Natural Home Remedies for Oily Skin

Although you can't change your genes, there are plenty of home remedies to combat oily skin using kitchen ingredients.

Home Remedies from the Cupboard

Almonds and honey. The luscious combination of succulent almonds and sweet honey works well as a gentle facial scrub for removing oils and dead skin cells. Mix a small amount of ground almonds with honey to make a paste. Gently massage the paste into your skin with a comfortably hot washcloth. Rinse with cool water.

Baking soda. Be abrasive, but in a mild way. Liquid soap users can add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda into the mixture. Rub gently onto oily areas such as the nose and chin. This gentle abrasive works well in getting rid of blackheads as well as oil. Rinse with cool water.

Cornstarch. Cornstarch dries up oily patches. Mix 1 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch with enough warm water to make a paste. Rub on your face, let dry, and then shower or rinse off with lukewarm water in the sink. Try this once a day for best results.

Salt. This gift from the sea is nature's best desiccant. Place tepid water into a small spray bottle and add 1 teaspoon salt. Close your eyes, and pretend you're at the seashore. Then squirt some of this salt spray on your face once during the day. Blot dry.

Vinegar. A good way to exfoliate the skin is with white or apple cider vinegar. Apply using a cotton ball before bedtime. Leave it on for five to ten minutes and then rinse with cool water. You'll need to use this remedy for three weeks to see improvements. If your skin is super-sensitive, dilute the vinegar with four parts water. For a summertime treat, chill the vinegar or freeze it into ice cubes and apply as a cooling facial.

Home Remedies from the Refrigerator

Apples. If you're willing to do some creative cooking, your effort will be rewarded with this homemade, oil-ridding facial. Mix 1/2 cup mashed apple, 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 slightly beaten egg white, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice into a smooth paste. Apply to your face for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water.

Egg is a natural remedy for oily skin.
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A mask made with egg yolks dries out the skin.

Egg yolk. A fast fix for removing oil shine requires one of the simplest foods: the egg. An egg yolk mask dries out the skin. Apply the egg yolk with a cotton ball to oily spots. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water.


Lemons. Mix equal parts lemon juice and water, pat on face, and let dry. Rinse first with warm water followed by cool water for a refreshing treat.

Limes and cucumbers. Citrus fruits and some vegetables not only refresh the skin but also help reduce oils. Try mixing 1/2 teaspoon lime juice with an equal amount of cucumber juice. Apply to skin a few minutes before showering.

Home Remedies from the Windowsill

Aloe vera. Aloe vera, the wonder plant of the household, works well at absorbing skin oils. Slice open a leaf and smear the gel onto the face up to three times a day. Let dry. (Keep a small amount of gel in the refrigerator during summer months for a refreshing face-lift!)

For more information about oily skin and how improve your complexion, try the following links:
 ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Timothy Gower is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in many publications, including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Men's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. The author of four books, Gower is also a contributing editor for Health magazine.

Alice Lesch Kelly is a health writer based in Boston. Her work has been published in magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, and Health. She is the co-author of three books on women's health.

Linnea Lundgren has more than 12 years experience researching, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four books, including Living Well With Allergies.

Michele Price Mann is a freelance writer who has written for such publications as Weight Watchers and Southern Living magazines. Formerly assistant health and fitness editor at Cooking Light magazine, her professional passion is learning and writing about health.

ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS:

Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer GuideBoston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University. (McGraw-Hill, 2004), and has written for publications including the

David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at PennsylvaniaState University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore. This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.