This Blog Topic is per request of one of our awesome FB Fanpage members JoAnne Hodge-Hood.
Home Remedy Treatments for Oily Skin
Did you know that some problem skin treatments are so harsh they actually make the skin oilier?
All skin types need to be nourished. But some acne or oily skin treatments are stripping the skin from its natural oil and dehydrating it. The skin then reacts with producing more oil to protect itself creating a vicious circle of hash treatment and more oily skin. The skin needs to be cleansed and nourished. Keep on reading to find out how you can treat your oily skin naturally.
Keep skin squeaky clean. As anyone with oily skin knows, the oilier the skin, the dirtier the skin looks and feels. To help combat this feeling, it’s important to keep the skin clean by washing it at least twice a day. Some doctors recommend detergent-type soap. You might even try adding a drop or two of dishwashing detergent to your regular soap; the extra kick will act as a solvent for the oil. However, other dermatologists say detergent soaps are just too harsh even for oily facial skin, recommending instead twice-daily cleansing with a glycerin soap. If you try a detergent soap and find it too irritating for your skin, try the glycerin variety, generally available over the counter in the skin-care aisle of most drugstores.
Try aloe vera. Apply aloe vera gel (available in many drugstores as well as health-food stores) to your face to absorb oil and clear out pores. Dab the gel onto your face two to three times a day (especially after washing), then let it dry. The gel will feel more refreshing if it’s cool, so keep it in the refrigerator.
Wipe with astringents. Wiping the oily parts of the face with witch hazel or lemon juice. Witch Hazel is so gentle that it can be used on nearly any type of skin. The tannin content in witch hazel has strong astringent as well as antioxidant properties. These astringent properties are cleansing to the skin, while minimizing the size of skin pores. Unlike many harsh commercial acne formulations, it is gentle and non-drying when used to tone and cleanse acne-infected or acne-prone skin
Carry tissues. Even if you don’t have an astringent with you, paper facial tissues can help soak up excess oils in a pinch. You can also purchase special oil-absorbing tissues at the cosmetics counter that are very effective in removing excess oil between cleansings.
Chill out with cold water rinses. If you don’t want to apply chemicals to your skin, simply splashing your face with cold water and blotting it dry a couple of times a day can help remove some excess oil.
Ban moisturizers. While advertisements are forever urging women to apply facial moisturizers, oily-skinned folks shouldn’t use them — their skin is already doing a more than adequate job of keeping itself supple and warding off dryness. Applying a sunscreen to the face before going outdoors in daylight is still a very good idea, however; check labels for products that are designed for oily skin or that are noncomedogenic (meaning they’ll be less likely to plug up pores, which is especially important for oily skin that is already more susceptible to acne blemishes).
Make a scrub. Giving your face a very light scrub can remove excess surface oil. Try this almond honey scrub: Mix a small amount of almond meal (ground almonds) with honey. Then gently massage (don’t scrub) the paste onto your skin with a hot washcloth. Rinse thoroughly. You can also make a scrub from oatmeal mixed with aloe vera. Rub gently onto the skin, leave on for 15 minutes, then wash off thoroughly. If you suffer from acne on your face, however, you should probably skip the scrub, since it can aggravate your already-irritated skin.
Masque it. Masques applied to the face can reduce oiliness. Clay masques are available, or you can mix Bentonite Clay with a little water to make a paste. Apply to the face and leave on for about 20 minutes before thoroughly rinsing off.
Use water-based cosmetics. Better yet, learn to live without makeup — or at least without foundation — since it will simply add to and trap the oil against your skin and set the stage for blemishes. If you feel you must use makeup, choose water-based products over oil-based types, and opt for spot concealers rather than coating your entire face. In general, stick with powder or gel blushers, and avoid cream foundations.
Pull your hair back. It’s best to keep hair away from the face if you are having issues with your skin. Often oily hair and oily skin go together.
Don’t touch. Keep your hands off your face during the day. Hands deliver excess oil and dirt.
These simple, effective strategies can make all the difference in your complexion. Still, sometimes a person needs a little extra help. Go to the next page to learn natural home remedies that you can find in your very own kitchen.
Home Remedy Treatments for Dry Skin
Dry Skin looks dull, particularly on the cheeks and around the eyes. There may be tiny expression outline on these spots and at the comers of the mouth. Dry skin is the effect of lack of water in your skin-not oil. Dry skin can be transformed into a healthy skin by natural home remedies. The home remedies found below are easy to locate in your own home kitchen, and will relieve you from some of the discomfort that comes from dry skin.
From the Home Remedies Cupboard
Baking soda. Instead of using an abrasive dishwashing cleanser, try sprinkling skin-friendly baking soda in your dishwater. Baking soda is also a skin-friendly alternative to jumping in a hot shower. Try a sponge bath using 4 tablespoons baking soda to 1 quart water. A baking soda soak is a folk remedy to relieve itching. Add 1 cup baking soda to a tub of hot water. Soak for 30 minutes and air dry.
Cornstarch. You may think cornstarch can only be used to thicken your gravy, but it’s also useful in easing itchy, dry skin. Sprinkle a handful in the bathtub and have a soak.
Oatmeal. Adding instant oatmeal to your bath will soothe your skin. The oats are packed with vitamin E, a nutrient vital to healthy skin. Oatmeal is also used as a folk remedy for treating dry, chapped hands. Rub your hands with wet oatmeal instead of soap. Dry your hands with a towel, then rub them with dry oatmeal.
Epsom Salt. Massage a handful of epsom salt onto wet skin after a shower or bath. It will remove dry skin and make your skin smooth.
Olive oil. Coating yourself with olive oil may make you feel like a Italian Salad, but your skin will love you. In fact, experts say that any oil, from olives to sunflower offers relief from dry skin.
Apple Cider Vinegar. Try this folk remedy for chapped hands: Wash and dry hands thoroughly, then apply apple cider vinegar. Put on a pair of soft gloves and leave them on overnight.
Do Remember
Be cool. Take lukewarm or cool showers. This may not sound very appealing if you like lounging in the hot steam, but your skin will thank you. Hot water draws out skin’s valuable oils, which will dry out your skin.
Be selective about soap. Pretty, perfume-laden soap may look and smell nice, but it can leave your skin screaming. Try soaps with fat or oil in them. Liquid soaps tend to be milder than bar soaps.
Douse while you’re still damp. Slathering natural lotion, cocoa butter or shea butter on damp skin is your best bet for retaining moisture. When you get out of the bath or shower, pat, don’t rub, to get rid of just enough water so you don’t leave a wet trail to the sink. Then spread on your lotion or oil while you’ve still got droplets clinging to your skin. This will help seal in the moisture.
Avoid alcohol. That means both the kind you drink and the kind you use to cleanse. Drinking alcohol can cause your body to soak up water from skin. Limit yourself to no more than 2 ounces a day to keep your skin healthy. Alcohol-based cleansing products (such as astringents) dry out your skin, too. It’s best to skip them altogether.
Watch the sun. You put your wet tennies outside to dry out. Well, just as the sun evaporates moisture from your water-soaked shoes, it evaporates moisture from your skin. Though a little bit of that evaporation is healthy (sweat evaporating keeps you cool when you exercise), too much can be a problem. So protect your skin by wearing sunscreen and moisturizing lotions if you spend lots of time in the sun.
Just a few simple home remedies could have you feeling smooth in no time, and ready to take on the worst the sun and wind can throw at you.
Akilah M. El, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor and board-certified Master Herbalist with a private practice in Atlanta Georgia and Berlin Germany. Join Dr Akilah El on Facebook and Twitter
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