Natural Remedies For Acne Prone Skin
Having acne in adulthood is physically as well as emotionally challenging. Making peace with your skin in the first step, the second step is to try these natural remedies for acne prone skin.
Fighting acne is a personal challenge and understanding your own skin type takes time and some failed attempts along the way. The good news is that there are many natural remedies that have proven to be effective. Acne is, first of all, inflammation that manifests symptoms on the skin, often on the face and frequently on shoulders, back and chest. Breakouts are typical during adolescence and sometimes during a spate of hormonal imbalance later in life. However it tends to attenuate in adulthood. As women know well, we have to deal with hormonal changes each month and throughout most of our lives, meaning acne continues to plague us even after our teens. Acne can also be related to genetic factors, anxiety, bowel disorders or food allergies so it’s worth eliminating these with your doctor as possible causes. If we have always been taught to understand skin conditions and remedies as topical, then having a holistic approach to treating acne is absolutely key.
What Causes Acne?
Leaving well enough alone is sometimes the best thing you can do for your skin. Our skin is the human body’s biggest organ, and if you have acne it’s very likely that your body is trying to communicate something you. A more subtle way of delivering the message would be appreciated but still, trying to identify the root cause is likely to not only to clear your skin but to improve your lifestyle as well. Making changes to your diet can often help, take a look at our guide to being well this Winter for some ideas.
How Does Diet Affect My Acne?
A healthy diet often looks different for different people. But we can’t overstate the importance of vitamins and Omega 3 for all. We’re talking about an inflammation that will definitely benefit from it but having Omega 3 rich salmon once a week is not likely to cure your acne, and you might need extra effort to see improvements.
One easy first step is to listen to your body and to either do an allergy test or to try to cut certain foods that you feel like have an inflammatory reaction. Try to go dairy-free for 3 weeks. You might see a noticeable improvement to your skin, which may likely mean you feel much better overall. Sugar is another culprit when it comes to inflammation. The help of a dietician to find a balanced diet is always recommended.
There are very interesting testimonies of YouTubers that shared the winding road to clear skin. Honourable mention goes to Cassandra Bankson, who probably has been more helpful to a generation of acne sufferers than many dermatologists. Take a look at her experience. What worked for her might not work for you, but it’s fascinating to see how many trials and research it can take for someone to clear their skin. And, most of all, how going natural is often the most effective choice.
Image: @NealsYardRemedies
If acne could be gut-related, probiotics are an absolute godsend. However if they’re hormone-related, taking extra care and drinking matcha tea while menstruating helps a lot. Mushroom tea and Spearmint tea are also great at balancing hormones. Skincare guru Renée Chow aka Gothamista never forgets to mention them, and as she suggests, “Beauty is not about perfection or achieving unattainable appearance goals, it’s about self-care, self-respect and self-love. It’s wellness.” Calmly sipping a cup of green tea is 100% part of a great skincare routine.
Image: @bysarahlondon
Skincare Remedies
Now we come to the topical skincare treatments, aka the fun part! Going cold turkey is a great strategy for working out possible allergens. Which means giving up that huge collection of products. If they haven’t helped your acne so far, it’s quite unlikely they will work in the future. Give them – and yourself. – a break. Now you can hit reset. Find the right oil for your skin. Yes, oil for acne! For anyone who has struggled with acne, the idea of putting oil on your face sounds extremely uncomfortable. However acne is often caused by dehydration, not too much oil. Choose an oil such as jojoba, tamanu (great on hyperpigmentation too!!) or avocado. They provide a layer of lipids that is close to what your skin would produce naturally but won’t clog your pores. Everyone has their own oil that’s perfect for their skin type. Some are ideal for oilier skins, such as jojoba and grapeseed oil, or almond and marula for dryer skin types. Once you have found your sweet spot, then you can use it to cleanse your face at the end of the day and to remove your make up.
The benefits are countless. Your skin might go a little bit crazy at the beginning, so be patient and give it a try! Once it has calmed down try to reintroduce one product at a time in your regime and watch for any reactions. This way you’ll be sure that every product you include is not making your skin break out. Complete your routine with a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid or a vitamin c serum, a moisturiser and again, the oil of your choice. Try to avoid essential oils, at least at first. If you do want to include them be kind to your skin: they’re extremely potent, and they can cause irritation and in the worst scenario, allergic reactions. Always remember to dilute them in a carrier oil before applying to your skin.
Last, but not least: try not to pick your skin. Its sometimes at the root problem and makes acne worse. It’s easier said than done! But now it’s finally taken seriously as it’s sometimes a symptom of OCD and can be treated with therapy, rather than with a zit emergency patch. Acne causes a lot of insecurity, and if on top of that, we add a sense of guilt for not being able to stop picking our skin, it’s definitely better to acknowledge that fact that it’s not “just skin”. We have a new, fresh year in front of us: what a better excuse to achieve the goal of clearing our skin by taking care of ourselves?
Products For Acne Prone Skin
Disclaimer: The content of this article is for general advice only and should not be used as a substitute for professional healthcare or beauty advice. We make every effort to ensure we only recommend safe products however you should always do a patch test when trying new products. This post may contain affiliate links.
* We were sent a sample of this product to try before we made our recommendation to you. We were under no obligation to feature the product, we only include products we like and that we think work.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks