Acne is an inflammatory skin condition where excess sebum and bacteria get trapped in the skin’s pores resulting in various types of blemishes like blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and cysts. It is often caused by hormonal imbalances, poor diet, chemical exposure, and stress.
Essential oils can treat all of these factors while also improving the skin’s outer-most barrier, killing acne-causing bacteria, reducing inflammation, and dissolve sebum.
The Best Essential Oils for Acne
Essential oils have the power to dissolve hardened sebum, kill acne-causing bacteria, and even help preserve the skin’s acid mantle. When diluted with a carrier oil that is suitable for your skin type, some oils are just as effective as benzoyl peroxide without the side-effects.
The essential oils below have been proven to be effective against acne-causing bacteria with a few oils that have some of their own unique properties that can improve blemishes with consistent use.
– Cedarwood
– Clove (kills acne-causing bacteria)
– Eucalyptus radiata
– Geranium (great for controlling oily skin)
– German chamomile (reduces inflammation)
– Lavender
– Lemongrass
– Neroli
– Niaouli (kills acne-causing bacteria)
– Palmarosa
– Patchouli
– Roman chamomile (reduces inflammation and redness)
– Rosewood
– Sandalwood
– Sweet Orange
– Tea tree (kills acne-causing bacteria)
– Thyme linalool (works just as well if not better than benzoyl peroxide – dilute 1 drop in 1 tsp of carrier oil and use it as a spot treatment)
– Vetiver
Essential Oil Recipes for Acne
Recommended Blend #1
– 1 drop geranium
– 1 drop tea tree
– 1 drop Roman chamomile
– 1 drop rosewood
Mix into 1 teaspoon of carrier oil or aloe vera gel and apply to blemishes twice daily.
Recommended Blend #2
– 1 drop lavender
– 1 drop vetiver
– 1 drop Sandalwood
– 1 drop cedarwood
Mix into 1 teaspoon of carrier oil and apply to trouble areas morning and night.
Recommended Blend #3
– 1 drop tea tree
– 1 drop niaouli
– 1 drop lavender
– 1 drop rosemary (an antiseptic that helps kill bacteria)
Mix into 1 tsp of carrier oil and swab onto trouble areas morning and night.
What have been your favorite essential oils to use for treating acne? Please share in the comments below!
You may also enjoy reading:
Essential Oil Quick Usage Guide
Thyme Serum for Acne Free Skin
Essential Oils for Hormonal Acne
12 Ways to Treat Acne Inside and Out
Complete List of Comedogenic Oils
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Tash,
Thanks for the excellent information on essential oils. It’s very helpful. I had a question for you regarding essential oils to help stop facial hair growth that increases after menopause.
On one website, they said to use grapefruit oil, tee tree oil and lavender oil in in a bottle with aloe vera gel and water. I’ve been using this now for a few weeks. There may be there is some reduction in facial hair growth, but I’m not sure if it’s working. Or if it just takes more time.
Since some of these oils are also used to help hair growth, I wasn’t sure.
Hi Susan!
The hair growth cycle can actually last up to a year 🙁 So that is why you may not be seeing faster results. This isn’t essential oil related, but I know of one good way to remove hair for longer periods of time (but only if the hair is dark enough) and that is laser hair removal. You can actually get at-home laser hair removal machines on Amazon to try. I have used these on my underarms and legs with good results. The hair DOES eventually grow back after several weeks, but it seems to be sparser when it does. It may be worth looking into and Amazon usually has great return policies (but be sure to double check!) 🙂