Natural Acne Remedies

The market is filled with acne treatments promising to give clear skin and to zap away your pimples and zits, but there are natural acne remedies that give most products a run for their money. The best part is that the natural remedies won't apply harsh chemicals to your skin.

Beware of Your Phone.
Your phone can be a breeding paradise for acne, so be sure to diligently clean your phone to make sure the source of acne is not your phone. Skeptical? According to researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 82 percent of the subjects' phones had some kind of bacteria on them. Depending on how much you use your phone, and where you store it on a regular basis, you should be cleaning your phone every night.

Clay.
A good facial clay can cleanse your pores without drying out your skin. Simply add a little water to clay and add a dollop to the zit before going to bed. You can apply clay to your face as a mask or as a spot treatment on your acne.

Ice.
Ice is a temporary fix to acne, but it's an efficient temporary fix. Rubbing a cube of ice on the zit will cause it to (temporarily) shrink.

Oils.
This will sound counterintuitive, but oils can help fight acne, as some oils have been found to reduce acne and acne-related scarring. What's more, a gentle cleanser helps preserve your skin's natural oils, which is important for acne-prone skin.

Tea Tree Oil. Studies have shown that tea tree oil work just as effectively as benzoyl peroxide, although it takes a little longer to work. For acne-prone skin, applying tea tree oil can keep acne at bay.

Take Zinc Supplements. Zinc is said to reduce inflammation, which may play a role in reducing acne breakouts.

3 Ways To Exfoliate Your Body

Exfoliating your skin regularly guarantees that you have healthy, glowing skin since the process removes dry, dull skin. Most people exfoliate their faces and feet, but the reality is that you should be exfoliating your entire body, especially if you are prone to dead skin buildup. That said, be careful of overexfoliating as this can irritate your skin and make it dry.

1. Scrub
A sugar or salt scrub is the most common exfoliating method for your body. These scrubs typically have an exfoliating agent (e.g. salt or sugar) that removes dead skin and a moisturizing agent (such as oil) that serves as an emollient. If you want to make a DIY scrub, then mix equal parts sugar and extra virgin olive oil for a homemade body scrub.

Read the rest of my article for two more ways to exfoliate at Daily Glow. 

Image courtesy of Trilogy Spa via Pinterest.

DIY Mascara Remover

I was very skeptical to try this because I've always read that oil-free makeup removers were the way to go. Imagine my horror (and surprise) to hear that olive oil makes a good eye makeup remover. Yuck!

But one of my best friends insisted I try it and after a week of experimenting, it's safe to say I'm a convert! Not only does the thickest and the strongest mascara melt off upon contact with olive oil, but it also moisturizes your lids, under eye and lashes.

Lashes are, after all, hair and the benefits of olive oil on your hair apply to your lashes too. Or at least, that's the connection I'm making. 

The best way to apply this is to pour a little olive oil on a cotton ball and apply over eyelid as you would a makeup remover. It's best to experiment with the amount of olive oil until you find the right consistency--too much is messy causing the oil to enter your eyes and too little can make the cotton fibers stick to your lashes. 

Image via Google Images