How to Get Rid of Acne Naturally
Ready your face for steam cleaning., Choose your essential oils., Prepare your steaming water., Test for skin sensitivity.Always be aware that you can develop sensitivity to an herbal oil., Steam your face., Care for your skin afterward., Repeat...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Ready your face for steam cleaning.
If your hair falls into your face, pull it back and secure it with a hair tie, head band, or bobby pins.
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser — either a non-oil-based product or a plant-oil-based product.
Many dermatologists recommend using glycerin, grapeseed and sunflower oils, as oils are best to absorb and dissolve other oils.Use your fingertips instead of a washcloth or sponge that could further aggravate your skin.
Massage the cleanser into your skin for about a minute using a gentle, circular motion.
You're not trying to scrub, just help the cleanser loosen and absorb dirt and oils.
Rinse your face thoroughly with lukewarm water.
Pat your skin dry using a clean, cotton towel.
Never rub a towel over your face, as this could further irritate your skin. -
Step 2: Choose your essential oils.
The oils listed here all have either antibacterial or antiseptic properties, meaning they can kill the bacteria that cause acne and prevent the formation of new pimples.
You can choose based on personal preference (which one smells best?) or based on your unique situation.
If you tend to be anxious or depressed, use the lavender.
If you have some pimples (usually bacterial), in addition to blackheads, use an herb with antibacterial properties.
If you are battling an upper respiratory infection, use thyme to both treat the infection and break up the congestion with heat.
Spearmint or peppermint oils may be irritating to some, so pre-test your skin by putting a single drop of it on your wrist and waiting for 10-15 minutes.
If there is no irritation, you should be able to use the oil.
Start with 1 drop per quart of water.
Both peppermint and spearmint contain menthol, which has both antiseptic and immune-boosting properties.Thyme boosts the immune system and has antibacterial properties.
It also increases circulation of the blood by opening up blood vessels.Calendula accelerates healing and has antimicrobial properties.Lavender is soothing and can help with anxiety and depression.
It also has antibacterial properties., Fill a 1-quart pot with water and bring it to a boil for a minute or two.
Once the water has been steaming for a couple minutes, add 1-2 drops of any of the listed essential oils.
If you don’t have the essential oils, substitute with ½ teaspoon of the dried herb per quart of water.
Once you have added the herbs or oils, let the water boil for another minute.
After a minute, turn off the heat and move the pot to a comfortable area for steaming.
Make sure you won’t have to hunch awkwardly over the pot, as you’ll have to hold that position for a while. , Even if you've successfully used oil in the past, retest it every time you steam your face with it.
Try each oil for about a minute, then take your face away from the steam for 10 minutes.
If you're not sneezing and you're skin isn't reacting poorly, reheat the water and proceed with the steaming. , Place a large, clean cotton towel over your head.
You'll use this to create a sort of "tent" to trap the steam around your face.
Once you've made your towel-tent, lean over the steaming put to put your face in the steam.
Keep your eyes closed during the steaming process to protect them from steam damage.Keep your face at least 12 inches away from the water so you don't burn your skin.
You want heat to dilate blood vessels and open up pores, but you certainly don’t want to damage your skin with heat.
Breathe normally and relax! This should be a pleasant, soothing experience.
Keep your face over the steam for about 10 minutes. , Rinse your face well with lukewarm water and pat it dry with a clean cotton towel, remembering not to rub your skin.
Moisturize your skin with a non-comedogenic lotion or cream that won't clog pores and worsen acne.
Look at the packaging to make sure it's a non-comedogenic product. “Non-comedogenic” products don't promote the formation of acne like comedones, blackheads, whiteheads, or pimples.Any product you put on your face — from lotion to cleanser to makeup — is likely produced in a non-comedogenic formula for people with acne-prone skin.
One skin moisturizer is coconut oil.
You can use plain coconut oil or garlic coconut oil mixture: squeeze the juice of one clove of garlic into 1 jar of coconut oil and stir well.
The shelf life is about 30 days in the fridge.
Sparingly rub this into your face once or twice per day.
Both garlic and coconut oil kill acne germs.
The medium chain fatty acids liquefy comedones and keep your skin pores open.
The garlic gives it a bit of garlic smell; if you do not like that you may want to just use plain coconut oil instead., At the beginning, you can steam your face twice a day — once in the morning and once in the evening.
After two weeks or so, you should see some kind of improvement in your skin.
When you see improvement, reduce the frequency of your steam treatments to once a day. -
Step 3: Prepare your steaming water.
-
Step 4: Test for skin sensitivity.Always be aware that you can develop sensitivity to an herbal oil.
-
Step 5: Steam your face.
-
Step 6: Care for your skin afterward.
-
Step 7: Repeat this procedure until you see improvement.
Detailed Guide
If your hair falls into your face, pull it back and secure it with a hair tie, head band, or bobby pins.
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser — either a non-oil-based product or a plant-oil-based product.
Many dermatologists recommend using glycerin, grapeseed and sunflower oils, as oils are best to absorb and dissolve other oils.Use your fingertips instead of a washcloth or sponge that could further aggravate your skin.
Massage the cleanser into your skin for about a minute using a gentle, circular motion.
You're not trying to scrub, just help the cleanser loosen and absorb dirt and oils.
Rinse your face thoroughly with lukewarm water.
Pat your skin dry using a clean, cotton towel.
Never rub a towel over your face, as this could further irritate your skin.
The oils listed here all have either antibacterial or antiseptic properties, meaning they can kill the bacteria that cause acne and prevent the formation of new pimples.
You can choose based on personal preference (which one smells best?) or based on your unique situation.
If you tend to be anxious or depressed, use the lavender.
If you have some pimples (usually bacterial), in addition to blackheads, use an herb with antibacterial properties.
If you are battling an upper respiratory infection, use thyme to both treat the infection and break up the congestion with heat.
Spearmint or peppermint oils may be irritating to some, so pre-test your skin by putting a single drop of it on your wrist and waiting for 10-15 minutes.
If there is no irritation, you should be able to use the oil.
Start with 1 drop per quart of water.
Both peppermint and spearmint contain menthol, which has both antiseptic and immune-boosting properties.Thyme boosts the immune system and has antibacterial properties.
It also increases circulation of the blood by opening up blood vessels.Calendula accelerates healing and has antimicrobial properties.Lavender is soothing and can help with anxiety and depression.
It also has antibacterial properties., Fill a 1-quart pot with water and bring it to a boil for a minute or two.
Once the water has been steaming for a couple minutes, add 1-2 drops of any of the listed essential oils.
If you don’t have the essential oils, substitute with ½ teaspoon of the dried herb per quart of water.
Once you have added the herbs or oils, let the water boil for another minute.
After a minute, turn off the heat and move the pot to a comfortable area for steaming.
Make sure you won’t have to hunch awkwardly over the pot, as you’ll have to hold that position for a while. , Even if you've successfully used oil in the past, retest it every time you steam your face with it.
Try each oil for about a minute, then take your face away from the steam for 10 minutes.
If you're not sneezing and you're skin isn't reacting poorly, reheat the water and proceed with the steaming. , Place a large, clean cotton towel over your head.
You'll use this to create a sort of "tent" to trap the steam around your face.
Once you've made your towel-tent, lean over the steaming put to put your face in the steam.
Keep your eyes closed during the steaming process to protect them from steam damage.Keep your face at least 12 inches away from the water so you don't burn your skin.
You want heat to dilate blood vessels and open up pores, but you certainly don’t want to damage your skin with heat.
Breathe normally and relax! This should be a pleasant, soothing experience.
Keep your face over the steam for about 10 minutes. , Rinse your face well with lukewarm water and pat it dry with a clean cotton towel, remembering not to rub your skin.
Moisturize your skin with a non-comedogenic lotion or cream that won't clog pores and worsen acne.
Look at the packaging to make sure it's a non-comedogenic product. “Non-comedogenic” products don't promote the formation of acne like comedones, blackheads, whiteheads, or pimples.Any product you put on your face — from lotion to cleanser to makeup — is likely produced in a non-comedogenic formula for people with acne-prone skin.
One skin moisturizer is coconut oil.
You can use plain coconut oil or garlic coconut oil mixture: squeeze the juice of one clove of garlic into 1 jar of coconut oil and stir well.
The shelf life is about 30 days in the fridge.
Sparingly rub this into your face once or twice per day.
Both garlic and coconut oil kill acne germs.
The medium chain fatty acids liquefy comedones and keep your skin pores open.
The garlic gives it a bit of garlic smell; if you do not like that you may want to just use plain coconut oil instead., At the beginning, you can steam your face twice a day — once in the morning and once in the evening.
After two weeks or so, you should see some kind of improvement in your skin.
When you see improvement, reduce the frequency of your steam treatments to once a day.
About the Author
Anna Johnson
Anna Johnson is an experienced writer with over 5 years of expertise in museums libraries. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Anna creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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