If you're a typical teenager, chances are you've suffered or are suffering from acne. According to Barbara Strickland, 85% of all American teenagers have acne, 60 million Americans have active acne, and 20 million have acne severe enough to cause scars. While roughly 40% of acne sufferers ignore their acne in the hopes that it will vanish on its own, the other 60% use drugstore products, go to a skincare center or see a doctor (in other words: do something about it). If you are one of those who have tried to use nearly every acne regimen on the market, only to have every single one of them let you down, or if you are wary of the drugs in acne products, you may be interested in trying natural acne remedies.
Obviously, you should not use any remedy that calls for something you are allergic to. Additionally, these remedies are guidelines only. Do further research before rushing into doing any of them. Finally, do not overuse any of these remedies. As is the case with typical drugstore products, overuse can lead to the acne bacteria evolving resistance to treatments.
Aspirin mask
To do this mask, crush several aspirin pills. If desired, add a bit of aloe vera, warm water and/or honey, but don't overdo it or the mixture will be too runny. Apply on affected areas and leave on from 20 minutes to 30 minutes (less if you have very sensitive skin). Once the time has passed, rinse off with warm water. Follow up with a moisturizer, as this treatment can be drying.
Baking soda
First off, do NOT apply onto any cuts. It will sting!
Simply mix warm water with baking soda and gently scrub all over face, as rough scrubbing can lead to irritation. Leave it on for several minutes, and then wash off. Try not to use this terribly often, as it is also used to exfoliate and will cause irritation if used too frequently.
Green tea
Green tea is typically used as a drink, not as a facial. Those who benefited from this treatment say they drink it anywhere from several times a week to three times a week. When drunk on a daily basis, green tea will reduce redness in the skin and prevent acne from breaking out.
It can, of course, be used as a facial. To try this out, steep the tea bags in a small amount of warm water (because warm water opens up the pores) and use cotton balls to apply the water onto affected areas before sleeping. Rinse it off in the morning. This is a treatment you can perform on a nightly basis, as green tea is very gentle.
Egg mask
Take an organic, relatively fresh egg. (To ensure freshness, check the Julian date.) Crack open. You'll need to preserve the yolk, so filter it out by using either an egg separator or by moving the yolk from side to side until the whites are all filtered out. (I have done this in my cooking class, and trust me-it works.) Place the yolk in a separate bowl and reserve the eggshell.
Take a fork and whip up the egg whites until they're nice and frothy. Using either your fingers or a cotton ball, apply all over your clean face, including areas where you're not breaking out. This mask can be left on for anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes. Rinse off with warm water and pat your face dry.
Apply the yolk to your face, but this time you should probably use your fingers as cotton balls don't work as well. The yolk treats acne scars as opposed to actual zits. Once you have applied the yolk all over, gently tear the skin from the inside of the shell and place onto problem areas. Eggshell skin is very effective in bringing pimples to a head. Once the yolk has dried into a hardened mask, first gently strip off the eggshell skin and then rinse the yolk off. Finish with a moisturizer.
There is some speculation as to whether placing yolk directly onto one's face can cause salmonella. However, the reviewers on acne.org have reported no salmonella infections. Just to be safe, do your research first, and make sure to wash your hands before and after the egg mask.
Honey mask
Wash your face first, to remove all makeup and topical impurities.
Gauge how much face wash you typically use, and spoon roughly this amount into a microwaveable bowl. Heat honey to the point where it is warm but not steaming hot. Wash your face again, but using the honey as the face wash. Rinse off with cold water. Repeat this treatment twice daily: once in the morning and once at night.
Lemon juice
This can be used as a drink or a topical treatment. For the former, simply drink a glass of lemon juice in the morning and in the night. To prevent staining of the teeth, use a straw so that as little of the juice touches the teeth as possible. Wait for one full hour after drinking the lemon juice to brush, so that you won't accidentally brush off the enamel.
To use as a topical treatment, pour a small amount of lemon juice into a bowl. Dip a cotton ball in and swab all over your face. Leave it on for about half an hour before rinsing off.
Unless you're allergic to lemons, you can double the treatment by drinking the juice and using it as a topical without adverse side effects.
Potatoes
Take two slices of organic potato and rub in circular motions onto acne scars. While this treatment does not cause breakouts, it does not necessarily prevent them either. This is an acne scar treatment.
Rice water
This isn't geared specifically towards acne treatment; it's more of a facial to smooth the skin. This rice water treatment idea comes directly from Michelle Phan's Youtube video; to watch it in action, pay a visit to her channel.
Take a small quantity of organic rice. Place it in a bowl. Fill the bowl with water to an inch above the rice level. While waiting, cut a mask out of a paper towel. Once the water is cloudy, dip the mask in it for ten minutes. Place the mask on your face for fifteen minutes. Once you take it off, your skin will feel smooth and less painful if you have acne.
Urine treatment
Yep, you read correctly. You can use your body's smelliest natural fluid to treat your acne. While your first reaction is probably one of disgust, it is quite effective and (obviously) a free resource you'd otherwise flush away.
First, make sure you are drinking adequate amounts of water so that your urine is fairly clear and does not smell terrible. When you are urinating, either catch it in a small container (that you will hopefully not use for food) or a cotton ball. Apply onto your face (it shouldn't smell that bad if you drank enough water), and wash off after about half an hour. If your urine is smelly, wash off sooner because concentrated urine really isn't very good for the skin.
Yogurt
You can use your fingers for this one. Take plain yogurt (unless you wish to smell like strawberries or blueberries) and apply onto your face. While this treatment mostly helps prevent peeling and keeps the skin soft, it also helps to fade acne scars, can dry out pimples, and helps prevent new pimples from forming. If you have sensitive skin, add honey or aloe vera; if you have oily skin, add some lemon juice. Keep on for fifteen minutes before rinsing off.
Obviously, you should not use any remedy that calls for something you are allergic to. Additionally, these remedies are guidelines only. Do further research before rushing into doing any of them. Finally, do not overuse any of these remedies. As is the case with typical drugstore products, overuse can lead to the acne bacteria evolving resistance to treatments.
Aspirin mask
To do this mask, crush several aspirin pills. If desired, add a bit of aloe vera, warm water and/or honey, but don't overdo it or the mixture will be too runny. Apply on affected areas and leave on from 20 minutes to 30 minutes (less if you have very sensitive skin). Once the time has passed, rinse off with warm water. Follow up with a moisturizer, as this treatment can be drying.
Baking soda
First off, do NOT apply onto any cuts. It will sting!
Simply mix warm water with baking soda and gently scrub all over face, as rough scrubbing can lead to irritation. Leave it on for several minutes, and then wash off. Try not to use this terribly often, as it is also used to exfoliate and will cause irritation if used too frequently.
Green tea
Green tea is typically used as a drink, not as a facial. Those who benefited from this treatment say they drink it anywhere from several times a week to three times a week. When drunk on a daily basis, green tea will reduce redness in the skin and prevent acne from breaking out.
It can, of course, be used as a facial. To try this out, steep the tea bags in a small amount of warm water (because warm water opens up the pores) and use cotton balls to apply the water onto affected areas before sleeping. Rinse it off in the morning. This is a treatment you can perform on a nightly basis, as green tea is very gentle.
Egg mask
Take an organic, relatively fresh egg. (To ensure freshness, check the Julian date.) Crack open. You'll need to preserve the yolk, so filter it out by using either an egg separator or by moving the yolk from side to side until the whites are all filtered out. (I have done this in my cooking class, and trust me-it works.) Place the yolk in a separate bowl and reserve the eggshell.
Take a fork and whip up the egg whites until they're nice and frothy. Using either your fingers or a cotton ball, apply all over your clean face, including areas where you're not breaking out. This mask can be left on for anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes. Rinse off with warm water and pat your face dry.
Apply the yolk to your face, but this time you should probably use your fingers as cotton balls don't work as well. The yolk treats acne scars as opposed to actual zits. Once you have applied the yolk all over, gently tear the skin from the inside of the shell and place onto problem areas. Eggshell skin is very effective in bringing pimples to a head. Once the yolk has dried into a hardened mask, first gently strip off the eggshell skin and then rinse the yolk off. Finish with a moisturizer.
There is some speculation as to whether placing yolk directly onto one's face can cause salmonella. However, the reviewers on acne.org have reported no salmonella infections. Just to be safe, do your research first, and make sure to wash your hands before and after the egg mask.
Honey mask
Wash your face first, to remove all makeup and topical impurities.
Gauge how much face wash you typically use, and spoon roughly this amount into a microwaveable bowl. Heat honey to the point where it is warm but not steaming hot. Wash your face again, but using the honey as the face wash. Rinse off with cold water. Repeat this treatment twice daily: once in the morning and once at night.
Lemon juice
This can be used as a drink or a topical treatment. For the former, simply drink a glass of lemon juice in the morning and in the night. To prevent staining of the teeth, use a straw so that as little of the juice touches the teeth as possible. Wait for one full hour after drinking the lemon juice to brush, so that you won't accidentally brush off the enamel.
To use as a topical treatment, pour a small amount of lemon juice into a bowl. Dip a cotton ball in and swab all over your face. Leave it on for about half an hour before rinsing off.
Unless you're allergic to lemons, you can double the treatment by drinking the juice and using it as a topical without adverse side effects.
Potatoes
Take two slices of organic potato and rub in circular motions onto acne scars. While this treatment does not cause breakouts, it does not necessarily prevent them either. This is an acne scar treatment.
Rice water
This isn't geared specifically towards acne treatment; it's more of a facial to smooth the skin. This rice water treatment idea comes directly from Michelle Phan's Youtube video; to watch it in action, pay a visit to her channel.
Take a small quantity of organic rice. Place it in a bowl. Fill the bowl with water to an inch above the rice level. While waiting, cut a mask out of a paper towel. Once the water is cloudy, dip the mask in it for ten minutes. Place the mask on your face for fifteen minutes. Once you take it off, your skin will feel smooth and less painful if you have acne.
Urine treatment
Yep, you read correctly. You can use your body's smelliest natural fluid to treat your acne. While your first reaction is probably one of disgust, it is quite effective and (obviously) a free resource you'd otherwise flush away.
First, make sure you are drinking adequate amounts of water so that your urine is fairly clear and does not smell terrible. When you are urinating, either catch it in a small container (that you will hopefully not use for food) or a cotton ball. Apply onto your face (it shouldn't smell that bad if you drank enough water), and wash off after about half an hour. If your urine is smelly, wash off sooner because concentrated urine really isn't very good for the skin.
Yogurt
You can use your fingers for this one. Take plain yogurt (unless you wish to smell like strawberries or blueberries) and apply onto your face. While this treatment mostly helps prevent peeling and keeps the skin soft, it also helps to fade acne scars, can dry out pimples, and helps prevent new pimples from forming. If you have sensitive skin, add honey or aloe vera; if you have oily skin, add some lemon juice. Keep on for fifteen minutes before rinsing off.