If you suffer from skin blemishes and breakouts, you may be thinking of running out and buying the newest miracle skin product available. Before you reach for your car keys, you may want to try using some common kitchen ingredients to concoct an equally effective home remedy. These homemade acne remedies are affordable and effective.
Lemon Juice
Give lemon juice a try as both as a topical treatment and as a drink to treat your breakouts. Lemon juice has cleansing properties, so adding a bit of lemon to your water daily may help flush toxins from your body. Additionally, it acts as an astringent when applied to your skin. The citric acid in the lemon juice is effective at unclogging pores and promoting effective sloughing of dead skin as well as new skin growth. To apply, simply squeeze a bit of lemon juice into a cotton swab and apply to your face twice daily as you would your regular toner or astringent. If straight lemon juice is too strong, try diluting it with water.
Oatmeal
If you have skin that leans more on the oily side, then you may want to try an oatmeal mask. Excess oil production is a leading factor in acne breakouts as it can mix with debris such as dead skin cells and clog pores. Oatmeal is very dry, and therefore, is effective at soaking up excess oil. Mix up the oatmeal as you would if you were going to eat it, making a thick paste of oatmeal and warm water. Spread the paste on your skin. Allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes or until dry before rinsing. If you find that your skin is too dry, you can apply an oil free moisturizer. This will also prevent your oil glands from working overtime to lubricate the skin again.
Tea Tree Oil
If you’re looking for an effective spot treatment, tea tree oil may work for you. Tea tree oil has been used for centuries for treating wounds and burns. If you don’t already have some in your medicine cabinet, small bottles of tea tree oil can be found in the pharmacy section of your local drugstore or supermarket. To apply, soak the end of a cotton swab with a small amount of tea tree oil and dab on your blemishes. Don’t rinse it off. Simply let it stay on your skin as you would any other acne spot treatment, and reapply each time you wash your face.
