Blemish-Free Skin: The Natural Way

​Whether you are dealing with one or two spots or a full-blown acne breakout, natural skin-care routines can put you on the route to blemish-free skin.  
The expensive scrubs and chemicals so many turn to in their fight against acne rarely work in the long run and can be hard on your skin, exacerbating the problem. Natural skin-care remedies, faithfully applied, go deeper than your epidermis and help you attack the root cause of blemishes while nourishing your skin at the same time.  
None of the following remedies will clear up your skin overnight. You’ll need to have the patience and determination to stick with them. 

• Honey 

Honey fights acne-causing bacteria with its natural antibacterial properties and reduces sebum production. It also balances the pH of your skin, making it a difficult place for bacteria to live. 
Make sure the honey you get for your skin is pure and raw. When honey is pasteurized, it loses many of its health benefits. 
There are several ways you can apply honey as a cleanser. You can wash your face with it: After rinsing your face with warm water, apply about ½ teaspoon of honey and massage into moist skin. Then rinse thoroughly. 
You can also make a paste of honey and cinnamon. The cinnamon adds antimicrobial properties and a great scent. Combine 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and mix until they form a paste. Apply to face or trouble spots and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing thoroughly your face and patting it dry. 

• Yogurt 

Yogurt soothes and moisturizes your skin, soothing irritation and keeping your skin from drying out and overproducing oil.  
Allow 1 tablespoon of yogurt to come to room temperature and combine it with 1 tablespoon of honey. Apply a layer to your face and let it dry. Continue applying layers until mask is thick enough, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing thoroughly with warm water. 

• Apple Cider Vinegar 

Like honey, Apple Cider vinegar is great for eradicating acne-causing bacteria and balancing the pH of your skin. It also helps to eliminate excess oil. You won’t want to over-use it, as over-drying your skin can cause it to overproduce oil, compounding your problem. 
For apple cider vinegar to work, you’ll want to make sure you use raw and unfiltered still containing the mother cultures. 
Dilute 1-part vinegar in 3 parts water and use a cotton ball to daub it directly on trouble areas. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes to overnight. 

• Oatmeal 

Oatmeal is nourishing to your skin, and while it will not directly fight acne, it will sooth inflammation, redness and swelling.  
Cook about ¼ cup of oatmeal as you normally would and add 2 tablespoons of honey. Allow to cool until it is room temperature, apply to your face, and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.  

• Tea Tree Oil 

Tea tree oil can be used to treat individual spots. It should never be used undiluted. Start out by combining 1-part oil with 9 parts water or Aloe Vera gel. Use a que tip to dab the mixture directly on blemishes daily.  
If you feel you could use a stronger dilution, you may gradually reduce the amounts of water or gel, making sure to give your skin a chance to adjust, and being careful to never use tea tree oil completely undiluted. 

• Steam 

A steam treatment is useful for softening your skin and reducing irritation. It also opens your pores, allowing impurities to be washed out. Beginning with steam can prepare your skin to fully benefit from one of the other treatments listed here. 
To begin, boil a pot of water and pour it into a large bowl. Be careful not to burn yourself by the steam while you are pouring, and let the water sit in the bowl for a couple of minutes until it has cooled slightly. 
Now, lean over the bowl and drape a towel over your head, trapping the steam around your face. Remain in your steam tent for 10 to 15 minutes. Then pat your face dry or move on to one of these other treatments. 

• Sugar Scrub 

Exfoliation is an important part of caring for you skin and can be accomplished using natural scrubs containing brown sugar, sea salt or ground oatmeal. The grittiness of these ingredients helps cleanse your pores and remove dead skin cells. 
For a simple sugar scrub, combine ½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup white sugar and 1 tablespoon of course sea salt in a liquid measuring cup and pack it down. Pour about 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over the top of this mixture and allow it so soak into the mixture before mixing all together.  
After rinsing skin for several moments with warm water (or completely the steam treatment above), apply the sugar scrub with circular motions. Scrub gently so as not to damage sensitive skin. Then rinse with warm water. 

• Clay Mask 

Applying clay to your face can benefit your skin in more ways than one. You will want to do a bit of research to decide what kind of clay is best for you, but a couple common choices are bentonite clay and rhassoul clay.  
Clay absorbs and removes impurities from your skin. It is also full of minerals that nourish your cells. 
Combine your choice of clay with water (and honey if desired) until it forms a thin paste and apply it to your face. Leave the mask in place for 20 to 30 minutes. Then rinse it off, gently scrubbing to encourage exfoliation. 

• Green Tea 

Recent studies have shown that green tea may be useful in clearing up acne. Simply steep 1 bag of green tea in ½ cup of boiled water. Allow it to cool completely before applying it to your face with a spray bottle or cotton pad. 
If any treatment seems to dry your skin excessively, remember to apply moisturizer afterward. 
Establish a routine using the natural cleansing treatment that works best for you and stick with it. Before long, you should begin to see your acne diminishing and your skin will be smoother and softer than ever.