5 Popular Acne Home Remedies (And Why They're Not As Effective As You Might Think)

More and more, it seems like people are coming up with bizarre ways to DIY their acne treatments. From using old banana peels and dryer sheets to methods involving more extreme ingredients like snail slime and - get this - urine, there are a million and one purported “home remedies” for blemishes floating around the internet. For anything skincare-related, it’s crucial to take these ‘recommendations’ with a grain of salt. Picking the wrong thing to put on your face can not only make your acne worse but can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions if you’re not careful.

It can be tough spending hours researching which ‘home remedies’ are potentially harmful and which are pretty harmless. The truth is though, oftentimes you might not be able to get the full picture of how an ingredient will react to your skin or what issues it might cause over time. That’s why we’ve created this handy list of some of the most common home acne remedies you might find online to not only clue you in on why some of them might not be as effective as they seem, but to show you that a professionally formulated and tested skincare regimen is almost always the better option when it comes to treating acne.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD SKINCARE REGIMEN

First things first; before we dive into the home remedies, we want to stress the importance of maintaining a proper daily skincare routine. Regardless of whether or not you try any (or all) of the DIY methods below, your skin must have a healthy base before you start experimenting with homemade treatments. To keep your skin well-nourished and hydrated, we recommend our Luminous Clear Skin Kit which contains five of our most effective products designed for glowing skin. With over 40 skin-loving natural ingredients, the Luminous Clear Skin Kit fights acne by removing acne-causing bacteria and sebum, clearing out clogged pores, and reducing the risk of scarring. Having a solid skincare routine will keep your skin as healthy as possible, so you won't have to search the internet to find at-home remedies.

1. NATURAL TONERS

Our body’s ideal pH is somewhat neutral - around 7 and a half. But unlike the rest of our body, the ideal pH for our facial skin is actually on the acidic side - around 5 or 6 on the scale. As you go about your day, your skin’s acid mantle, the protective layer of sebum and oil on your skin, can get eroded by makeup, pollution, sun exposure, and a variety of other things. To combat this, some people advocate for using a natural toner as a part of your everyday skin routine.

One of the most popular natural toners people on the internet swear by is apple cider vinegar, and it’s easy to understand why some find it appealing. Look past its unpleasant smell and you’ll find that apple cider vinegar is filled with bacteria-killing enzymes, as well as several healthy-for-you minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and acetic acid.

Although ACV sounds great on paper, it’s important to remember that its high acidity can also spell trouble for your skin. For those with sensitive skin, it can be especially harmful and even cause chemical burns. This is why ACV is not something we recommend trying without consulting a skincare professional.

A good toner is an essential part of a well-balanced skincare routine, which is why we created one that won’t leave your skin parched (or burnt). Our Luminous Complexion Toner is made with skin-loving antioxidants and can keep acne at bay while also keeping skin supple and hydrated. It’s a win-win.

2. ALOE VERA

If you forgot to bring your sunscreen to the beach, aloe vera is a tried and true way to soothe and heal sunburn. But did you know it’s also been reported as being pretty good for treating acne? That’s right, aloe vera’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties make it a decent at-home treatment for sudden breakouts and redness if you’re strapped for time or are on a budget.

However, it’s important to pay attention to the quality of aloe used in aloe vera products. Cosmetic-grade is most commonly used in skin care products and can contain certain impurities that could irritate sensitive skin types or cause allergic reactions.

After harvesting aloe, it must be processed within 4 to 6 hours to ensure its active ingredients maintain their effective properties. Look for pharmaceutical-grade aloe products that are certified by the International Aloe Science Council to be sure you’re getting the highest quality of aloe vera available.

3. TEA TREE OIL

If you’re more into spot treatments, you might have heard about tea tree oil. This naturally derived oil has been used for centuries as an antiseptic, and there are countless articles about how to use it as a spot treatment for stubborn acne.

You’ve probably seen a variety of skincare products listing tea tree oil as one of their main active ingredients. Understandably, you might then think that skipping the other ingredients and applying straight tea tree oil to your face is the best way to reap all the benefits, but we’d advise against it.

Tea tree oil can cause severe dryness in already dry-to-normal skin types, and in some serious cases, has caused skin swelling and itching. Not fun.

If you want to experience the acne-fighting power of tea tree oil safely, we highly recommend finding a product that uses tea tree oil as an active ingredient. The Clear Skin Elixir is our best-selling overnight face mask that uses the power of tea tree oil, zinc oxide, French pink clay, and more to zap pimples while you sleep - all while keeping your skin hydrated and healthy.

4. COFFEE SCRUB

You might have seen DIY coffee scrubs on YouTube or Pinterest as a natural exfoliation technique. Unfortunately, these popular scrubs can be harsh and abrasive, especially for those with sensitive skin, as well as your shower drain when it’s time to rinse off. To get the benefits of coffee, without possible irritation from scrubbing your skin with it, check out our Luminous Complexion Toner. We use Coffea Arabica seed extract to help eliminate acne, fade acne scars, and restore the skin’s overall health.

If you’re looking for a natural exfoliator that won’t irritate your skin or ruin your shower drain, try our Illuminating Essence Exfoliating Mask, a great treat for clogged pores and tired skin.

5. WITCH HAZEL

Witch hazel is amazing at reducing swelling, redness, and pain associated with particularly sensitive pimples, which is why you’ll often find it as an active ingredient in toners (like ours) and spot treatments.

However, using witch hazel alone can be very drying to the skin and can irritate blemishes even more, due to its alcohol content. Prolonged use will only strip your skin’s natural oils, and in turn, make your skin produce more oil to combat it. That’s why we combine it with natural plants and minerals that are soothing, balance oil, and provide excellent nutrition to the skin.

While there are many DIY home remedies out there claiming to work wonders due to their simple and all-natural properties, it’s crucial to understand that trying to clear acne with one ingredient alone won’t give you the same results as using skincare with multiple ingredients that target different issues. With many of these treatments, they work well in theory, but often in practice simply don’t live up to the hype, or carry serious risk. That’s why the best way to get great skin is through using a tried-and-tested skincare line that utilizes multiple powerful natural ingredients to work together to balance oil, exfoliate dead skin, and maintain good bacteria while eliminating the bad.