4 Ways To Clear Acne Naturally

With antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, green tea extract can inhibit the activity of your skin’s oil-producing cells.
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Acne and breakouts are a total bummer, and it feels like we’ve tried every drugstore product to keep them at bay. One area we haven’t explored so thoroughly is treating pimples naturally. Keep in mind that not all acne can be cured this way (notably, the hormonal variety), so the following solutions aren’t one-size-fits-all cures. Still, if your breakouts are caused by things like stress, these four solutions might be worth a shot.

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Witch Hazel This astringent compound — produced from the leaves and bark of the North American witch-hazel shrub — naturally dries and shrinks blemishes. After cleansing your face, pour a small amount onto a cotton ball apply to blemishes morning and night.

Green Tea With antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, green tea extract can inhibit the activity of your skin’s oil-producing cells. To give it a try, brew a bag of green tea (or even matcha, which is a similar version of green tea) and let it cool. Then, dip a washcloth in the tea and press it gently on the affected areas for a few minutes.

Chamomile The extracts of this flower can help decrease the inflammation related to breakouts. There are two ways to try it after cleansing: First, combine the contents of a chamomile tea bag with enough water to form a paste, then apply that to your face. Or follow the green-tea method above.

Aloe Vera In addition to soothing sunburns, aloe can fight inflammation, promote healing and reduce scarring. To reap the benefits, scrape the gel out of an aloe plant and apply directly to affected areas, or treat your skin with pure aloe gel, which is available at most health-food stores.

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