouts of pimples, blackheads, or zits all over your face just when you thought your skin is spotless.

If at any age you experience acne before you do anything else, educate yourself on the different causes of acne and you may discover what is causing your own skin to break out. From there you can know the kind of treatment you need to get them off your face. I’ll recommend you stick to natural cure as many products that claim to completely cure your acne permanently may not give you what you want.

16 Homemade Topical Treatments For An Acne-free Face

Many people have been attempting to discover ways on how to be completely acne-free. They have come to consider homemade acne treatments as the main remedies for an acne-free face. These remedies are greatly appreciated and effective because they only require external applications, thereby reducing the chances of acquiring dangerous side effects. The main purpose of these homemade acne treatments is to relieve redness and itching, provide regular and easily available natural care for the skin, making it healthier and cleaner.

 

The best part is that they are all ingredients you can find in your kitchen! In fact, the kitchen and acne are two enemies we might not be aware of. This is so because no matter how stark your kitchen fridge/cupboard may look, you can find an item or two that can help you with your acne. From stuff like oranges to fresh garlic to raw potatoes etc, you can see something to put together and get a remedy to clearing your acne. So here are the best, safe and most effective home remedies you can whip up to clear your acne by yourself:

1. Tumeric:

This is a common homemade face pack for acne treatment. When it comes to homemade acne remedies, turmeric powder is the most well-known ingredient. It is famous for its ability to nourish the skin and eliminate facial scars. To use this as your acne treatment at home,

• Get a bowl, pour dry turmeric into it and add rose water or lemon juice or honey to form a paste.
• Apply this mixture on your face every two nights.
• Allow it to stay for 15 minutes before washing it with warm water.

2. Honey:

Honey is another splendid, safe ingredient in homemade acne treatments. It contains natural antibacterial qualities and is often used as a face mask alone or with other ingredients to create a face pack. If you are using it alone, apply it directly on your properly cleansed face every once or twice a week and wash off after 15 minutes. Some people choose to leave it overnight. Whichever one you choose is fine. Or you can:

• Mix it with lemon juice or apple juice.
• Apply the combination to your face every night.
• Leave it for some minutes and wash it off with warm water before moisturizing your face to lock in moisture.
• in place of honey, you can use aloe vera gel and you will get the same results.

3. Garlic:

Many people use garlic as one of their natural acne treatments and it works great as an anti-inflammatory ingredient. You can start by,

• Rubbing the affected area with raw garlic two times a day; this has been known to clear acne and reduce pimples, spots and blemish.
• To switch it up a little, you can start eating few raw garlic once daily for one month; this is also a very effective acne treatment method as it helps keep acne away from the bloodstream by purifying and cleansing it.

4. Fenugreek Leaves:

Fenugreek leaves are known for removing blemishes on the skin. It can greatly help you prevent acne from returning once you have it under control.

• Just crush the leaves into a small bowl and add water to form a paste.
• Apply this to your face as a mask and leave it on overnight.
• Wash it off in the morning to reveal a smoother face. Do this few times a week and you are sure to keep your acne at bay.
• You can also use the same method with bay leaves to achieve the same result.

5. Yeast mask:

This is rich in vitamin B and great for dry skin when it comes to reducing acne and wrinkles. Yeast is an exfoliation mask and should be used twice a week.

• Simply mix 1 tablespoon of dried or fresh yeast with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
• Apply on your face and wait until it gets hard (try not to touch it).
• Peel it off and wash with your face with water.

6. Aspirin Mask:

Dermatologists have approved aspirin as a way of developing a face mask to help combat acne as so it’s totally safe. It is definitely an effective method that not only has the potential to relieve acne but can also help to minimize existing acne scars!

• Non-coated aspirin (any brand)
• Just take four non-coated aspirin tablets and place them into a small bowl.
• Sprinkle small water onto the aspirin to dissolve and loosen it up.
• Use your fingers to mash it and break the tablets apart so it would be grainy.
• Add two teaspoons of honey and mix it well.
• Apply it to your face making sure to avoid your eyes. This process would help exfoliate your skin.
• Rinse off with warm water after ten minutes.  And repeat 2-3 times a week.

7. Fresh Fruits & Vegetables:

Homemade acne treatments would not be complete if it doesn’t involve fresh fruits and vegetables. The natural extracts help minimize the redness and clean your skin at the same time. The most commonly used fruit remedy include potato and cucumber, which are sliced in round shapes and placed on the face, especially on the areas with pimples. You can also use other fruits or vegetables for this.

As stand-alones:

• Oranges and lemons are great for acne too. Just squeeze a few drops of any of the two on cotton balls.
• Dab the extracted juice on impacted areas.
• Allow it to stay for about twenty minutes before washing it off.
• For raw potatoes or cucumbers,
• Just pick anyone, get rid of its peeling and rub its flat surface on your face.
• Do this for a few minutes before stopping.
• Allow the juice to seep into your skin before rinsing your face after about 10 minutes.

With other ingredients:

• Stir a bit of cucumber or any citric fruit juice with a bit of almond oil.
• Apply it on the entire area where acne exists and leave it for 15 minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water.
• Do this 2-3 times each week for best results.
• Almond oil and other natural substances like it, are easy remedies that will help remove acne if applied regularly.

8. Baking Soda:

Baking soda has come in so handy for a lot of things that people were not surprised when they found out that it can be used to fight acne too. It helps clear your acne aside from making your face soft and clear. It is as easy as just,

• Washing your face using a mild cleanser and then patting it dry.
• Mix a little baking soda with water and apply gently on your face using a sweeping motion.
• Leave it for 8 minutes and then wash it off before using your moisturizer.

9. Oatmeal:

Oatmeal is another amazing acne fighter when used as a mask. Oatmeal masks are gentle and safe. It acts as a natural exfoliate and provides instant relief. Doing this at least twice a week will make your skin look and feel better. To make the mask,

• Just blend a little oatmeal with warm water to make a thick paste.
• Gently apply it on your face and leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse with warm water.
• This is one is effective for those with regular acne and acne rosacea.

10. Witch Hazel:

This is an astringent that comes from the plant with the name. Just steam the twigs of this plant and the extract you acquire from it serves as your astringent. This Witch hazel is all-natural and less harsh compared to other commercially-produced astringents. To use this,

• Allow it to cool it down before using a cotton ball to apply it on your face and affected areas.
• Leave for some minutes before washing off.
• Keep in mind, however, that some of these methods may have to be repeated over the course of 2 to 4 weeks before any lasting results are noticed.

11. Vinegar:

This is not as common as the others, but it sure is as effective as the others. It’s very easy to use, all you need is,

• Using a cotton ball dipped in white vinegar (distilled and diluted if possible), and dab on areas of your skin affected by acne.
• Allow it to stay on the skin for up to 10 minutes and then rinse gently with cool water.

12. Tea Tree Oil:

Due to its anti-microbial properties, tea tree oil has become one of the popular natural acne treatments. It must be noted that even though tea tree oil is one of the more natural acne treatments, it is harmful when in an undiluted form and can cause redness, itching, blistering, and over-drying.

• Just purchase tea tree oil and dilute with olive oil or coconut oil if it is undiluted.
• Pour a few drops on your finger and apply it to acne lesions to eliminate bacteria.
• No need to wash it off as it is an oil that can settle into your skin without any reactions.

13. The Toothpaste Solution:

That’s right, the real toothpaste you know. This works exceptionally well and also takes only a few seconds to do.

• Just dab your favourite toothpaste (Colgate preferably) on the affected area.
• Leave it on to dry overnight while sleeping on an old pillowcase.
• Rinse it off in the morning, and you’re done!
• Do this 2-3 times a week during painful those breakouts and watch them clear fast.

14. Tea Bag:

This may not be common but it’s very effective. It is great for reducing puffiness and can help with acne too.

 

• Just mix 2-3 tea bags with some basil and cook in boiling water for 10-20 minutes.
• Allow it to cool down before applying it on the acne with a clean cotton ball.

15. Ice Packs:

During extreme breakouts, ice would greatly help you reduce swelling and eliminate clogged pores that cause breakouts.

• Just apply a cold compact (ice pack or cold wet towel) to your face every night before bed.

16. Sandalwood Mask:

For a while now, sandalwood has been effective in clearing acne. You can choose to use it as a mask or a cover. This would require consistent use before it can begin working and producing incredible results.

• For the mask, you just need one teaspoon of sandalwood powder and one teaspoon of turmeric.
• Mix the two with a small amount of white milk and spread over the areas.
• Leave it on for 15-25 minutes before you rinse off with warm water.
  Alternatively, you can make a paste of sandalwood only using water, and applying it on the areas just before you apply your makeup. It is totally safe and doesn’t require you to wash it off.

17. Natural oils:

Yes, I know what you are thinking. Why using oil on an already oily, acne-prone skin? But on the flip side, this oil method is one of the most effective methods I’ve ever tried! Don’t worry, the oils needed are non-comedogenic so you shouldn’t be bothered about clogged pores.

The two oils you need are castor oil and EXTRA virgin olive oil or Jojoba oil.  The virgin oil will provide moisture to your skin and draw out any bacteria that may be trapped under the surface of your skin. It can also fortify your skin with its natural antioxidants.

• Just measure 1/2 olive/jojoba oil and 1/2 castor oil and mix them properly.
• Gently massage the mixture all over the affected areas of your skin.
• Get a warm towel or washcloth and place it over the area to serve as a sealant.
• What this does is to ­naturally steam your face, allow your pores to breath, open them up and release toxins from beneath the surface of your skin.
• Leave it that way on your skin for 10-15 minutes before massaging the oils into your skin and rinsing it off with cold water. Best to use cold water as the cold will tighten your skin and close your pores.

Yeah, I know the list is so long and you are wondering which you should use. This is so because what works for one person may be different from what works for the other. So I just chose to provide you with all the homemade remedies so you can choose ANY one of your choice based on what you know won’t irritate or disturb your skin. For instance, I can’t use any citrus juice on my skin because I do come in contact with the sun quite often and this would be a bad idea for me, neither can I use turmeric as it colours my face because of my skin shade. And there are some other ingredients on the list I can’t use because they might not leave me comfortable. So going through the whole list, my own remedy switched between the honey, tea tree oil, cucumber and potato solution until I finally settled for the raw cucumber solution and a complete balanced diet.

Yes, you can have more than one routine just as long as it doesn’t irritate your skin and you don’t use them alternatively in a week. Maybe one type for a week and another for the next week until you find that one that gives you want.

Recommended Oral Acne Home Remedies

While the remedies I listed before are mostly to be applied topically, I want to also share what you can take orally to further help you clear your acne faster. If you are good with just the topical ones then that’s fine; but it best to also work on your acne from inside. And don’t worry, they are all also natural and safe for you. Here are the ones I recommend myself:

1. A Blend of Herbs:

When it comes to natural acne treatments to consume, herbs are a staple. There are tons of herbs out there that can help you fight many forms of acne-causing bacteria. You just need to know which one is right for you. For starters, I’ll say you should,

• Combine equal parts of herbal extracts from yellow dock, sarsaparilla, cleavers and burdock as they are the best to consume for natural acne treatment.
• You can always have a nutritious diet to go with this. All you need is to take 1 1/2 teaspoon a day of this mixture alongside your regular meal. These herbs are natural acne treatments regarded as powerful lymph and blood cleansers.

Alternatively, you can

• Mix blue flag, burdock, yellow dock, and Echinacea together and infuse with hot water to make a tea. Add little honey to taste if you choose.
• Drink a cup of this 3 times a day. You can put a little honey in it to make it taste better.

Or you can

• Just get the extracts of Echinacea and Oregon grape and drink it once a day to help fight the bacteria responsible for your acne.

2. Vitamins and Supplements:

Your body should have enough supply of nutrients like beta-carotene, vitamin E and zinc, which are all needed for vitamin A formation. If you want a natural acne treatment that can help to reduce the production of your sebaceous glands, taking a multi-vitamin every day can help. It can control your acne by ensuring that your skin is given proper nutrition and that your body is not producing an abundance of sebum (which is responsible for clogging pores). Also, adding chromium to your diet, a supplement focused on healing skin infections.

3. Zinc Foods:

You can easily prevent (re)occurrence of acne by increasing your intake of zinc-rich foods, which are effective natural acne treatments. Zinc can help greatly in the elimination and reduction of blemishes, inflammation and androgenic effects on the skin. It can aid in the healing of acne lesions and help in the prevention of scarring. You can get zinc from,

•  Nuts
• Whole grains
• Legumes, beans

4. Improve Your Overall Diet:

It is best if you improve your diet by focusing on whole, unprocessed foods as it is one of the indirect ways of natural acne treatments. It can help you avoid ingestion of acne-producing food and clear out toxic matter that will develop and end up in your bloodstream. Here are some foods you ought to be consuming more:

• Foods with healthy omega-3 oil like sardines and flax seeds, which has an anti-inflammatory oil great for acne.
• Brown rice containing many amino acids that will help rebuild skin tissue.
• Oats with honey or raisins, which have an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin and help to keep you regular.
• Almonds to help build muscles and tissue.
• Sesame seeds to help in relieving assorted skin diseases like acne by reducing the swelling.
• Sunflower seeds which are great for dry skin and has nutrients for building the whole.
• Drinks rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C/E can assist in freshening and rejuvenating the skin.
• Vitamin E rich foods can diminish acne-related scarring.

In general, just have good foods to nourish your body properly and not create room for acne to breed properly.

 

A Few More Prevention Tips For That Acne-free Face

Yes, a good remedy can help you prevent acne from taking over your face again. However, you may still need to keep other things in mind to be sure everything would go fine without you falling back again. Here is a final checklist of valuable prevention methods you can use to get an acne-free face:

• Keep everything around you as clean as possible because bacteria in dirty things coming in contact with your skin can cause you acne.  Bacteria thrive in linens, towels, and washcloths so you must wash them often with good soaps to kill the bacteria and protect your skin.
• Pick a routine/treatment method and stick to it. Only stop it if your skin is getting worse.
• Don’t use products that contain heavy concentrations of isopropyl alcohol. This can do more damage than good.
• Don’t over-wash, over-cleanse or over-exfoliate your face. You can risk increasing the breakouts you have.
• Choose your skin products carefully as harsh ones can further aggravate the acne.
• Exercise and bath right after doing that because the friction and moisture caused by clothing rubbing against the skin can create the perfect conditions for acne production.
• Avoid touching or picking at your face too often or using dirty clothes to wipe your face. This can cause bacteria to get into pores and create acne.

Whew! That took a lot out of me to put all this down all at once! I know it’s a long read, but it’s totally worth it at the end because you can finally kiss your acne goodbye.

So, what do you think about all I’ve discussed? Have you tried any of these and made progress? Or you are just learning about them for the first time and looking forward to trying one? Let’s hear your comments in the box below.