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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?
I know they say natural is always the best way but not ALWAYS. I commented like a week ago here because i was really concerned about my acne and didn’t know what to to do anymore. Like i said i have tried several natural remedies and they did nothing to reduce my acne. As i was really worried looking trough the internet like crazy i found a lot of people talking about this website called acne.org and a regimen that really helped them. When i went to the page and saw how sooooooooo many people have tried it and did wonders to them i absolutely wanted to try it too. I order the products but in the website they tell you which store products you can use in case you can’t buy the products because it is a lil expensive. Without knowing i had the right products at home just not using them how its supposed to. They have a really precisely way to use the products that is the secret for it to work. I have been following their regimen exactly like its said in the website for like a week with my own products while i get theirs and OMG my face has changed dramatically its really working and my acne seems to FINALLY be going away. At first your skin will be super dry and fleaky but its really worth it because you see the change within the first day of doing this regimen. I wish natural remedies would have done something to me but they didn’t so if any of you guys are having trouble and nothing helps go check out this website you have nothing to loose. acne.org 🙂 Goodluck!
Glad to hear you found something that helped 🙂
I have many acne scars and acne as well on my face.I have tried many thing for it but no effective result.I am very worried about it and these are very embarrassing i can’t face my friends and relatives.Please give some suggestion what should i do please i am waiting for your reply
The baking soda has helped my scars quite a bit, especially since I use it everyday. It acts as a natural exfoliator.
Ive tried egg white & didn’t work. Then i tried using honey & oats mask & i believe it only made it worse. My acne is worse & all over my face 🙁 my skin is very oily so ive always had acne but nothing like now. It all got worse when i got pregnant my face was horrible & because of that i eben have scars 🙁 idk what to try anymore o feel so imsecure im even embarrassed with my husband my self steem is very low. My son is now 5 months and im still having trouble with acne like a month ago it seemed lime ot was finally clearing up but NO! & now its just really bad again. Can my acne be hormonal? What can i do?
Can my acne be hormonal?
I have used the egg white and didn’t work for me. I tried using honey and oats and i believe it only made it worse, i have acne.everywhere some are bigger and ugly. Ive always had acne since my skin is very oily but it wasn’t that bad until i got pregnant and OMG my face was horrible :'( my son is now 5 months and my face is pretty bad still like a month ago it seemed like it was finally clearing up but NO! My self steem is very low idk what to do anymore…i feel so insecure im even embarressed with my husband. I have scars because thats how bad my acne was while i was pregnant but i can live with that i just want more break outs to stop coming out. 🙁
Does this help with dark spots as well?
Yes, it help all of acne
The baking soda and lemon juice natural remedies have been really helpful in fading my dark marks.
Is the baking soda suppost to burn tgis bad
The baking soda mask can be quite powerful, the first time I used it, I remember it tingling. For some with sensitive skin, it can help to just spot treat or only leave the mask on for a shorter time. I started out leaving it on for a few minutes and gradually increased to 30 minutes.
Interesting article! I shall be sharing it with my students.
For me, in the evening I wash my face with a warm sea salt bath, the week before my period I pat my face down with a product from Canada called, “Nature’s Aid”. Then I apply a bunch of oils mixed together; Bottle one: avocado oil, vitamin E, a wee bit of castor oil, grapefruit essential oil, cedar essential oil and massage this well into my face. Bottle two: olive oil, castor oil, vitamin E oil, lavender and geranium essential oils.
In the morning, I just put my face up towards the shower head and use my hands to wash my face. I apply a small amount of oils from one of the bottles above, and massage into my wet skin. I don’t dry my face, and after I am out of the shower for maybe twenty to thirty minutes, I take a tissue and just absorb all the left over oil.
Once a week, I will wear a face mask that is made with coconut milk, coffee grinds, honey and cocoa and leave that one for about one episode of guilty pleasure TV.
One of my doctor friends said that my acne probably didn’t clear up from the above mentioned treatments, but that it was that I started to drink a whole lot more water and green tea. I don’t think it was one or the other, I think it was a combination of both.
Using this method (along with removing ALL dairy from my diet, removing almost all processed and packaged foods as well) I noticed that after three days, I had no new pimples forming. I also noticed that my black head started to not look so black. Within two weeks, all the acne on my face was gone, the acne scars were still there, but they looked a little smaller. Now, almost nine months later, I still get the occasional pimple just before my period, but the pimple is a white headed pimple and not the cystic acne I was getting before. I’ve noticed my skin glows, I’m thirty-three and all the fine lines around my eyes have disappeared, and my skin tone is much more even.
It took me over a year to find a combination of oils and natural remedies that worked for my skin. The biggest thing to remember, is everyone’s skin is different and what works for one person might not work for another.
Two big points to look at; clean you phone!!!!! Take a Clorox wipe and wipe that sucker down. And if you use a headset? Clean that. Wash down your keyboard. This needs to be done at least weekly. And more often if you’ve kids that play with them. The other is your tweezers. Throw them out or get a tiny mirror to pluck your brows. And remember to clean those too!
Great information! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I really wanted to try the baking soda.. but im too scared cause heard its terrible for the face cause of the (alkaline) google bakin soda for the face, you’ll see what im talking about 🙁 .. it really is discouraging.
It probably won’t hurt to try it every so often. Something can be alkaline & still be beneficial, just like something can be acidic & also beneficial. I wouldn’t use it every day, but then again I don’t believe in using anything every day, whether eating, drinking, applying on our skin, etc. no matter what it is, aside from water… & even then, I am very careful about what is IN the water… & I vary the sources of that as well. Too much of anything, even something necessary & healthy, can be bad. Just don’t overdo it… you should be safe using it every so often :).
Lets just say i am to old for brake outs but my face disagress . Well i passed it down to my daughter she is 25 . Her brake outs r much worse then mine ever were. Now to get her to try some of these should be fun . I will let you know thanks
Hope they work for her!
For the aloe vera, I have aloe vera plants in my yard so I can get it freash, but how should I prepare it? And how often do I apply it?
Fresh aloe vera works great! I use the plant as well; just make a small slit and squeeze out the gel, I rub it on with my fingers. I apply it every other day, but it could be applied daily.
It’s important to detox your body since health starts inside the body! Our body contains too much toxins which needs to be flush out. There are too many chemicals products for acne which harms the skin!
My advice to people is to always read the labels and use it according to the directions. Also, you should only purchase that do not have harmful chemicals! As these chemicals can lead to more acne! I started getting acne when I was a Junior in High School. I tried all of the well-known product lines but my skin would become somewhat “immuned” to the product after a week a use. I finally tried the Citrus Clear products I found online. After about a month of using Citrus Clear, I was so happy. Citrus Clear cleared, healed, and prevented acne.
Great article, and wonderful comments! First, I think you are spot on when you say that different things will work for each individual. In my experience, this seems to be the case with both coconut oil and baking soda. Those ingredients DO work wonders for some people, hence all of the testimonials all over the web. That said, there are many people that experience a worsening of their acne when using them, and while it might seem easy to presume that it is a ‘healing crisis’, I think that it might have more to do with the body’s reaction to the alkaline pH (in the case of the baking soda). The skin’s acid mantle should be around 5.5 (or slightly lower, but not too much lower), and baking soda is an 8-9… One of the reasons that skin ‘experts’ recommend toner, is to return the skin to it’s ideal pH after cleansing. I have seen clients break out from the baking soda, and also break out from the baking soda/toner combo.
Removing the acid mantle from the skin can make it very vulnerable to bacteria… I believe getting the bacteria under control is the first step in treating acne. I am a tea tree oil lover for this, but it doesn’t suit everyone! Tamanu oil is also antimicrobial, which can be good for some people. Sometimes we need to alternate what we use. Sometimes, I see improvements with oil treatments, but then the skin seems to need a break from the oil treatments. I am still trying to figure it out!
It does stink that getting acne under control requires A LOT of trial and error, but it IS possible to get under control, with commitment! And, HELL YES, food definitely matters. Food has a HUGE impact on our hormones. It is such a pet peeve of mine that dermatologists and text books still insist that they aren’t related (actually, a fair number totally contradict themselves).
My fave treatment: cleanse the skin morning and night, use tea tree as a serum (if skin can tolerate it), and follow up with pure tamanu. Tamanu also reduces scarring over time! NO PICKING!!! The cycle of spreading bacteria needs to be broken. It is hard, but it could make ALL the difference.
Thank you Elizabeth! Great information 🙂
I’m 13 and my acne has never really bothered me, but my sisters are both beauty queens and are always pestering me to wear nicer clothes get rid of the few pimples I have( you can barely see them because unlike my porcelain skin blemish free faces of my sisters I have lots of freckles). I liked some of the ideas. But I had to add to my allergy list. Apparently I’m allergic to eggs. Never noticed because I’m so sensitive to so many chemicals and have allergies, the only thing my mom can make me eat is organic vegetables and sometimes organic grass fed beef. But at least my acne cleared up. :3
Glad to hear it cleared up 🙂
hi! Pls,i want to ask a quenstion. After som1 applyd d baking soda,cold or warm water which of them is d best for one to rinse d face?
I use either slightly warm water or cool water. The cool water is suppose to be helpful as it closes pores.
For those of you who mentioned using breastmilk…try using coconut oil when the breastmilk is no longer an option. Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids which is also found in breastmilk, so may be worth trying? Couldn’t hurt.
Great tip!
Tea tree oil and aloe are two that I’m going to look more into. My ex gf used to rave about it’s overall benefits.
Both are great remedies 🙂
have a Q…. I tried making my own “Make up w/cornstarch, unsweetened cocoa, and cinnamon. Absorbency was great & coverage ok (still used cover for trbl spots) didn’t have to touch much all day but after about a week tiny pimples break out… Do we think it’s the cornstarch or cinnamon? Was going to try again omitting cinnamon and adding arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch, also adding a little french clay to help cover red areas.. (and for great skin healing qualities) Thanks, Lisa
I don’t think it would be the cornstarch, but as you mentioned, you can try the arrowroot powder and see if it improves. Also as you suggested, I would try it without the cinnamon and see if that helps. For trouble spots, I spot with the mineral makeup because it gives more coverage. 🙂
I don’t think it would be the cornstarch, but as you mentioned, you can try the arrowroot powder and see if it improves. Also as you suggested, I would try it without the cinnamon and see if that helps. For trouble spots, I spot with the mineral recipes because it gives more coverage. 🙂
I like a good french clay mask. I get mine from Signature Minerals.com and you can spot treat as well. Also witch hazel or good natural toner, then moisurize! But, being more careful w/chemicals these days myself. Coconut oil is nice but, I use sparingly so eye cover doesn’t slide/crease LOL. Goatsmilk soap was my life saver several yrs ago too! Check out their pg 🙂 Also, switched to homemade deodorant, toothpaste, and “No poo”. As well as Mama pads… GL!
Great tips!
It is very usefull information for to treat my pimples…@
Just a heads up… I think someone’s skin stinging from ACV, lemon juice, etc. is all based upon the individual. I can use straight ACV or kombucha vinegar on my skin as a toner, but when we tried ACV on my DD her skin looked as though she had sunburn everywhere we put the ACV via a cotton ball… it stung her skin so she had to rinse it off STAT once we realized it was not just a bit of an initial discomfort & was actually burning her face. It didn’t sting me in the least bit though, go figure!?
Thank you for pointing this out. Some need to water down the mixture, it can be quite powerful, especially for those with sensitive skin.
Hi there- tried the baking soda mask last night and it seemed to have worked its magic in just one. Very impressed and thankful. I applied coconut oil on afterwards and my skin feels great.
I am curious to try out the apple cider vinegar and was wondering what type of lotion would work best afterwards. If I should apply coconut oil onto my skin after the ACV or another type of mousturizer like borage oil. Or if I should rinse off ACV then apply the coconut oil?
Thanks!
I use coconut oil myself because it is very gentle, moisturizing and it’s antibacterial properties help fight acne at the same time.
Hi Everyone,
Just wondering for those of you that used Lemon Juice .. doesn’t it burn?
For some with sensitive skin, they may need to water down the lemon juice.
I had been red this article pretty much helpful. Though I think this page was made for so long still I am trying to share my gratitude to everyone’s advice.than you so much
I am now 19y/o. Having several acne on my face, scars, white heads, and even bloody sometimes whenever I tried to get the yellow balls inside. Now I lost my confident and I don’t want to go outside the house, and it affects my studies, and I am shy to face people specially my friends I have these since 3years until now. I really hate myself for using any product before and it makes my pimples more severe.
I am willing to try any natural remedy for my acne.can you guys help me which one is suit for me ? I am having an oily face and sensitive skin. I want to see again my baby face before. Hope it will works…
Sorry to hear of your hard time. I know how you feel. I wouldn’t leave my house without makeup because of my breakouts. I hope you find something that works for you! Right now, what has been helping me the most is using the bentonite clay face mask, and at night I apply ACV mixed with water, leave it on one hour then apply jojoba oil on top of it.
I find ur tips encouraging but am I to try all of them at once or it has it’s duration.
Waoo! Great post! A lot of good, natural and easy to do treatments. Never thought ice-cubes sould be used to more than cooling my drinks. 🙂
/Erick Carrick
I’m trying baking soda. It kinda works. Ive been struggling with acne for a while now. I’m going on vacation in a week:/ I’m not sure it will work but I’ll try.
wow, thank you so much for this. I never thought that the solution to my acne problem is just there, waiting for me in my kitchen 🙂
You should check out myfacepillow ; they are a client of ours and they have a great product. I was actually skeptical, but every single customer seems to really like it. Probably the most natural way to reduce acne. Simple idea but works amazing.
Do you use any kind of face washes while doing this?
For awhile I was using Dr. Bronners soap and it was great. But just recently, as of this week, started washing my face with coconut oil, as my skin was a little dry, also called the oil cleansing method. So far it has been great, my skin is much more moisturized and no new breakouts. I’ll definitely share an update after I give it a few weeks to see if anything changes.