There are two types of honey that are thought to be good for acne, pimples and skin breakout. Manuka honey and Raw honey.
Manuka honey is the honey that is extracted from pollen in Manuka bushes found in New Zealand and Australia, these are also known as tea tree bushes.

Manuka honey has anti-microbial qualities that are stronger than raw honey due to the enzyme methylglyoxal. This enzyme is present in all honey however in Manuka honey there is up to a hundred times more of the methylglyoxal enzyme than in other honey. It is also always unprocessed, therefore only ever contains pure manuka honey. The down side to this however is although it is incredible for the skin, immune system and health, it is also considerably more expensive than other raw honey.

Raw honey is simply the purified nectar, that is produced by the honey bees after collecting the nectar from flowers and so forth. It contains no chemicals and additives, nor is it pasteurized. When looking for honey it is very important that you look for raw or untreated honey as this will not have been heated, thus it will still contain all of its natural nutrients and healing elements. This will therefore give the best possible results for your skin and acne.
There are many ways in which either Manuka or Raw honey can be applied in order to alleviate symptoms of acne.

1. To simply apply raw honey to your acne, use your fingers or a cotton wool ball to apply the honey on to your skin, it can be applied either just on your pimples or on the whole of your face. If your acne is severe do this every day, otherwise once or twice a week is fine.
2. You could add cinnamon to the honey. Cinnamon also contains antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidants in it naturally also. Therefore, by doubling it up with honey you have twice as much effectiveness in dealing with acne breakouts. This can be done by adding one teaspoon of cinnamon powder to two tablespoons of honey and applying it to the face as a mask and washing it off with warm water after approximately fifteen minutes.
3. Another effective ingredient to use with honey is strawberries. Strawberries contain high levels of antioxidants especially vitamin C, they are also a major defense against free radicals which can cause acne breakouts. Therefore, you can combat by eating lots of antioxidant enriched foods such as strawberries and combine them with ingredients such as honey in order to cleanse the skin. This can be done by combining the puree of 4 strawberries and mix it with 3 tablespoons of honey in order to make an antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory enriched mask.
4. Combining honey and salt together can be a great way of combating the pain and symptoms of acne breakouts. Whereas the honey works as an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial combining it with salt can also pull any toxins from on or beneath the skin which will also help relieve any inflammation and also leave your skin toxin free. It also has a pain killing element to it and can be used as an exfoliant which will remove any excess skin, debris and dead skin cells from the face without aggravating the acne breakout. For this you should add two teaspoons of salt to 2 teaspoons of honey to create the perfect acne mask. Optionally you can also add a few drops of vanilla or a sprinkle of cocoa to make it smell nice, or some coffee granules for extra exfoliation. This is simply gently scrubbed on to the skin and massaged for 3 minutes then rinsed off.
5. You can also follow the above steps but use brown sugar instead of salt. Sugar is a very gentle way of incorporating a scrub onto the face, for skin that is prone to breakouts. It melts quickly and easily and therefore you will avoid over scrubbing your face, which will in turn cause more problems to your skin and should therefore be avoided. For this mask use one teaspoon of brown sugar to two teaspoons of honey.

The most important thing for your acne is finding the right treatment for you, as ultimately if your skin is happy then you will be happy.

Garlic and especially raw garlic is an incredible source of most of the vitamins that are needed in order to fight cystic acne. For instance, vitamin B6, vitamin C, selenium and zinc are all contained in garlic. Thus the reasons that garlic is good for cystic acne include:

• It has great anti-inflammatory properties that will help reduce swelling , pain and redness of the skin.
• Due to the allicin element of garlic, it acts as an antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic and antiviral. It is definitely something you will want in your corner.
• It allows for better blood circulation which in turn allows your skin tissues to receive all of the nutrients and so forth that it needs.
• The oil within garlic can also help with insulin sensitivity which is often found in cystic acne.
• Garlic has  antioxidant elements that help fight against free radicals that cause damage to the skin
• Garlic helps enhance the immune system… which can only be a good thing.

As with everything, there are many ways of using garlic in order to treat acne. Below you will find some ways of incorporating it into skin care regimes. Readers, please be aware that putting garlic directly on the skin may cause some burning but this normal and will subside after a short amount of time. However, if you decide it is not for you there are plenty of other options that you will find on the site.

Garlic Cloves

Take 3 garlic cloves and peel and mince them and apply this directly to the affected area. Leave on only for a few minutes, wash off with cold water and pat dry. Apply moisturizer afterwards. This should be repeated regularly for the best results.

Garlic with Water

To cure cystic acne, crush 3 garlic cloves and mix with at least one tablespoon of water, apply the mixture directly to the affected area and leave overnight. In the morning wash off with water and pat dry. Repeat regularly.

Garlic with Yogurt

For this method, you should wash your face before application. Blend 4 garlic cloves to make a paste and add one tablespoon of yogurt. Stir it well and apply to all affected areas, whilst massaging it into the skin, after this leave it to dry, then rinse with water and pat dry.
You can also use this method to consume the garlic and to let it work its magic from inside out. In order to do this, you should crush a few garlic cloves and add it to ½ teaspoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of yogurt and then consume.

Garlic with Olive Oil to Cure Cystic Acne

Blend 4 cloves of garlic and 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, apply this to the troublesome areas and leave it on for 15 minutes. When finished rinse with cool water and pat dry. Repeat it twice a day. You can keep The mixture in a sealed container for up to two days.
You can also consume this mixture by adding a tablespoon of the mixture to water and drinking it once a day, in order to get the benefits internally as well as externally.

Garlic and Egg White For Cystic Acne Removal

These two ingredients will compliment each other perfectly as egg whites are full of nutrients and proteins which will help skin looking healthy and feeling great. For this method, you should peel and slice a few cloves of garlic and rub them directly onto the affected acne areas. Leave it at least 5 minutes for the garlic to dry before applying whipped egg whites to the face, concentrating on the problematic areas. Allow this to dry completely before rinsing with lukewarm water. Repeat it daily for the best results.
You can also purchase some garlic oil to put directly onto the skin to help with acne however this isn’t a good idea if you suffer from sensitive skin.
As well as helping with acne breakouts, garlic is also good for helping with the appearance of scarring. It can be combined with olive oil and honey or just boiled and applied to the face.

For the garlic, olive oil and honey you should grate 2 cloves of garlic and mix it with water and then apply to troublesome areas, massaging gently before rinsing off after 5 minutes. Then crush 2 more cloves of garlic and add it to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of honey. Mix well and apply to problematic areas, leave on for approximately 25 minutes and then rinse off.
For boiled garlic simply boil 250 ml of water and add 5 crushed garlic cloves, simmer for half an hour or so and then when cooled apply it to the affected area, leave it to dry and then wash off with water.

Acne and its treatment have baffled both scientist and the lay person for many years. On the face of it (no pun intended) it should be fairly easy to treat but even for people that have the most rigorous facial routines and medication breakouts keep happening, and now scientists think they have found the reason. Free radicals and I don’t mean a group of acne protesters.

What are Free Radicals?

Free Radicals are molecules that are essentially unleashed by ultraviolet light such as sunshine, and also by air pollution which create havoc to the human skin. These everyday environmental factors cause the oxygen within the environment to separate and form free oxygen radicals. These free radicals can destroy collagen, create dark spots, damage DNA and are now believed to be detrimental in the progression of acne and acne breakouts. It is believed that this occurs from the free radicals causing a certain inflammation to the skin which blocks pores trapping any dirt, bacteria, debris and dead skin cells within the pore which causes a pimple outbreak.

In simple terms oxygen is the Romeo that is constantly searching for his Juliet, a tragic romantic always looking to be part of the perfect pair, however when this can not be found, the oxygen molecule attaches itself to the human skin instead, and what does this molecule give your skin in return? Nothing it just destroys the essential fibers within the skin that keep it supple and firm.

Generally, throughout life you cannot escape having free radical trauma to your skin and body in general unless you spend you like hibernating in the dark. Whether you have acne or not wherever there are healthy cells you will also find less healthier cells. However, if our skin has more unhealthy than healthy cells then our skin is prone to problems such as aging quicker and pimple breakouts as over time the cells become more dehydrated, increasingly inflamed and less able to heal itself.
Plainly thinking free radicals scratch away at the walls of cells and at an individual’s DNA until eventually it causes the untimely death of that cell. This is not an overnight process however, it happens progressively overtime throughout every organ, consequently causing three things to happen throughout the body.

• Collagen fibers are attacked by the free radical cell essentially breaking the collagen fibers.
• The function of cell barriers decreases which ultimately affects how all the molecules can flow into and out of the cell. This in turn allows less oxygen and nutrients into the cell which then in turn causes the cells consequential death.
• The hydration of skin reduces as the cells struggle to retain water. Therefore, it becomes frequently easier for water to be released into the atmosphere from the skin.

Some of the main factors that are thought to increase free radical cells are

• Harsh/ heavily chemical based skin care products
• Pollution
• Sunlight/ UV lights
• Smoking
• Drugs
• Illness
• Pregnancy (due to hormone levels)
• Stress/busy lifestyles

Therefore, in order to maximize your healthy skin and to prevent breakouts you should choose a healthy skin care range. It is essential that you check labels for example I recently brought a vitamin E moisturizing cream and it contained parabens for instance, thus really be critical when you purchase skin care products. To get the best of all worlds you should focus on the purity of the product, the ingredients used in the product and also be aware that the ingredients although they often sound good may not be effective in transposing through the skin and hydrating at a deep level.
Therefore, to get the best from your skincare range and avoid damage from free radicals you need to incorporate

• A good sun cream, this should be applied everyday even if you feel the weather is not particularly glorious, it is surprising how many people catch a suntan on a cloudy day, be sun-ray aware.
• Use products that contain vitamin A to reduce irritation and encourage reproduction of healthy cells.
• Use creams rich in antioxidants especially vitamin C.
• Use chemical free skin care products to reduce inflammation and trauma.
• Use a greatly effective cleanser that is based on lactic acid for instance in order to hydrate and promote healing of the top layers of skin which in turn will enable a proactive role.

The most important thing to remember is that free radicals sound intense and scary, however by following advice and taking care of your skin it should not affect your acne breakouts too horrendously and what does occur will be manageable.

Acne Vulgaris breakouts can happen any time and anywhere, it is indiscriminate and normally happens for no obvious reason. However, by using some simple home acne treatment with everyday objects such as honey, apple cider vinegar and garlic, you can give your skin a boost and reduce the symptoms of your acne.

Therefore in this article, the home remedy that shall be discussed is Aloe Vera.

1. It absorbs any excess oil from the skin, preventing clogging of the pores.
2. Aloe Vera is an antioxidant which naturally contains Vitamin , Vitamin E and Zinc all of this are good for the skin.
3. When used as an astringent, it helps to contract the skin consequently rendering the pores of the skin completely clean and clear of bacteria, dirt, excess oil and dead skin cells.
4. Aloe Vera naturally contains hormones such as polysaccharides which contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory elements in order to combat target areas of the skin.
5. This plant helps target redness and inflammation caused by the acne pimples.
6. It is enriched in amino acids and carbohydrates.
7. Aloe Vera gel purifies the blood and encourages and stimulates cell growth in order to assist the healing any damaged skin.
8. It can also be used to alleviate acne scars.

As with everything, there are many ways in which you can use Aloe Vera for Acne.

Aloe Vera and Lemon Juice for Acne Treatment

For this method, you will need a few drops of lemon juice mixed with 2 teaspoons of Aloe Vera gel/juice. Apply to the skin and leave on overnight. Wash off with warm water and then wash again with cold water. Dry the face using patting motions and apply an oil-free moisturizer. If you do not want to use lemon you can substitute it with another citrus fruit.

Sugar, Milk and Aloe Vera Mask

For this, you will need to mix 1 tablespoon of sugar and ½ a tablespoon of milk until the sugar dissolves. Add 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera juice or gel. Stir them all together and apply as a mask and leave it for thirty to forty minutes or until completely dry. Rinse with warm water and pat dry afterwards. Use an oil free moisturizer on your face straight after. Repeat this regularly for best results.

Aloe Vera with Tea Tree Oil For Acne Treatment

Mix a few drops of tea tree oil with I tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel. Apply onto the skin and leave for approximately 30 minutes. Rinse with water and dry. Repeat regularly for good results.

Aloe Vera and Apple Cider Vinegar

add a small amount of water and apple cider vinegar (approximately one teaspoon) with one tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel. Using cotton wool apply it directly to the affected area and gently massage it into the skin. Leave for 20 minutes and rinse off then pat dry and moisturize with an oil-free moisturizer.

Aloe Vera and Cabbage For Acne Treatment

Add water to the cabbage and blend to make a paste-like substance then add 2 tablespoons of the cabbage paste to one tablespoon of the Aloe Vera gel. Apply to the infected area and leave on for 20 minutes before rinsing with cool water and patting dry. This acne treatment should be done 2 to 3 times a week for best results.

Aloe Vera and Walnut

Blend 4 or 5 walnuts until you are left with a fine powder, then add 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera gel and blend again. After this add ½ a teaspoon of honey and apply to the problematic area. Leave this in-suit for approximately 20 minutes and then rinse with warm water before patting dry. This should be repeated at least 3 times a week for the best results.

As well as applying Aloe Vera to the face consuming it will also help your acne. You may have been told by healthcare professionals or dermatologists to try various vitamins etc and they are all available in one miracle ingredient…. Aloe Vera. Consuming it every day will help with the purification of the blood, unclogging pores, reducing inflammation, infection prevention and so forth. There is the option of making your own Aloe Vera juice however this is a lengthy and methodical process. Most healthcare stores and the internet will carry Aloe Vera in either capsule or juice form, so why not give it a go.