Dealing with acne can be really disheartening, whether you’re 16 or 36! From adult acne, to teenage spots, to just the occasional blemish - it really can happen to any of us.
The frustrating thing is, even though acne affects so many of us, we are still largely misinformed by the skincare industry about WHY it happens and HOW to deal with it.
Have you tried harsh exfoliation in an effort to scrub the acne away? Guilty.
Have you tried putting chemical after chemical on spots, which has only made them worse? Hello, benzoyl peroxide.
Have you been afraid of using oil on your face because we are taught that oil = bad? I was, but not anymore...
Did you know that your skin’s own oils and sebum are your FIRST line of defence against outside aggressors that lead to blemishes and spots? Oil ISN’T bad for your skin - who’d have thought it?!
We are taught that we should wash our faces (usually with SLS cleansers) until they are squeaky clean, and then to add a chemical moisturiser over the top to replace the moisture we’ve just stripped off - a bit mad if you think about it.
Interestingly, when you do strip your skin of its own protective oils, the skin actually over-compensates by massively over producing oil in an effort to moisturise itself. This is in fact why some people have combination skin - skin that is oily in places and parched in others - because the oils and sebum are all out of whack.
What’s more, using harsh foaming cleansers and spot treatments mean that skin is then more permeable to such as bacteria and pollutants. Water also escapes from skin faster. As a result, the skin becomes more sensitive, dry, oily and potentially broken out (due to the resulting inflammatory response of the skin). It also will heal much slower.
You’d be much better off helping your skin by not stripping it at all, just gently cleansing away pollution and daily dirt and grime, and then adding a few natural oils or butters to give your skin a little helpful nudge. Your skin will thank you!
“Cystic acne is often caused by internal issues, rather than external!”
So why do we get spots?
External factors
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The most common culprit of this is a ‘stripping’ cleanser; your skin should never feel dry or tight after cleansing. It should feel clean, bouncy and comfortable. You shouldn’t feel like your cheeks or forehead may crack if you make a face!
- Other offenders in the line-up to consider are irritating chemical ingredients such as high amounts of fragrance/ parfum, high amounts of alcohol, actives (AHA, BHA, Retinoids) and products that have a high PH (as the skin is naturally acidic, these are likely to be irritating).
Internal causes
- Hormones and diet are internal causes of acne, which is more often than not the reason for blemishes.
- Hormonal acne manifests itself on the chin, neck and cheeks.
- This type of acne is best tackled with naturally anti-inflammatory ingredients like calendula, witch hazel and turmeric.
Diet-related acne is usually seen on the forehead and cheeks, and this can benefit greatly from antibacterial essential oils (used carefully), like lavender and tea tree.
"Natural remedies are safer and far more effective than conventional lotions and potions”
Whipping up a fresh batch of spot treatment
So, how can natural treatments work for you?
Suneeta’s Natural Spot Treatment is made from just four naturally potent ingredients...
Organic Calendula Water
Calendula has a rich history of being used to treat infections and wounds. It is a great healer and will clean any blemish so that infection doesn’t spread.
Alcohol-free Witch Hazel
This ingredient’s skin-boosting powers include oil balancing and fighting inflammation, which both happen to be great for acne. Witch hazel is both astringent and anti-inflammatory, so it has a drying, toning, and tightening action on the skin which work magic on spots.
Lavender and Tea Tree Oils
Two potent antibacterial essential oils which can shrink spots. And they happen to smell great too
What other natural remedies are there?
For any sufferers of acne, please take a look at these alternative products for blemish-prone skin...
Mandarin & Calendula Cleansing Balm
Golden Turmeric Skin Cream
Jen x