Natural Remedies for Acne

If drugstore, chemical-laden products aren’t getting rid of your acne, or you’re just tired of drenching your skin with strange chemicals and substances day after day, there are plenty of natural remedies for acne that can be used as an alternative. Used regularly, many have the potential of being more effective them drugstore products.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is prized for it’s antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. It can be used for all sorts of ailments from dandruff to foot fungus, but it is also a great natural acne remedy. It can be thought of as the natural version of benzoyl peroxide, but it doesn’t work exactly the same. After all, they are two difference substances.

Start with a tea tree oil face wash such as those I’ve listed below. Using it as a face wash is a great way to get it on your skin in a lower concentration. Always test it on your arm or leg first in a small spot to make sure you don’t have any reactions to it first.

      

If you have more severe acne, use tea tree oil as a topical treatment. Purchase a bottle of tea tree oil in pure form. Dilute the oil to 2% to 10% with water and apply to your skin with a cotton swab. Use this as a spot treatment once per day until the acne is gone.
    

Lemon Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar, or Witch Hazel

Witch hazel is a common astringent used to fight acne. It is natural and may be less irritating than salicylic acid. Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar can also be used as an astringent. Lemon juice is a little less harsh, but apple cider vinegar may be more effective. Also, lemon juice has a more pleasant fragrance. Whichever you choose to use, use a cotton swab to wipe your skin with it and do not rinse.
      

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a great miracle plant that can do wonders for your body inside and out. If you choose to ingest it, use a food-grade variety and not the type you get at the drugstore. It’s a great non-comodogenic moisturizer and it helps reduce inflammation, a significant part of acne.

Honey

Honey is a substance similar to aloe in that it is a moisturizer, but it also has antibiotic properties. Honey has been used for centuries to help heal wounds. It’s antibiotic properties can also help heal acne, which is also an infection. Apply it to your skin and leave it for at least 5 minutes, then rinse it away with warm water. Regular use will help heal acne and keep your skin moisturized.

Oatmeal and Brown Sugar

Scrubbing your skin is important in order to remove dead skin cells. Oatmeal is great for digestion, but it’s also great used as a moisturizing scrub. Chop it up in the food processor, add some water to form a paste, and scrub it on your skin with your fingertips. Let it sit on your face a little longer to tighten your pores and moisturize. Brown sugar mixed with some olive oil is good for an occasional scrub. It is more effective, but shouldn’t be used too often for the same reason.

Eggs

Egg white whipped to a froth and applied like a mask to your skin for 20 minutes is a great way to tighten your skin and shrink your pores. Use the yolk as a mask to get the benefit of vitamin A, an antioxidant that helps reduce the effects of free radicals that damage and age the skin.

Best Anti Wrinkle Creams

Wrinkles are best prevented through a healthy diet and lifestyle, protection from the sun, and lots of moisture, but you can give it a boost with anti wrinkle cream. There is no miracle cream, but finding the right products can improve your skin tone and help prevent wrinkles in the future.

Do Anti Wrinkle Creams Work?

Anti wrinkle creams that work usually contain certain ingredients. There are some very expensive creams advertised on television or on the internet that sound like miracle creams. Some are okay, but most don’t work any better than what you can get at the drugstore for a fraction of the cost.

The only way to know for sure if an anti wrinkle cream works is by trying it for yourself. Start with one product and use it regularly for 3 months. If you notice a difference, you know you’ve found a good product. Of course, real results will be more obvious with products that are meant to reduce rather than prevent wrinkles.

Moisture and Sun Protection

If you’re young and you want to prevent wrinkles in the future, the best you can do is moisturize your skin and protect it from the sun. That includes staying away from tanning booths. The sun causes a lot of damage to skin and can significantly increase premature aging. Moisturizing helps to plump up the skin so that when your skin wrinkles when you squint or smile, it keeps the wrinkled shape less. Constant wrinkling of the skin is what causes wrinkles that don’t disappear.

Effective Ingredients

The following ingredients are common in anti wrinkle cream products. If you’re serious about finding an effective anti wrinkle cream, look for these ingredients in products. I have also listed some of the top anti wrinkle creams available with these ingredients.

Retinol

Retinol is an antioxidant that comes from vitamin A. Antioxidants are very effective in neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals break down skin cells causing aging.
      

Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids

Hydroxy acids are often used in chemical peels and similar products. They are meant to exfoliate the skin. Removing the top layer of dead skin cells stimulates the growth of new cells and reveals more evenly toned skin. After using these products, stay out of the sun as much as possible and wear sunscreen because your skin will be more susceptible to sun damage.
      

Coenzyme Q10

CoQ10 can be taken as a supplement in pill form, and it is also in many anti wrinkle creams. If can help to reduce the effects of sun damage and help regenerate new cell production.
      

Copper

Copper is known as a substance that helps increase elasticity in skin. If you’ve noticed your skin is starting to sag, copper can help heal the skin and make it more springy again like young skin.
      

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is often considered a miracle plant. Consumed it can help with digestion and improve the skin. Topically, it acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps to renegerate the skin. You can use aloe vera by itself rather than in a cream for a more effective concentration.
      

Antioxidants

Antioxidants from tea, berries, bark, and other substances, just like retinol, can help prevent damage from free radicals. Use creams with antioxidants, but also increase your consumption of foods high in antioxidants.