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After suffering with acne for the past 15 years, I’ve found that many natural remedies for acne work better than over-the-counter things I’ve tried.
There are many options for all natural remedies for acne. So, how do you choose which ones to try?
The ones I have included in my list of the top 10 all natural remedies for acne, are ones that I have found to work the best and are the most powerful! Everyone is different, and it may require some experimentation to find what works best for you! But most importantly, don’t give up!
After having acne for many years, I have tried nearly every possible remedy and treatment. I even, hate to say it, I’ve even tried prescription treatments. The funny thing is, after trying everything, I found the natural remedies for acne have worked the best! Seriously!
My acne started around age 13 and only progressed to get worse! My mother always told me, just wait until after high school, it will get better. But those years came and went with no change. Then, I had hoped by the end of college I would definitely be better, but yep you guessed it, four years later, it was only worse!
All through high school and college, I searched for years trying to find help, but nothing seemed to work. It didn’t seem fair because for some people, they improved with age. This is because acne it seems is sometimes just a temporary occurrence due to changes in hormones, but for me and many others that isn’t the case!
Getting to the Causes of Acne
1. Diet: What you eat matters! Many say that your that diet doesn’t matter. However, for many it came make a big impact. It so important to watch what you’re putting into your body. Avoid all processed foods, eat real foods and make sure to get enough fats into your diet, such as avocados and coconut oil. Dairy can be a problem and this should be avoided, along with refined sugar.
2. Get a blood test! Test your blood for vitamins and nutrients to make sure you aren’t deficient in anything. Also, it may be a good idea to check your thyroid and your hormone levels (progesterone and testosterone).
3. Allergens! Your acne may be a result of an allergy. Determine if there are any possible allergens that may be causing your acne, such as gluten, which may reduce the amount of nutrients absorbed. Other common allergens are dairy, yeast and eggs. Delayed food allergies may affect you especially if you have a leaky gut.
10 Best All Natural Remedies for Acne:
1. Baking Soda– This is my absolute favorite natural remedy for acne! Surprisingly, I only discovered baking soda masks a couple of years ago, and oh boy, is this stuff powerful at clearing skin! Baking soda not only helps eliminate breakouts and reduces inflammation, it is also an exfoliator and helps remove dead skin cells! Because of this, it also works great to reduce any old scars or acne marks. To use it, just take a few teaspoons of baking soda and mix it with warm water until it forms a paste. Apply the paste to your skin. You may want to leave it on for only 10 to 15 minutes the first few times as it may feel powerful. You can gradually increase the time up to an hour. After one use you can see a great difference in your skin.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar– This natural remedy for acne is another powerful one, it has both antibacterial and antifungal properties. To start out, you may want to dilute a few teaspoons with half cup water or 1/4 cup water as it can be quite powerful when applied directly to your skin. Make sure to use apple cider vinegar that’s raw, unfiltered and labeled as “with the mother”, which has the most nutrients.
3. Coconut Oil– Coconut oil is antibacterial and antifungal. Coconut oil is also extremely moisturizing and gentle. It helps fight the bacteria and reduce redness. Apply the coconut oil to your skin and massage it in. You can reapply a couple times per day. With coconut oil, there is no need to ever use a moisturizer again, it works so well. For optimal benefit, use organic coconut oil that is unrefined.
4. Tea Tree Oil– Tea tree oil is an essential oil and can be a very powerful all natural remedy for acne, as it is antibacterial. To apply it, mix a small amount (5 to 10 drops) of tea tree oil with a 1/4 cup water. Dip a cotton ball into the mixture and apply it to your skin. You can reapply throughout the day or leave it on under your makeup.
5. Egg Whites– For this, I’m not talking about eating them, they make a great natural remedy for acne when used as a facial mask! Egg whites reduce the oil and minimize your pores in addition to drawing out impurities. To use it, separate the egg white from the yolk, use a cotton ball or you can use your fingers to apply the egg white to your skin. After a few minutes you’ll start to feel it tighten, you can leave it on anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. Afterwards, your skin will have an amazing glow!
6. Lemon Juice– For this one, you can either use lemon juice or a fresh squeezed lemon. Lemons have natural antibacterial and astringent properties to help clear your skin. Apply the lemon juice to your skin and leave on for 15 minutes to an hour.
7. Garlic– Not only is garlic a great natural antibacterial when ingested, it also works great topically. To use it, take a clove of garlic and thinly slice it. Rub the slices on your skin, particularly any problem areas, making sure the juice of the garlic is applied. Leave on for 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
8. Ice Cubes– Rub an ice cube on problem areas to help reduce inflammation. Not only, does the cold close your pores it also forces the bacteria out. You can also splash your face with cold water to achieve similar affects.
9. Cornstarch– Cornstarch is very soothing and gentle. This is a great natural remedy for acne when you have a lot of redness or irritation. You can apply the cornstarch to your individual breakouts or to your whole face. Sometimes I leave it on overnight and find a huge difference in the morning!
10. Aloe– Aloe is very soothing and reduces inflammation and redness. To use it, apply the gel to your skin with your fingers, you can apply it several times a day. If you have an aloe plant, it would be even better as you get the aloe fresh, without any added ingredients. Or you could also just get an organic aloe gel, I use this kind.
I still continue to use these natural remedies for acne. Typically, I use the baking soda mask and coconut oil once a day. My skin is now clearer. However, if I have an unusually stressful week or stop using baking soda for a few weeks, I may get a breakout.
No matter what the cause is, there’s no time like the present to try these natural remedies for acne and try to improve your skin to the best it can be. The good news is there’s a lot to try!
UPDATE:
I haven’t used it, but some people have found that evening primrose oil has helped them treat their acne. It is an anti-inflammatory omega-6 fat and is well known for helping women with menstrual cramps.
Other Important Natural Remedies for Acne!
Foods to add!
The following foods, when added to the diet, have been found to help acne: fish oil, turmeric, green tea, nuts, berries (dark red and purple), green leafy vegetables and omega 3-eggs.
Take a probiotic!
And don’t forget to take your probiotic! This may help your gut by decreasing inflammation.
Watch Blood Sugar, Stay Off the Rollercoaster!
You probably heard of the blood sugar rollercoaster. This is caused by eating sugar and refined (and processed )carbohydrates. So when you avoid sugar, don’t forget to cut down on your carbohydrates too! If you do eat a carbohydrate make sure you eat some healthy fat or protein to speed up the and being on this is not only a cause of many ailments but it affects your skin!
According to WebMD, a 2007 study in teenage boys and young men with acne found that eating foods with a low glycemic load (glycemic load tells you how much the food will raise blood sugar) led to significant improvement in their acne! Here is a good chart on the glycemic index of foods. An example of a high glycemic food is white rice “89” on the chart and an example of a low glycemic food is an apple “39”. Some of the best low-carb fruits include, berries, cherries, apples, pears and grapefruits. This is why one important change you can make is to make sure you keep your blood sugar steady. If your blood sugar is going wildly up and down you cause your insulin production to go in to overdrive . If you keep blood sugar balanced less “pimple producing insulin” will be in your blood and it was found in recent studies that there were less sex hormones in the blood of participants that ate foods with a low-glycemic load.
Final Tip
Get exercise and enough sleep! Not getting enough of these definitely affects my skin.
I am constantly trying to find new natural treatments to resolving acne and I will keep you posted on any new research or promising answers. Hope you will let me know if you have found anything that helps! Good luck on your journey to clear skin!
Have you tried any of these natural remedies for acne? What has worked for you?
Great post. You are right about also addressing the causes of Acne instead of merely treating the symptoms. You might want to add Ceylon Cinnamon and honey to the list of topical treatments. It is very effective due to powerful anti bacterial properties and the bleaching effect of Cinnamon which can even out scars. More importantly drinking a cup of Ceylon cinnamon Tea is very good for addressing the causes such as excess sugar, poor nutrient absorption, bad gut bacteria and poor blood circulation. You can use ordinary cinnamon, but that has high levels of Coumarin which can damage your liver.
Thanks! I don’t think I’ve ever tried the cinnamon and honey mixture before. I’ll have to give it a try.
I tried all remedies given above……but there’s no change……so upset!!! What 2do???…
Have you tried the oil cleansing method? I’ve found that it’s made a big difference for me, in addition to taking fermented cod liver oil.
DermalMD’s Acne Serum worked well. however u may need to continue using until scars fade so i had to use like 3 jars. one jar has a small amount and i think it was too costly. however Serum had no allergies on my skin and overall it was ok.
Glad you found something that worked. Did you use this for deep scars, like icepick or boxcar? or just more hyperpigmentation scaring?
If people would just Google “Organic acne Treatment” they would see #1 Organic acne treatment, the only no chemical treatment used for 27 years by thousands of acne experts. Lerosett, read and learn what no other acne site will feel you the truth. There is not cure, most diseases have no cure. Antibiotics is not a cure its a treatment. Lerosett is from Sweden and they have much less acne. Doctor can temporarily clear your skin but they have no cure. However, you can stay clear in a healthy manner, I have for years. In the 90’s all acne companies combined sold $350 Million a year , today Proactive does $800 Million alone. People like teens are being convinced that 3 pimples and occasional pimples is acne, acne is a chronic skin disease. Every teen doesn’t have a skin disease. And in Europe Proactive uses Salicylic acid not Benzoyl peroxide, so which one got those celebrities clear, guess what they never had acne, they got a few pimples, but none of them had clinical acne. The drug lobby hides the fact that UV rays turn Benzoyl peroxide into a free radicals. Look it up , the FDA states benzoyl peroxide must have a UV warning and no manufacturer has it because of government cutbacks. Search Lerosett, read about what acne is, what you have and how to deal with it. All the acne products you use won’t work long term, there is a reason and they are all 95% water and one of two drugs, they’re all the same, its the law. Its illegal to make a drug free acne treatment because the lobbyists have prevented real, safe and effective treatments from entering the market.
I wouldn’t recommend tea tree oil, especially for men. It is an endocrine disruptor.
i want to try it
How many times a week can you use the baking soda remedy?
Thanks!
Marissa Ballenger
As much as you want. I was using it daily for months. Now, I use it only once a week as my skin gets dry in the winter months.
Acne has been a problem most specially with the teenagers. My daughter had been on it. I try to visit remarkableskin and it really works on her. Now she’s happy
Lori! Your tips have helped me improve my skin sooo much! I first found your website in may of this year, when I was suffering with 6 months of chronic insomnia before my wedding (still don’t know what caused it…stress, work, moving and traveling a ton?) but your tips about magnesium and body brushing helped a lot! I don’t have insomnia anymore. I had terrible skin as a teenager (after reading your blog, I now know so many things that could have triggered it! At the time I was baffled, because I thought I ate healthy, played tennis and ran every day, and was thin…but I was wrong! I definitely did not get enough of the right nutrients. My acne has been better as an adult, I’m now 25, but still not great. HOWEVER 2 weeks after following your tips, especially the cod liver oil, probiotics, and balancing the PH of my face, along with natural makeup, my skin has NEVER looked better!!! THANK YOU!! Even the couple of acne scars I was left with are fading! Coconut oil makes the skin on my face break out, so I use grape seed oil. My favorite mask is cinnamon and grape seed oil, I gently rub that over my face for a few minutes, and it gets rid of my blackheads and increases my face circulation. I follow it with witch hazel, though I want to try ACV now! Once again, thank you soooooooooo much! I also use baking soda and castile soap for pretty much everything in the house! My husband thinks I’m crazy, haha, but I got his mom hooked on your blog too. I have a long way to go, but you’re an amazing inspiration!
Hi Eleanor, Thank you so much for sharing your results! I’m so glad the tips have helped improve your skin!! Wow, I’ll definitely have to try the cinnamon and grape seed oil mask, I still do get a few blackheads. Haha I use baking soda and castile for almost everything too! 🙂
For me when i first tried the baking soda mask its just make my pimples irritated and it didn’t healed at all it became itchy and swollen..that’s when i realized baking soda is not for all skin types whether they tell you that it makes their face clearer..but until now i have not found any possible remedy for my pimples i have very sensitive skin my dermatologist says that i must not use creams for my face it will just cause my face more breakouts..is there any other suggestions that could help me i will really appreciate it..
Hi Shei, that is definitely understandable. My brother has sensitive skin and the baking soda mask didn’t agree for him either. I just bought a red LED light to use at home and it has been seriously amazing! It’s great because it’s not drying or irritating to my skin. You may want to look into it.
Please DO NOT use baking soda on your skin. It is NOT safe.
http://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/195lue/psa_please_do_not_use_baking_soda_on_your_skin_it/
Baking soda is excellent. I also had amazing results using lemon, Himalayan salt and oats after. Its as if acne is removed and then the strongest anti wrinkle and perking up is applied… I was surprised 🙂
That’s great! Glad it worked for you, I love Himalayan salt!
i love u
Toothpaste works well also. I used it last night, actually, and my face looks 100% better. 🙂
Glad to hear it worked for you!
Good to hear that, but you should be careful when using toothpaste, because it will harm your skin on the long run (toothpaste contains a lot of chemicals which aren’t good for your skin.) The 9 remedies that Lori recommends above is both efficient and safety to use. Good luck!
I see you have mentioned tea tree oil and coconut oil in your article. Natural oils are really good for acne although it seems counter intuitive to put oil on your oily skin. I personally use an oil based lotion by mama nature of london however im sure there are other similar types around. My skin is spot free and feel lovely and moist without being oily.
It does seem counter intuitive, but they really work! I have oily-acne prone skin, so the first time someone told me to try applying more oil, I thought they were crazy lol.
Hi! I am a nearly 25 year old woman who has suffered with acne since I was at least 14. For about 10 years I’ve been going to dermatologists (who keep telling me that my acne isn’t caused by anything I’m eating or doing to my skin, it’s just “genetic”) to help “manage” my acne, and they have prescribed me all sorts of topical creams and antibiotics–from Azelex and Differin to Tazorac and Benzaclin, Doxycycline to Minocycline, and others that just aren’t worth mentioning. Even with ingesting and applying all of these toxic medications on my skin, I still experience painful, deep cystic acne all over my jaw line, around my mouth, and on my cheeks–things will get better, then worse again, better then worse…and when I feel like it’s finally clearing up for good, I’ll once again develop red inflamed cysts all over my face. I am beyond frustrated to say the least.
I would like to ditch the pharmaceuticals and try a natural approach to treating my acne, but I am terrified that if I stop using the medications and start a new regimen I’ll go through a withdrawal phase where things get really bad before I see any positive results. Frankly, I’m not sure if I could mentally handle that at this point.
Are my concerns valid? I would really appreciate your input!!
Thank you so much! I will definitely look into the cod liver oil treatment! I am a bit nervous about putting oil on my face, but at this point I’ll try anything. I also have a good amount of acne scars–what would you recommend to help get rid of those? And do you think I should be worried about experiencing breakouts after I stop using the medications and adapt a natural skin regimen?
I haven’t been to a naturopath yet. I have noticed that my cuticles are also always breaking and/or inflamed, so I’m sure I do have some sort of deficiency. I’ll be sure to find a naturopath right away!
Oops! I just read your post about cod liver oil and realize that it is to be ingested, not topically applied. Silly me for assuming!
Yes, I take 2 tablespoons a day. It is truly like a miracle!
I have been using baking soda and scrubbing my face 2 times a day with it to help with scars. It has been helping a lot, but it still takes time for the redness and deeper scars to fade. I’ve noticed a definite improvement after doing it for about a month. I’ve heard of good results using MSM cream. I actually just ordered it last night online and I’ll post my results after I give it a try. I’m hoping it will help with my deeper scars.
I will definitely be trying both the baking soda mask and FCLO! I also wanted to try the apple cider vinegar toner, would you recommend using that in conjunction with the baking soda?
And unfortunately my insurance won’t cover services provided by a naturopathic doctor 🙁 So I’ll have to hold off on that until I can afford to pay out of pocket. Hopefully these other natural remedies will be helpful until then!
I use both the ACV and baking soda together. I just started using a bentonite clay face mask every day now and it has been helping so much with old scars! I just put up a new post on it (you can find it from my home page). Hope they work for you! 🙂
I actually just bought a bentonite clay mask made by Aztec Secrets! I’m so excited to start using it, especially now after hearing about your positive experience with it. Thank you for all of your suggestions!
Awesome! I absolutely love using it! I’ve been doing it every morning now and leave it on for 1 hour, then rinse off with water. My skin has never looked better and I’m so excited to see my old scars fading.
I’ve seen a lot of recommendations from here but before I purchase anything I wanted to see what you most recommend. So far, this is what I’m thinking of doing… Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap Tea Tree to wash my face morning and night, every morning take the Cod Liver Oil, and do a mask for 30-60 minutes at night. You’ve mentioned various options for this.. do you recommend the baking soda or the Bentonite Clay? Any advice on this new regimen before I begin would be most appreciated!
I would recommend doing the bentonite clay face mask once a day, maybe in the morning and doing the baking soda mask once a day, maybe at night. (this is what I do right now).
Hey Everyone! I had cystic hormonal acne from 15 – 27… I am a naturopath so i had tried everything form diet to herbs, even pharmaceutical medications topically and orally. It wasn’t until i realized that my acne was a result of my unbalanced thoughts and emotions. I also have a background in psychotherapy. I sat down one day and really got to the core of my emotional issues are around acne and since that day I haven’t ever had it again!!
I have a blog and I have outlined the step by step process in which I used to cure my acne once and for all so that other people can follow the same process!
http://chelseajanelove.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/why-we-love-acne-and-you-should-too/
hi, I use witch hazel lotion for cleansing, it stings less than lemon juice. Also, what would you recommend for really painful acne? mine isn’t cystic but very painful and the spots often full of green or white stuff.
I actually had a question. It is said that people living in different parts of the world have different type of acne and their treatment may also be different. How true is this?
I don’t think so. The pimples may look different but the cause is still the same: caused by bacteria or the unbalanced of the appropriation, assimilation, elimination processes of our body. And of course different pimples have different treatments 🙂
I found this post from a single Dad about his teenager’s acne which made me laugh.
After spending hundreds of dollars and months going crazy with every over the counter soap and cream, even TV infomercial products I finally had to take my teenage son to a dermatologist to come up with better ways to get rid of acne. After several steroid injections directly into some inflamed teen acne we were then give a prescription for a cream to apply twice a day. Thank goodness for insurance.
waystogetridofacnet.net
Lol!
Jill
Thank you for sharing such great tips! Ive experienced moderate acne breakouts since I was 11. Now in my late 20s I had tried everything from chemical to natural remedies, food diets, allergy elimination, you name it. By chance, due to a tummy bug, I discovered GRAPEFRUIT. After eating ORGANIC ruby red grapefruits (a whole one, no sugar, skins peeled) or natural grapefruit seed extract (12-14 drops in 8oz of water) once a day, everyday for 7 days or so, my skin stopped breaking out. Once every few months, one or two will pop up right before my period, but I hardly notice. That was a year ago. Now, I must admit that Ive missed a few days here and there and when I do my skin reacts and breaks out a bit again. Since doing some research on grapefruit seed extract Ive chosen to just eat organic grapefruits. My favorite are larger ruby red ones. They are sweeter and super awesome (: Eating grapefruits has become a daily healing ritual for me. I am SO GRATEFUL to have found this amazing fruit has seriously changed my life, given me permission, so to speak, to feel more confident and radiate my light from within (: I just wanted to share with everyone, maybe it can help you too! (:
Wow, that’s great that you found what works for you! Thank you for sharing so others can give it a try.
Very nice!
This is amazing because I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to keep up with using any of my natural topical treatments.
There’s a lot of great ones to try. 🙂
Great tips, thanks. Going to try some out on my teenage son.
Glad it was helpful! 🙂
I’ve heard that probiotics are good for that. Thankfully, I’ve never really experienced acne problems, just the occasional pimple.
Lots of great tips here! My facial acne (and also hidradenitis suppurativa aka acne inversa) cleared up with diet (paleo). I do oil cleansing, too, I love it!
I just started oil cleansing, it is amazing how moisturizing and soothing it is compared to washing with soap.
What does the oil cleansing consist of???
Oil cleansing involves using oil to wash your face instead of soap. I wash my hands and then apply a mixture of jojoba oil and castor oil to my face and massage it for about 2 minutes. Then, I take a warm/hot towel and place it over my face for 2 minutes, remove it, and gentle wipe off the oil.
I’ve had mild acne issues as far back as I can remember. Thank you for this post. Since cleaning up our diet and adding probiotics and making my own make-up, I’ve seen a considerable difference. I’m going to try the garlic and adding tumeric to my diet too. Great post!
Wow! This is so encouraging! I’ve been using Proactiv for years and it only helps regulate my acne, but does not heal it, and whenever I stop using it, even for just one day, my skin breaks out horribly. I think my skin is addicted to the chemicals. 2 questions about the baking soda mask: 1) is there any way to keep it from getting all over you while you sleep? haha. 2) should i be washing my face with a face wash in addition to the baking soda mask, or only use the mask? If you do recommend using a face wash, what would you recommend?
I used proactiv for years too and I finally stopped after I found baking soda because I finally found something that worked better! When I apply it before bed, I put it on and let it dry for about 15 minutes, then light rub my face with soft wash cloth so I get all the ‘falling off pieces’ off and only a thin layer of baking soda is left on my skin. This way it doesn’t make a mess while sleeping. For face wash, I use Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap. It has tea tree oil in it which also helps to fight breakouts. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’ve been looking into the oil cleansing method, and want to give it a try soon. It involves using oil to wash your face instead of soap, so it does not strip the skin of natural oils.
Hey there a few months ago i went on vacation to Samoa while there my skin broke out terribly from what I can only put down to the heat, I took no notice assuming it would recover when I returned home but no. When I got home it spread from chin to nose I’m assuming its acne but I’ve never had a problem so I’m not to sure. I’ve tried honey with no luck, so I ordered proactiv but after reading this I’m thinking of trying baking soda. Any tips?
The baking soda mask has really helped improve my skin, I noticed a difference after using it just one time.
Great list of ingredients here, may also suggest adding turmeric to this list, its highly antibacterial and healing which its popular in ayurvedic medicine and acne remedies in India. UMF honey also contains these properties, is moisturizing and soothes skin. My favourite remedy for acne contains turmeric, honey, tea tree and neem or lavender oil (to soothe redness and irritation). There are many other remedies you can apply depending on your skin type.
Hi,
I have read that with the egg whites you can add lemon juice, do you reccomened that? What would be the difference between just egg whites and egg whites with the lemon juice?
Also how often should the egg whites be done, weekly or daily?
Do you have to moisturize after the egg whites? Can you reccomened any other moisturizers? What’s the point of a moisturizer?
As for the cornstarch do you have to add water?
Thank you
You can add lemon to the egg white mask or use them both separately. Lemons have antibacterial properties which help improve acne. I use the egg white mask natural remedy for acne once a week, but it can be used daily as well. I don’t usually need to moisturize after the egg white mask, because it is not super drying. But if you wanted to, you could use coconut oil which also has antibacterial properties, as a moisturizer. I’ve never added water to the cornstarch, I don’t think it would stay on well if there’s water added.
Without a doubt, a clean diet consisting of raw foods makes all the difference. I’ve noticed that if I go for weeks without nasty foods like white bread, cheap chocolate etc. my skin glows and clears. Truly wonderful but you wouldn’t believe how hard it can be teaching yourself to restrain from eating those foods…
So glad to hear changing your diet has helped!
Okay, so I’ve had this acne just recently and I’ve had it for a few months. It sucks. I can’t even walk out of my house without wearing any make up. I want to sleep with my make up on sometimes because I’m embarrased with my boyfriend!!!!!! The baking soda sounds great and I’ve also heard a lot of good things about tea tree oil and lemon also! How should I use these products? I’ve been to a dermatologist so many times and they always emphasize to use a scrub, toner, and moisterizer in that order. Twice a day, Morning and night. Please help!!! I want to start trying these remedies out but should I try one thing first or can I use them all together?! Awaiting your reply! Also, do you know of any make up that isn’t as bad for acne or acne prone skin?
I know how frustrating it can be! I use a combination of the natural remedies. For the tea tree oil, I mix several drops with water and apply it to my skin with a cotton ball. Baking soda is my favorite, I mix baking soda with water to make a paste and apply it to my face, leave it on for 10 -20 minutes. For the lemon, you can just squeeze out the juice and use a cotton ball to apply it to your skin. What I do is use coconut oil in the morning and at night I apply the baking soda mask before I go to bed. It is best to wear no makeup when at all possible, and when you do need to wear it, choose oil free, non-comedogenic.