Acne is not hazardous but embarrassing. You may not develop any sort of physical illness from acne, but you will definitely look awkward with it. Acne breakouts can make life hell for teenagers, adults and all those who are victims to it. Though there are many cures to acne, not all of them are perfect. Fortunately, there are quite a lot of essential oils to help you deal with acne.
What causes acne? Before we proceed to look into the remedies, we need to understand what causes acne outbreaks. The problem is basically to do with clogged skin pores. When your skin pores and follicles are blocked by dust or other facts, oil secretion fails and this leads to formation of blemishes, skin eruptions and pimples on the skin. Many people with oily skin are more liable to frequent acne outbreaks as they have excess oil on their skin surface. Teenagers and menstruating women are victims to acne on account of hormonal changes.
Essential oils for acne treatment: Essential oils treat acne by working on the problems underlying acne eruptions. Essential oils treat stress, anxiety, hormonal imbalance and other physiological disruptions that cause acne. When the oils soothe the body and keep it at a relaxed state, pimples disappear or are alleviated. De-stressing is also an important function of these essential oils remedies. Commercial acne treatments understand the role of essential oils in hormonal balance, elimination of wastes etc. This is why most of the commercial therapies have eucalyptus oil as the primary ingredient in them. Such an ingredient not just reduces oil secretion but also kills the bacteria that induce acne formation.
To prepare your own homemade acne remedy, you need to have a little knowledge in the use of essential oils. Compress a salt and essential oil and use it as a remedy. If you have intense oil problems, use the blemish treatment given below:
1. For oily skin: Oily skin should be handled with care as the skin tends to be provoked easily. Meaning, any unusual or harmful ingredients can spoil your skin and aggravate your skin eruptions. To avoid this, use skin-drying and antiseptic essential oils like Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Geranium, Juniper Berry, Lavender, Lemongrass, Sandalwood and Tea Tree oil. Use any of these oils and dilute in a base of witch-hazel and aloe vera gel. Since witch hazel contains alcohol, it has a drying effect on your body. On the other hand, aloe vera is a great gel for healing and hence can cleanse your pores and heal the eruptions in your skin.
2. Facial Toner: You can use your essential oils and prepare your own skincare concoctions. To make a facial toner for your oily skin, combine all the following ingredients in a glass bottle: 12 drops of Lemongrass oil, 6 drops of Juniper Berry oil, 2 drops of Ylang Ylang oil, 1 oz of witch hazel lotion and 1 oz of aloe vera gel. Mix the ingredients and blend with vinegar (if you think witch hazel is too drying). You can use the mixture as a paste at least once a day to retain the overall natural acid balance.
3. Intensive Blemish: You may need an intensive blemish treatment if your skin is too oily. You can prepare such a thing at your home with the following ingredients – 12 drops of Tea Tree oil, ½ tbsp of Oregon grape root and Vitamin E. Make a paste with the herb powder and essential oils. Add water for easy paste formation and apply on the blemished or affected area. After 20 minutes of drying, rinse of the paste with clear water. Dry with towel completely to remove any remaining paste. If you cannot find Vitamin E anywhere, cut open a tablet and squeeze out the oil. Vitamin E rejuvenates your skin and heals any kind of scar or sores.