There are many products on the market for acne, however it can be very helpful to make your own at home. In doing this you know and have control over exactly what goes onto your skin. You can explore different options to find the right formulas that get the best results for your skin with the least amount of nasty, unwanted chemicals that might further irritate your skin.

In this article we have outlined a few recipes for homemade acne treatments that are great for helping to manage breakouts.

Pineapple exfoliating mask:

You will need

– A large slice of fresh pineapple

– 3 tablespoons of jojoba oil

– 4 drops of orange or lemon essential oil

Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Apply to clean skin leave for 15 minutes then rinse off. The enzymes in the pineapple work to dissolve dead skin cells on the surface helping to exfoliate the skin and keep the pores clean.

Anti-bacterial clay mask:

– 1 teaspoon green clay

– 1 teaspoon Manuka honey

– 4 drops of tea tree essential oil

Mix the ingredients together you may wish to add a few drops of water for a smoother consistency, apply on affected area and leave for 20 minutes then rinse. This is a great homemade acne treatment for those with active pustular pimples.

Soothing Mask:

– 1 tablespoon Manuka honey

– 1 tablespoon natural yoghurt

– 3 drops of bergamot

– 2 drops lavender

Mix ingredients in a small bowel and apply to skin leave for 15 minutes then rinse.

Yoghurt and cucumber mask:

– 1 tablespoon natural yoghurt

– 1 large cube of peeled cucumber

– 1 teaspoon aloe

Mix ingredients in blender, apply to skin for 15 to 20 minutes. These last two mentioned homemade acne treamtents are great for angry sore breakouts as they really help to sooth and calm.

Home made moisturisers:

The most important aspect of a moisturiser is the base. You need to make sure that you use something with as little oil as possible. One of my favourites remains to be aloe vera gel into which you can then blend essentials oils that you know to work well on breakouts like tea tree, lavender and bergamot.

You can also purchase ready made base lotions and customise them as you like. Making your own creams and lotions from scratch can become very complicated. However if you would like to have a go at making your own I have included a recipe below, it is probably the easiest way to go, you may like to evolve it once you find the right consistency. You will need;

– ½ cup distilled water

– ¼-1/2 cup of oil either jojoba, macadamia or grape seed

– 1 tablespoon of liquid lecithin (this will help to bind the water and oil)

Blend these ingredients until they are combined and smooth in consistency.

With this base you can do many different variations, not only can you add different essential oils, and nutrient extracts like vitamin E and C, but you can also steep herbs in the water before you start. I suggest you try using dried Oregon grape, bring it to the boil in one cup of water let it simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat and let it cool completely, then measure off half a cup and use it in the lotion.  If you have any remaining you may like to use it to blend a clay mask.

This base lotion will not keep for a long time because it doesn’t contain the preservatives often found in products you buy over the counter. It may last 3 weeks depending on wether you leave it in the fridge or not, avoid sticking your fingers in it as this may lead to cross contamination, and shake well before use. Using anti-bacterial essential oils may also help it to keep. I would discard it after 3 weeks.

Home made toners:

There are many home remedies that make for easy and effective toners, to manage breakouts. Botanical waters are great this is the water that comes from the distillation process used to extract essential oils. You can easily purchase different botanical waters. For acne I like lavender, orange, and rose botanical water. You can also create your own potent toners using dried herbs and distilled water, bring it to the boil then allow to cool and spritz onto the skin, or wipe on with a cotton disc. You can also use the plant matter left after this process to apply as a mask. Refer to herbal treatments section for some ideas on appropriate herbs for topical application.

Witch hazel is a great toner, it is a good one to keep with you, throughout the day if you feel you need to just use a small amount on a cotton disc to refresh the skin and remove excess oil.

There are so many different recipes for homemade acne treatments, feel free to share yours with us on our blog, and keep your eye out for updates.

You can find all these base ingredients at out store under Homemade Acne Treatment