– My Terrible Acne Circa 2016 –

I truly believed in my teens that the magical “pill” to cure my acne was adulthood. No one said to me “Silly girl, there is a such thing as adult acne ya’ know!”. Nevertheless, here I sit pushing 30 still finding things to curb my blemishes. Even at 28, I still wake up some days looking akin to a pizza with extra pepperoni. YIKES!

This post is not sponsored, but contains affiliate links. While I will make a small commission off of any purchases that are made using these links, this is at no additional cost to you. I also only link products that I have used and truly recommend (because homie don’t play that!).

I’ve tried many different remedies, but these 3 all-natural treatments have changed my acne riddled life:

-Apple Cider Vinegar-

While apple cider vinegar (ACV as it is often called for short) is not scientifically proven to treat acne, I can attest that I’ve used it with great success. Apple cider vinegar is a natural acne treatment because of its antibacterial properties (source). This antibacterial attribute is what helps clear blemishes by zapping acne-causing bacteria. It is also thought to help treat hyperpigmentation/dark spots because of its astringent and beta carotene properties (source).

Apple cider vinegar is typically used as a toner. However, because of its acidic nature, it is best if diluted and then used with a cotton pad. I initially began with a 1 part apple cider vinegar-3 parts water and then worked my way up to a more concentrated solution. As my skin became more tolerable, the solution became more concentrated until I was using it at full-strength several times a week. These days, because of my current weird skin, I am not using it at all as it can be a bit drying. But if I were to really need to use it, I would rinse the solution off with cold water after about 5-10 minutes in addition to diluting. This is what those with very sensitive skin should do initially to make sure that they are not causing any irritation or burns.

-Tea Tree Oil-

This is my favorite zit zapper! Tea tree oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties (source) in an extremely concentrated form, which makes it perfect for spot treatment. Like with all essential oils, you want to make sure that you dilute it with any appropriate carrier and make a solution. My solution of choice was to use 10-15 drops of tea tree oil in 2-3oz of water or aloe vera juice (or both). I then apply the solution directly to my pimple with a q-tip. With this solution (and any solution) you want to make sure that you adjust the concentration according to your skin type and how your skin reacts to the initial treatment. Be careful to not use the tea tree oil on broken skin, or in its 100% form (at least to begin with). An essential oil can irritate and burn the skin (source). My skin is not sensitive and it cause my face to welt up something CRAZY!


Trust me sis, DON’T DO IT!

-Bentonite Clay-

This stuff makes an awesome mask whether you have acne or not. This clay is amazing for those of us that do have oily, acne-prone skin however. Bentonite clay is packed with minerals including calcium, magnesium, silica, copper, iron, and potassium (source), all of which the skin needs. This clay is highly absorbant, and draws out impurities and excess sebum thus helping to keep pores clean and clear. This aids in getting rid of (and keeping away) any blemishes. My favorite mixture is to substitute apple cider vinegar for water to really make this mask work double duty. When my skin is going haywire, it use it every.single.day for a week. After that week, I use it 1-3 times a week depending on how bad of a breakout I am having.

*side Bar* always moisturize after using this mask. It does exactly what it is supposed to do, but that could mean that you have extremely dry skin afterwards. Not moisturizing could cause your skin to product even more sebum and cause even more breakouts, which is the exact opposite of what you want.

These are the all-natural acne fighting remedies that work for me. What acne treatments work for you?

Shalom, Salam, Paz, PEACE!

-Sea