Overview
According to the Mayo Clinic, acne is caused by the combination of an accumulation of dead skin cells and an oil (sebum) naturally produced by the sebaceous glands in your skin. When the skin cells and oil come together in your pores, they can form a soft plug, which then develops into a whitehead or blackhead. A good homemade acne face wash will help you gently cleanse excess oil from your skin without causing additional irritation or inflammation. It’s also much cheaper than conventional store-bought acne products.
Step 1
Mix the chamomile, fennel or thyme in a heat-resistant bowl and cover with boiling water. Chamomile and fennel cleanse and tone your pores and reduce inflammation, while thyme is an astringent.
Step 2
Place the lemon on the floor. Place the arch of your foot over the lemon and roll it back and forth, exerting just enough pressure to soften the lemon slightly; don’t put all of your weight on it.
Step 3
Cut the lemon open and squeeze the juice from both halves into the bowl of herbs and water. The lemon is a useful astringent, too. Leave the bowl of herbs, lemon and water to steep for 15 minutes.
Step 4
Place a square of cheesecloth loosely over the mouth of the glass jar so that there’s a depression in the middle. Place the rubber band around the rim of the jar, over the cheesecloth, to hold it in place. Pour the infusion slowly into the cheesecloth, allowing plenty of time for the liquid to drain while the solids remain behind on the cheesecloth.
Step 5
Discard the solids on the cheesecloth and cover the jar with its tight-fitting lid. Store the jar in the refrigerator for up to three days. This facial cleanser is gentle, so it can be applied more than once or twice daily as needed; just pour a little bit onto a cotton ball and swab gently on your face.
Tips and Warnings
- You also can pour the infusion into the glass jar through a paper coffee filter.
About this Author
Ms. Marie is an outdoors writer who’s dabbled in or obsessed about many outdoor pursuits from hiking, paddling and mountaineering to extreme snow-tubing.
