Natural Skin Care: Homemade Honey Face Wash for Acne Prone Skin

I thought that once I entered my twenties, my fight with acne was over; boy was I wrong. As an adult, I have continued to fight intermittent breakouts that are both frustrating and embarrassing. While there are many companies that cater to the adult acne sufferer, I have found that homemade treatments work just as well for a fraction of the cost. Here are some healthier alternatives to chemical laden acne face washes that use honey and other natural ingredients.

The Bacteria Acne Connection

While bacteria don't specifically cause acne, bacteria can make acne prone skin worse. Natural bacteria that is found on the skin's surface can become trapped in pores and produce chemicals that can irritate skin, causing inflammation and leading to breakouts. In order to fight acne, it is important to kill the bacteria that can hinder your fresh faced look. One of the best natural ways to kill bacteria is by using honey.

Why Honey?

Honey is a great natural way to fight acne breakouts because it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Honey also has natural antioxidants that help get rid of harmful toxins from your skin. The antibacterial properties found in honey help to kill harmful bacteria that can make acne worse. Unlike over the counter acne face washes which can be harsh, irritating and overly drying to skin, honey is soothing and cleanses while also hydrating.

Tips for Buying Your Ingredients

There are a few tips to follow when you buy ingredients for a honey face wash. Make sure you use raw honey. Raw honey is the most effective at preventing acne as many of honey's antibacterial properties can be lost when it is processed. Manuka honey is all the rage right now and has been shown to be more effective than regular raw honey at fighting bacteria, but any raw honey will work well. Whatever type of honey you decide to use, you always want to make sure you purchase pure ingredients. I buy my honey and other ingredients for homemade beauty treatments at a health food store to ensure the best possible quality.

Here are two homemade honey facial treatments that are gentle enough to be used daily to stop acne in its tracks.

Homemade Honey Face Wash Recipe

To make natural homemade honey face wash for treating acne, mix together 1/4 cup of honey, 1/2 cup of water and two tablespoons of a natural mild soap. Two of my favorites are Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap and Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash. Put mixture into a clean bottle with a pour or squeeze spout. To use your homemade face wash, simply massage wash into damp skin. Rinse with warm water, then pat skin dry. Store honey wash in a cool dry place and it will keep for up to two weeks.

Honey Almond Oil Cleansing Mask

Another great homemade honey cleanser for acne prone skin can be made by mixing one tablespoon of almond oil and two tablespoons of honey. To use, apply a light layer to damp skin and massage using a circular motion. Allow mask to sit on skin for twenty minutes before removing with a warm cloth. If your skin is extra oily, add a few drops of lemon juice. Some rosewater added to the honey mixture will help lessen the appearance of scars and smooth skin. Store this mask in the fridge, as almond oil is highly perishable.

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How to Have Great Looking Skin the Natural Way

In todays world, clear and healthy skin however, is often something that is hard to accomplish. Pollutants in the air, foods and beverages we ingest and our own bodies chemical composition are just some of the things that can play a part in how our skin looks. Problem skin can basically be broken down into three areas. Acne, dry skin and oily skin. There are literally thousands of products on the market to help combat these problems, however many of them can be extremely harsh on your skin and many are just simply ineffective. What many people don't realize, is that there are also many natural products that can be used to help you skin that are far more gentle and less damaging.

For Acne

Acne is an inflammatory disorder of the skin. Acne is formed when oil becomes trapped in sebaceous glands. Bacteria then begins to multiply in the follicle causing the skin to become inflamed. Acne is not caused by your pores being dirty, but by over active oil glands. The pores become sticky due to excess oil which allows the bacteria to become trapped inside. Blackheads are also not caused by dirt, but form when sebum combines with skin pigment and plugs the pores. There are many, many factors that can contribute to acne. Hereditary conditions, oily skin, allergies, stress, certain medications, junk food and cosmetics are only some of the causes. There is however, one key factor behind many skin disorders. One of the skins functions is to remove a portion of the bodies waste products by sweating. As toxins escape through the skin, it disrupts the skins balance, and can cause break outs. As you can see, there are numerous reasons why we have break outs, which is why acne can be so difficult to overcome.

There are quite a few natural vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements that can be taken though that can help with acne. Some of the vitamin and mineral supplements are:

Chromium picolinate- Aids in reducing infections in the skin.

Essential Fatty Acids (flaxseed oil, primrose oil, etc.)- Helps keep skin smooth and soft, repairs damaged skin cells and dissolves fatty deposits that block pores.

Vitamin B Complex- Needed for healthy skin tone. Improves blood flow to the surface of the skin.

Zinc- Aids in the healing of tissues and helps prevent scarring.

Colloidal silver- Is a natural antibiotic and disinfectant.

Vitamin A- Strengthens the protective skin tissue.

Vitamin E- An antioxidant that enhances healing.

Some herbal supplements and remedies that can be used for acne are:

Burdock root and Red clover teas- Are strong blood cleansers which aids in having healthy skin.

Green clay powder and Raw Honey- Can be mixed and used as a facial mask. Green clay powder can be found in most health food stores. Mix 1 tsp. green clay powder with 1 tsp. raw honey. Apply to face avoiding the eye area. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca) oil- A wonderful natural antibiotic and antiseptic for the skin. Add 1 dropperful of tea tree oil to 1/4 cup warm water and apply to face with a clean cotton ball. You can also find soaps that contain tea tree oil. One body wash that works very well for acne is called Body Essence Ultra Moisturizing Tea Tree Oil Body Wash with Olive Oil proteins. This product is available at Wal-Mart and is great to use on your entire body.

Witch Hazel- A wonderful cleanser and astringent for your skin. Helps reduce excess oil and tones the skin. Is extremely mild and non irritating. Apply with a clean cotton ball once or twice daily.

For Dry Skin

The correct balance of oil and moisture is essential to healthy, clear skin. Contrary to the popular phrase "Oil and water don't mix," oil and water work together to keep your skin healthy. Your skin must have enough moisture in the skin cells, but there also has to be the proper amount of oil to prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the skins top layers. There are actually two different types of dry skin. Simple dry skin and complex dry skin. Simple dry skin comes from an insufficient amount of natural oils. Complex dry skin is lacking in both oil and moisture. Dry skin is often dull looking, scaly and flaky. Complex dry skin is often shown by signs of fine lines, discoloration, enlarged pores, brown spots and sagging skin. Chapping and cracking are also signs of dehydrated and dry skin. Dry skin is most often found on areas of the body that are most exposed to the elements, although in areas where the air is quite dry, it can be a problem on the whole body. It can also be aggravated by environmental factors, chemicals and detergents, poor diet habits and bathing with harsh soaps. Nutritional deficiencies can also cause dry skin.

Some vitamins and minerals that can help with dry skin are:

Primrose oil- Contains linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid needed by the skin.

Vitamin A- Strengthens and protects the skin tissues.

Kelp- Supplies balanced minerals and helps to provide a good skin tone.

Vitamin E- Applied topically, can help to minimize wrinkling.

Zinc- Is necessary for the proper functioning of the oil-producing glands of the skin.

Collagen- A cream that can restore a healthy tone to dry and damaged skin.

Some herbal supplements and remedies that can be used for dry skin are:

Aloe Vera- when used topically, Aloe Vera has healing and moisturizing properties.

Calendula, Comfrey and Lavender- Can be made into herbal or floral water mists and sprayed onto the skin to help moisturize and soften skin and sooth irritation. Add a few drops of essential oil to 4-5 ounces of water or make an infusion with fresh leaves and flowers. Use to mist your skin throughout the day.

Other ways to help with dry skin are:

Drink plenty of water to help keep skin well hydrated.

Do not use harsh soaps, cold cream or cleansing cream made from hydrogenated oils.

Use a loofah sponge to improve circulation and remove dead skin cells.

Soak in a warm bath with 2 tablespoons pure olive oil added to the water.

Use a moisturizer after cleansing. Use a liquid moisturizer. Do not use solid or waxy moisturizing creams.

Oily Skin

Oily skin is caused by the bodies sebaceous glands producing more oil than is needed for lubrication of the skin. This can clog pores and cause blemishes. Doctors presumably think that oily skin is mainly heredity, but other factors such as hormone levels and diet can cause excess oil as well. Hot weather and humidity can also stimulate sebaceous glands to produce more oil. Negative aspects of oily skin include break outs, enlarged pores and a constant shiny, greasy appearance. Oily skin however, does have a few positive points. It helps to slow the process of fine lines and wrinkles as well as age spots.

Some vitamins and minerals that can be used for oily skin are:

Flaxseed oil and Primrose oil capsules- Supplies necessary fatty acids.

Vitamin A- Necessary for healing and for building new skin tissue.
 

Vitamin B Complex- Are important for healthy skin tone.
 

Kelp- Supplies balanced minerals that are needed for good skin tone.

Some herbal supplements and remedies that are good for oily skin are:

Aloe Vera- Applied topically, helps to heal skin problems.
 

Burdock root and Chamomile- Help provide essential nutrients to the skin.
 

Witch Hazel- Has astringent properties and helps to tone the skin.

Other ways to help oily skin are:

Keep your skin clean. Use gentle soaps with no artificial additives. Wash 2-3 times daily.

Do not use cleansers or lotions that contain alcohol.

After cleansing, use an oil free moisturizer.

Use a loofah sponge to improve circulation and help remove dead skin cells.

Use a clay mask to help clear away excess oil.

With so many different types of skin problems, it can often be difficult to achieve clear, healthy looking skin. With a little persistence and experimentation though, there is bound to be something out there that will help you. Even if you have combination skin, a mixture of dry and oily skin, it can still be fixed. Simply treat the dry skin for dry skin, and the oily skin for oily skin. Please also note that some of these vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements are meant to be taken orally. I highly recommend that before starting to take any new regimen, you check with your family physician as some natural substances can have adverse affects when mixed with prescription medication. Also, it is always best to take any new supplement under a doctors supervision, as anyone can have an allergic reaction to anything they may ingest. Good luck to all in your quest for clear, beautiful and healthy skin.

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Natural Remedies for Acne

There are many individuals around the world who suffer from bad skin flare ups on a regular basis. Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, blotches, acne, cuts, burns and under eye circles can be cause for much embarrassment and hassle for anyone who has to deal with them. But before you run out and buy the most expensive creams, lotions and prescriptions to treat your skin condition, you should know that there are natural ways to alleviate your skin problems.

Though it's always best for you to go to your doctor for traditional medicine, it's also a good idea to treat yourself naturally between costly prescriptions and for good health. So before you start a natural skin cleansing routine, you should first clear it with your doctor. Here are a few natural remedies found around the house that can help to treat skin problems:

String or Snap Beans: If you are plagued with acne, you may just want to brew your bumps away. Boil a tablespoon of string or snap beans in water and allow it to cool completely. When it is cool to the touch, use the tea to wash your face morning, noon and night. Also, for the best results you can brew and additional tea and drink it.

If you suffer from chronic eczema, just add three tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers to the snap beans after it has been removed from the stove. Cover the pot and let the tea leaves steep until tea cools. Strain and bottle the tea. Use the tea to wash the face every three hours if possible or at least three times a day.

Horseradish and Vinegar: Vinegar is good at lightening the tone and texture of the skin; horseradish clears up the skin beautifully. So if you suffer from spots and blemishes, a horseradish vinegar mix is perfect for you. Grate a horseradish root into some apple cider vinegar and allow the mixture to sit in the sun for 10 days (on a window sill). Strain the vinegar and place it in an airtight jar. When you are about to use the mixture, you should dilute the vinegar with water or milk by 50% and use it to wash the face. Diluting the mixture with milk really helps to relieve eczema itch.

Olive Oil: Olive oil is one of those natural ingredients that work many wonders for the skin. It provides the skin with sheen, nourishment and healing. But if you suffer from regular skin lesions from psoriasis or acne or you would like to help cuts to the skin heal faster, then look no further than olive oil. Mix two cups of virgin olive oil with six egg whites. Sterilize a basting brush and apply the egg/olive oil mixture to the wound. Gauze and bandage the wound for healing. You should change the bandage regularly to keep the area hygienic.

Cucumber: Cucumber slices are excellent to use to fight off under eye puffiness and dark circles under eyes. The ascorbic and caffeic acids found in cucumber make them potent against sunburn, swollen eyes, and dermatitis and make cucumber good for smoothing out the skin. You may also grate cucumber and use it as a facial mask to help clear the skin of blemishes, spots, bumps and acne.

Honey: Honey is a great natural ingredient that helps to heal wounds. So if you have psoriasis and eczema outbreak that leaves your skin damaged and cut a treatment from honey is what you need to undo the damage of these skin ailments. You can mix 80% honey with 20% Vaseline or Crisco shortening and apply it to your wounds and cuts. This mixture is also effective for people who have minor burns. Get a sterilized basting brush and apply the honey/Vaseline mixture to the affected area and bandage.

Amaranth: Amaranth is a natural herb/flower that is also used as a whole grain cereal and as a vegetable in different parts of the world. Amaranth contains essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C and iron. Amaranth is good for treating many skin problems such as psoriasis, hives, acne and eczema. Just steep a cup of dried amaranth into some boiling water and use it on the affected area for results. Also, you can but amaranth scrubs or amaranth oils if you cannot but amaranth anywhere.

Sea Salt: Sea salt is an amazing natural remedy for skin ailments such as psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. Sea salt has been shown in studies to relieve the itch, burning and sores associated with these skin problems. Just add some sea salts to the bath water and apply the remedy generously over the body at bath time for relief.

Natural, inexpensive and effective is the way to go to heal your skin conditions. You can get rid of your acnes, bumps, blemishes, dark circles, sores all with nature's very own help.

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Homemade Tea Tree Foaming Face Wash for Acne and Blemishes

Acne and blemishes are hard to get rid of with drugstore brand facial cleansers, which is one of the reasons I like to make my own homemade tea tree foaming face wash. It contains soothing, healing and cleansing ingredients that help treat and prevent acne and blemish breakouts naturally.

The natural ingredients needed to make my homemade tea tree foaming face wash are 25 drops of tea tree oil, 5 drops of menthol oil, 5 drops of peppermint oil, 1 cup of castile soap, '¼ cup of castor oil, 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil and '½ cup of aloe juice. You can get these ingredients from your local health food store, herbal stores and grocery store. The reason I use these natural ingredients in my homemade acne and blemish face wash are that they contain nutrients in them such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and light moisturizers. These nutrients are what help cleanse, soothe, nourish, treat, heal and prevent acne and blemish breakouts naturally.

The way to make the homemade tea tree foaming face wash is by carefully pouring the natural ingredients into a clean foaming hand soap bottle. Then you place the hand pump on and gentle give the bottle a shake to combine all the ingredients together until you get a whitish mint smelling liquid. Then what you do is squirt some of the face wash into your hands to make sure it turns into a might fluffy foaming soap. If it does not you may need to add another '¼ cup of castile soap since this is what helps make the facial cleanser foam. After you know the facial cleanser foams you can place it next to you sink or in your shower to use to help cleanses and nourish your skin naturally.

The first thing you should do before washing your face with the homemade tea tree oil foaming face wash is rinse the face down with plenty of warm water to help dampen and warm up the skin. Then you can pump the foaming facial cleanser into your hands and lather it into your skin really well using your fingertips until your face and skin are all lathered up. The facial cleanser will feel tingly cooling and soothing as you are using it. Once your skin is all lathered up, it is best to rinse it down well with plenty of warm water and than splash the face with cool water after to close the pores back up. When the pores are closed up fewer bacteria can get into them and cause acne and blemishes. This foaming face wash will help treat, heal and prevent acne and blemish outbreaks naturally if you use it twice daily over a period of time. Within 3 to 4 weeks, you should notice clearer, glowing, younger looking skin, which you can be confident about having.

I do hope my homemade tea tree foaming face wash can help clear up your acne and blemishes naturally. I wish you all the best of luck with keeping your skin, clear and beautiful.

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Clear Skin in Two Weeks

How I Cured My Lifelong Acne

My Quest for Clear Skin

Most of us have at least one physical feature we wish we could change - mine has always been my acne-ridden skin. It's been a sore subject for as long as I can remember, with each new suggestion from a well-meaning friend creating a well of anger inside me: "I've literally tried EVERYTHING, including whatever you're about to tell me, so shut up."

By the time I was 19, I'd fallen for every gimmick on TV, tried anything a doctor would prescribe (including LOADS of antibiotics and topicals), and come up empty. At times, I was resigned to having acne forever, but somewhere inside me I always knew there was a puzzle to solve, and I'm happy to declare that I've finally solved it.

Until January of this year, not one single thing I'd tried brought me beyond what I'll describe as my "baseline condition" - colorless rock-hard bumps covering my cheeks and forehead that never popped and never went away. But making this one final change was the key to pushing through that baseline into clear skin territory. Here's my story.

Pubescent Acne

My acne started mildly at age 12. Embarrassed of my face, I was wearing make up for school pictures in 7th and 8th grade and making sure no one saw my back or chest in high school. My sister shared my acne woes, so we became the "zit sisters," helping each other pick hard-to-reach "backne" and commiserating about our grueling regimens of medications and topicals. The older I got, the worse it got. From junior high into high school I single-handedly boosted Walgreens' stock price. We tried Retin-A, Differin, Panoxyl, Brevoxyl, Amoxicillin, Doxycyclin, Emgel, and those were just some of the prescriptions.

At age 17, we went for the Nuclear Option: ACCUTANE. Accutane was a gruesome beast, requiring constant moisturizers, sunscreens, and lip balm on the entire lower half of my peeling, raw face. It was terrible. At softball practice, my legs would break out from the grass in the outfield, and everything I touched was greasy with spf.

By the time my junior prom rolled around, my chest and back were as clear as day, but not my face. I still hold onto a picture from that night, my clear back to the camera - a moment of triumph, if only partially so. I would later learn that drying out oily skin and killing all bacteria on and in your body to treat acne are just about the worst things you can do for yourself.


Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

At 19 years old, I was diagnosed with PCOS and told I would have to follow the South Beach Diet and take hormone-regulating medication for the rest of my life if I wanted clear skin (or to have babies one day). I begrudgingly took the meds, but I couldn't manage the South Beach Diet. Not as a college student. Not at 19 years old.

From here, and for the next 6 years, my skin would get progressively worse, as would my digestion and my weight. Depression set in with the weight gain, which only exacerbates PCOS. My skin was at its absolute worst when a late-night infomercial persuaded me to try ProActiv. It promised clear skin in 60 days, and I figured what the hell, I have nothing to lose.

A Holistic Approach - Curing Acne Naturally

In the subsequent eight years, I immersed myself in the natural healing arts. I soon learned that clearing my skin would be far more about what I put in my body than what I put on my face. The diet and lifestyle changes I made laid the groundwork for what would ultimately be the final piece of the puzzle. Making these changes would likely get a huge number of people the results they were looking for, but for me there was still something missing. Here's a short recounting of my approach since 2006:

1. Going gluten-free in 2010*

2. Removing and/or limiting dairy

3. Removing and/or limiting coffee and caffeine

4. Eliminating eggs

5. Candida cleansing

6. Supplementing l-glutamate, alpha lipoic acid, selenium, zinc, and lecithin

7. Using herbs for acne

8. Trying homeopathics

9. Hyper-dosing probiotics (and later trying raw kefir and kombucha*)

10. Acupuncture

11. Megadosing vitamin A (under a naturopathic doctor's supervision)

12. Improving food quality by choosing organic/pastured/clean when possible*

13. Losing weight through a reduction in carbohydrates and sugar*

14. Reducing alcohol to a few drinks a week *

15. Moisturizing with natural oils*

16. Switching to mineral makeup*

17. Washing my face with raw honey a few times a week*

*the ones that remain as part of my regimen today and have certainly made a big difference

My Wedding Day

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I wanted clear skin on my wedding day, so I made some very expensive decisions. In the year leading up, I underwent 3 VI Peels ($150 a pop), 3 Profractional Treatments (over $300 a pop), and weekly light and acid treatments. I would guess that I spent upwards of $3000 to prepare my face for the big day.

My Miracle Acne Cure

In mid-January, feeling a little off from all the holiday sweets, I started drinking homemade bone broth every day to improve my digestion. Unexpectedly, the tiny bumps that have been on my face for twenty years shrank and disappeared!

I couldn't believe it! For years I've been touting the health benefits of bone broth and chicken soup, but never once did I consider that it would actually clear up my terrible skin. Not only did the broth heal my gut, it cleansed and hydrated my system, and after almost two decades of constant disappointment and frustration, my lifelong acne was cured.

I don't want to overstep here. My skin's not PERFECT 100% of the time. But the smooth surface I feel today is something I haven't experienced in the 20 years I've been dealing with this problem. Today, instead of impossible-to-extract, constant bumps, I get a few easily extracted blemishes a month, if that.

I'll take that over the alternative any day.

Directions for the Miracle Acne Cure:

1. Follow the instructions in this blogpost to make your broth

2. Drink 1 warm coffee mugful first thing every morning for 14 days straight

3. OPTIONAL: Begin tapering down to 5 days a week (weekdays makes sense), and then down three for maintenance

4. Continue this beautiful morning routine for as long as you can, testing every once in a while to see if you can take a break without any negative consequences

5. Keep eating well, whatever that means for you (for me, it's staying off of gluten and keeping sugar in check)

6. Hydrate your skin with healthy oils instead of stripping away the natural oils

My plan is to continue at 3 days per week indefinitely, and ramp it back up to 5 or 7 if I start to see any backsliding. I'm enjoying the morning ritual, and have been doing great on 3 days a week for a little over 2 months.

So that's it. Broth!

Broth to heal your gut.

Broth to boost your immune system.

Broth to restore your health.

Broth to cure acne naturally.

This one simple thing was the missing piece of the puzzle for me. I encourage you to try it for yourself, and if you do, please come back and tell me how it worked for you. I'd love to hear your story.

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Alba Acne Dote Face Wash and Gel Review

I bought Alba's Acne Dote Face Wash and Gel a few months ago. I have pretty bad severe acne, and as a girl, I will do anything to clear it and get myself looking perfect!

I hate my acne, and I have been dealing with it for about 3 years now. It's horrible, and it completely brings down your self-confidence to almost nothing. I have tried everything to get clear skin- Pro Active, Many different dermatologist prescribed medications, oral antibiotics, tons of different fash washes and gels- you name it, I've tried it!

After spending my life savings on finding "the cure" to my acne, I have realized that absolutely nothing works for me, That's when I decided to go the more natural/herbal way. I went to Whole Foods to buy me different things to do home remedies with- clay masks, various teas, baking soda/salt masks, lemon juice, witch hazel, a very strict no sugar-diet, etc. I also bought the Acne Dote face wash and gel.

So far, the combination of the home remedies, the herbal treatments, the teas, the Alba Acne Dote face wash and gel, and the diets my skin is looking better than i has in a while. I notice that I am getting way less breakouts than before. My skin is also appearing to be less red than it was before.

Out of everything, I really enjoy the Alba face wash and gel! It really leaves my skin feeling clean and smooth. I might sound crazy, but as soon as I wash my face with this stuff I swear it looks better than it did a few seconds ago before I washed it. This is the first product that doesn't burn or irritate my sensitive skin as well. I am very impressed with these Alba products, and they seem to be working pretty well for me.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product to a friend, especially if they have sensitive skin like I do. The combination of the face wash and the gel seems to work better than anything I have tried in the past. I especially like that it is a more natural product, which is all Alba does. They use salicylic acid in it, and that seems to work better for me and be less irritating than benzoyl

peroxide.

The face wash costs around $11.00, and the gel costs around $11.00 too. They seem to last me a pretty long time too; about two months using it twice a day. In the end, I would give both of these Alba products an 8 out of 10. They definitely deserve to be given a chance before you go spend money on anything else, so try them out! Good luck!

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