Caring for your face, naturally

The face is very important, seeing as it is one of the first things most people would immediately notice. A major issue most people have with their faces happens to be acne, which affects both males and females and we all know how annoying it can be.

Acne is a common skin disease condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. Acne most commonly appears on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders and can be distressing and annoyingly persistent. As soon as one is clearing, it always seems another pops up somewhere else. Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and lead to scarring of the skin. The good news is that effective treatments are available — and the earlier treatment is started, the lower your risk of lasting physical damage.

With acne affecting so many people, most people have a method that works best for them, but here are a few natural methods you can also try.

Lemon face scrub
Lemon juice has lots of citric acid, which is a great exfoliator. Sugar granules make for a perfect natural scrub. This is perfect for deep cleansing the skin and brightening the complexion.

Do-It-Yourself: Make a hole in a lemon and fill it with granulated sugar. Roast the lemon in hot ashes (or on a grill).  When you want to use the juice, squeeze out a little through the hole and dab it on with a napkin. Leave on for a couple of hours before rinsing off with cold water.

Apple-honey face pack
Honey is one of nature’s best moisturizers, while apples are full of vitamins A and C. These make the fruit great at repairing damaged skin cells and exfoliating dead ones. Milk and whey, in the meantime, are great for strengthening skin tissues. Do-It-Yourself: Add a teaspoon of honey to one mashed apple and mix well. Put this mixture on your face and neck. Leave it on for half an hour, and then rinse with whey (milk serum) or cold milk.

Oatmeal
Oatmeal sticks to skin’s surface irritants, which can then be gently rinsed away for thorough cleansing sans the dryness. Plus, it’s a great hydrator.

Do-It-Yourself: Mix a handful of finely milled oatmeal with enough water to make a paste. Put this mixture on your face and neck. When it dries, rinse off with whey (milk serum), then with water.

Toothpaste
The toothpaste that you use regularly to clean your teeth can also help clear up an acne problem. This is infact one of the easiest home remedies for acne.

Do-It-Yourself: Apply a small amount of white toothpaste on the affected area before going to bed. The toothpaste will reduce the swelling and dry out the acne. Within a day or two, you should see significant improvement.

Baking Soda
Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate works as a gentle exfoliant for your skin as it unplugs the pores and removes dead skin. It also helps regulate the pH balance of the skin and has mild anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. All these characteristics make it an excellent home remedy for clearing acne.

Do-It-Yourself: Mix together two tablespoons baking soda, one teaspoon cinnamon powder, the juice of half a lemon, and five tablespoons honey. Apply it on your face and wash after five minutes. You can also apply a paste of one or two teaspoons of baking soda and a little water. Again, rinse it off after five minutes. Use baking soda on your skin once or twice a week to keep it looking fresh.