HOW TO TACKLE ACNE USING NATURAL PRODUCTS

Your skin is your friend. You like your skin. Your skin likes you. It protects you from the elements and literally keeps you together. You in turn do your best to protect it from any kind of damage. Then, one day, acne rears its ugly head, and you suddenly hate your skin. What do you do then? Turn to harsh chemicals, and expensive scrubs? That’s a fine way to thank a friend who’s been there for you since day one. Your epidermis isn’t at fault here-it can’t help that your hormones are causing all that extra sebum to clog up your pores, or the fact that bacteria is running rampant. If your skin could talk it would say something along the lines of “patience, grasshopper. Treat me right and I shall repay you in kind.”

That’s just a guess, anyways. The point is, natural acne remedies are a good way to get rid of it, or at least hold it at bay. They make you step back and really figure out what’s going on with your skin, and how to work with it. Chances are, your skin will repay you in kind for not simply ravaging it with strange chemicals-and your wallet will probably thank you too.
In this article,  BOLA AKINBOADE-BELLO brings to you natural home remedies you can try to tackle acne.

OATMEAL
Oatmeal is known to be an effective remedy for treating acne. Because Oatmeal is dry and possesses an absorbent quality that helps in soaking up all the excess oil from the skin, it is a remedy that helps in treating as well as preventing the occurrence of acne.

How to use Oatmeal: Add the oatmeal to some warm water and form a thick paste with it. Apply the paste to the affected areas of the skin and leave it there for at least twenty to thirty minutes. Use warm water to rinse off the oatmeal mask once it dries.

HONEY
Honey possesses a sticky texture which helps in pulling out the dirt that might be present in the pores of your skin. Honey is known to play the role of an antimicrobial and helps to destroy bacteria, which is a major cause for developing acne.honey.

How to use Honey: It is important that you choose natural honey over the processed or adulterated variety because its antimicrobial properties are preserved in the natural form. To use honey in the treatment of acne, apply some honey evenly, all over your face and leave it there for a minimum of fifteen to twenty minutes. Wash your face thoroughly after this and repeat the procedure as many times as you want.

GARLIC
Garlic is also considered to be effective in the treatment of acne because it possesses anti-microbial properties.

How to use Garlic: Crush a few flakes of garlic and apply them to your skin in the form of a paste.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Apple cider vinegar plays the role of an anti-bacterial agent that helps in getting rid of the bacteria that normally cause an outbreak of acne. It is also considered to be beneficial in balancing the pH levels of the skin. It also helps to absorb the excess oil that is present on the surface of the skin.

How to use Apple Cider Vinegar: To use apple cider vinegar to treat acne, it is important that you dilute the apple cider vinegar by adding one part of it to four parts of water. Use a cotton ball to apply this diluted solution to your skin. Wash it off your skin after about fifteen to twenty minutes. If your skin is not sensitive, you could also leave it on overnight.

BAKING SODA
Baking soda is known to be effective for so many things. It can be used effectively to treat acne as well.

How to use Baking Soda: To use baking soda to treat acne, you must mix a heaped tablespoon of baking soda with a sufficient amount of water to form a thick paste. Apply it to your skin and leave it there till it begins to harden. Wash it off after that and repeat it several times a week, for best results.

EGG 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 chock 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, (exactly what you were thinking right?) which means less stuff for bacteria to feed on. Hooray! Just make sure to use a good moisturizer afterwards, as they can dry your skin out a bit.

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

Directions
Rinse 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) focusing on problem spots. 3 to 4 layers is usually enough, but make sure to wait the first has dried 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.

PAPAYA
Papaya is an essential ingredient in a lot of beauty products on the market today, but theres no need to go out of your way to gain its benefits? 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.

ORANGE PEEL
Ah, oranges. They taste rejuvenating and refreshing, and our skin may find them just as appealing as our taste buds do. Acne that is caused by bacteria and extra oil/dead skin cells clogging up pores may improve with the use of an orange peel face mask of sorts, thanks to the vitamin C, citric acid, and it’s astringent properties. The vitamin C is particularly helpful because it promotes the growth of new healthy cells, keeping your skin in better condition overall.

You will need…
-2 Orange peels
-Clean, fresh water

Directions
Rinse your face with water and pat dry. Grind/pound up your orange peels (you could use a blender, mortar and pestle, whatever gets the job done) and add a little water to create a paste. Add a little at a time, as too much will make it too thin and runny. Once you have the right consistency, apply it to your face and/or problem areas. Wait for 20-25 minutes. Ideally the mask should be firm, but it can still work if it isn’t. Rinse off completely with water, pat your face dry, and apply a good moisturize.

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 with water 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.

STRAWBERRIES
Honey and strawberries make a home remedy for acne 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 with water 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.

BANANA PEEL
Bananas are full of all sorts of goodness-even the part we don’t eat. Their peels contain something called lutein, an extremely powerful antioxidant that reduces swelling and inflammation, and encourages healthy cell growth. So…rubbing a banana peel on your face can reduce the redness, obviousness, and discomfort of acne.

You will need…
-1 banana peel

Directions
Peel your banana and eat it- it’s not cool to waste, and they’re good for you. Take the peel, and rub in a circular motion all over your face. When you feel as though you’ve covered all of your face, let it sit for at least 30 minutes before rinsing it off.

ALOE VERA
Aloe vera gel can be used with other things to fight acne, but it’s a good thing on its own as well. If it’s going to be used on its own, the best is to have a little aloe plant floating around in your house, otherwise a good gel that’s sold in stores may work as well-just do some research on which ones have the least amount of additives. Not only is the aloe soothing, it works as an anti-inflammatory, decreasing redness and swelling. It also has antibacterial properties.

You will need…
-Enough aloe vera gel to spot treat or cover your problem areas

Directions
Wash your face with water and pat dry. Using your fingertips or a Q-tip, apply the aloe directly to your problem areas.

LEMON JUICE
Lemon juice can help get rid of breakouts for a number of reasons. It is rich in vitamin C, which is good for all types of skin, and it’s a citric acid, so it helps ‘exfoliate’ the skin as well. Most importantly though, it is an astringent. An astringent will cause a contraction of body tissues, and will therefore dry out the blemish itself. It is also a natural skin whitener, which helps reduce redness. Rinse off any lemon juice before going out in the sun, as it may make you more sensitive to it.

You will need…
-1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice (approximately)
-Q-tips or cotton balls (optional)
-Yogurt (optional)

Directions
Rinse face gently with water and pat dry. Dab fingers, a cotton ball, or a Q-tip in lemon juice and apply to pimple. If it stings, try mixing it first with a bit of yogurt.

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 woes. 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.

POTATO
Potato is a wonderful vegetable, to be sure, but one of its benefits may not be something you’ve heard of before. That benefit would be taming acne, as potatoes are full of potassium, sulfur, phosphorus, and chloride-all components that can help reduce bothersome blemishes. They also have antioxidants to nourish your skin and encourage the healthy growth of new skin cells.

You will need…
-1 potato

Directions
Wash your face with water and pat almost dry, leaving it a bit damp. Grate 1 raw potato and rub the pulp and juice onto your face for a few minutes in a circular motion. Let it dry for 15-30 minutes, and then rinse off completely with warm water.