7+ At-Home Remedies To Help Keep Your Skin In Check

During the time of this frightening and anxiety-inducing pandemic, we’re all grieving (the loss of our jobs, a birthday that wasn’t celebrated properly, the loss of family and friends and loved ones) and we’re all in dire need of some peace. 

Now, more than ever is a great time for us to get some one-on-one time with ourselves. Yes, we love our gyms and our nail salons and our spas, but we need to let our bodies breathe. We need to embrace our natural nails, our clogged skin, and our dirty hair. Now is the time to get your skin to where you want it to be and test out home remedies to see what works for you. Now is the time to do a hair mask to clarify or strengthen our roots and dead ends. Work towards some sort of peace of mind. Although peace comes from within, doing some changes on the outside wouldn’t be so bad, especially right now.

So, while we’re all at home during this pandemic, we should take this time to take care of ourselves. Since we can’t go to the pharmacy or the dermatologist and get medicated face washes and creams, here are some at-home remedies for your skin during the time of social distancing:

For Dry Skin

Oats + Honey

-2 tbsp oats
-2 tbsp honey
-little bit of water

Leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes and then rinse with warm water.

There are tons of benefits to oats and honey. Both ingredients help with inflammation of acne and clogged pores. Putting some oats on your skin is a great way to fight pimples, reduce blackheads, and also moisturize your skin. Honey is full of antioxidants so it’s great for moisturizing and clarifying.

Your face will be left feeling moisturized, open, and clean. This mask is good for people who have sensitive skin too!

For Oily Skin

Yogurt + Honey + Rosemary Essential Oil + Jojoba Seed Oil

-1 cup yogurt
-1 tbsp honey
-5-6 drops of rosemary essential oil
-1 tbsp jojoba seed oil

Leave this mask on for 15-20 minutes and rinse with warm water.

Oily skin can be hard to fight. It might seem counterproductive to add more oils to your face, but both the rosemary essential oil and jojoba seed oils help you more than you’d think.

Note: It’s important to never apply essential oils directly on your skin unless you dilute it with water or jojoba seed oil.

Rosemary essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties that can help calm down irritated skin. Jojoba seed oil has Vitamin E, Vitamin B, and Zinc that fights dryness (hydrates your skin) and helps control excess oils that build up. It can also trick your skin into thinking it has produced enough oils, so it balances it out and makes it less likely for acne to appear.

Wheat Flour + Turmeric + Lime Juice + Yogurt

-1 cup whole wheat flour
-a pinch of turmeric
-a few drops of lime juice
-add in yogurt until the mix becomes a paste
-if it’s too thick, add in some rose water

Leave this mask on for 15-20 minutes and notice how clean and rejuvenate your face feels.

Turmeric has a number of benefits: it has anti-inflammatory properties, it’s a natural antiseptic (helps acne), and protects your skin from sun damage. Yogurt is known to tighten pores and moisturize. Lime juice has Vitamin C and antioxidants and wheat flour has Vitamin E, Zinc, and antioxidants–both of the ingredients will nourish and rejuvenate your skin and leave you feeling a little less dull.

For Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin condition in which cells build up and form itchy, dry patches on the face, scalp, neck, hands, or feet. It’s not entirely clear what causes the cells to malfunction, but some theories are that it’s triggered in the immune system by severe sunburn, Vitamin D deficiency, smoking, or infections like strep throat.

There are 5 different kinds of psoriasis–plaque, guttate, pustular, inverse, and erythrodermic, so it’s important to talk to your dermatologist and doctor to see which type you have and if there are face washes or treatments that they can prescribe for you. If not, here is a homemade recipe you can try to help your psoriasis:

Turmeric + Apple Cider Vinegar + Honey + Yogurt

-1 tsp turmeric powder
-1 tsp apple cider vinegar
-1 1/2 tbsp honey
-1 tsp yogurt

Apply this mask and leave it on for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with warm water.

Turmeric has been known to be a “healing spice” because of the curcumin in it. Apparently, curcumin is scientifically proven to help inflammation and is amazing for helping psoriasis. Apple cider vinegar is known to soothe itching and inflammation as well, but just be cautious of it as it could cause an allergic reaction. Talk to your dermatologist first to see if this face mask is good with your skin (especially if you have psoriasis!) and your health history.

For Pimple Spot Treatments

Aloe Vera Gel

If you have little pimples scattered across your face and just want them to go to away, use aloe vera gel. It reduces inflammation and redness and heals those tough acne spots. Apply a generous amount to any problem areas and leave it on overnight.

Aloe reduces inflammation, redness, and itching, (that’s why we use it for sunburns), and because of that, it’s great for psoriasis too! It helps scaling, itching, redness, and inflammation–just be sure to use it a few times a day for a month or until you see improvements.

Tea Tree Oil

This has been known to help reduce acne. It’s super strong, so be mindful of your use. If you’re trying it for the first time, mix it with a little bit of water. As we mentioned before, never put an essential oil or something strong like tea tree oil directly on your face unless you dilute it! You’ll have to work your skin up to this remedy until you get used to the feeling or until you see it’s actually working.

Other tips:

Wear sunscreen.

If you’re going outside in your backyard or taking your dog on a walk, be sure to put on some sunscreen before exposing your skin to the sun. Protect your skin from the harmful UV rays!

Drink a cup of warm lemon water right after you wake up.

You’ve spent the last 7-9 hours asleep and, obviously, not drinking water. You’re going to need something to wake you up. Not only is warm lemon water first thing in the morning super hydrating, but it’s a good source of Vitamin C. It also benefits your skin and the quality of it (it helps reduce wrinkles and dryness) as well as helps get your digestive system moving. Drink a cup of lemon water before you have a cup of coffee and you’ll be sure to notice a difference in your skin and overall health.

Be cautious of what you’re eating.

In other words, notice if there are foods that upset your stomach. Your stomach and digestive system correlate with your skin, so if you eat something bad for you, it will reflect through your skin.

For example, I have IBS, which means I am lactose intolerant and also allergic to lots of foods and certain ingredients. So, if I accidentally eat something with dairy or too much sucrose in it, I break out. So about 4 months ago, I decided to completely cut out dairy and cut back on eating sugar and processed foods. With this change, I noticed a huge difference in my skin: it was clear and glowing.

These at-home remedies are great even after this whole social distancing thing ends. Show yourself some love during this tough time and spend a couple hours in your bathroom. Who’s gonna stop you? No one!