Natural spot treatments, natural acne treatment: Raw Honey

SEE UPDATE BELOW

Aaaah, as of late my mind has been all over the place. I have no idea whether my recent crazy breakout is due to the raw honey I've been using on my face lately, or stress. Because for a good 3 weeks my skin loved it. Pores shrank and my face felt awesome. Scares were fading and it seemed like I'd finally found that holy grail all in one cleanser and moisturiser. But for the past few days, my skin has gone NUTS. Whitehead nuts. I'm used to getting one of two whiteheads occasionally, but now I have 5/6 active whiteheads on my face and I'm afraid it may be from the honey! Grrrr! I've looked up that there is a possibility that people could have a sensitivity to raw honey, but really?! 3 weeks in?! For some people it has been a MIRACLE worker, and has worked wonders for very severe acne. Now I have new whiteheads emerging all over my face and they aren't even the small ones, they're big and ANGRY. Oh, and for good measure I've got some nice blackheads too.

I'm wondering if the actual breakout could be caused by stress? I have been very stressed these past few days, and it's not like I have a normal sleeping pattern any more...but while this seems more likely the reason why my skin is like this, I've lived like this before, without these kinds of results. Sigh...

Well, for now I think I may have to lay off the honey. I've been trying and trying with the natural skincare regime and it looks like I might have to start using oatmeal, the MILDEST thing ever, to clean my skin. Perhaps I'll use grapeseed oil to moisturise? Return to the OCM and try that again? It's so frustrating that I can't pinpoint exactly the cause of the acne. The only thing I can do is wait it out and try new things that I couldn't possibly breakout to!

Sorry for the ragey post guys, see you next time :D

*UPDATE* 30/09/2013: Sorry for the long gap guys, I'm currently in the USA and I've been studying like nuts. I've recently tried a few acne products from CVS and whichever one it is (the cleanser, toner or the two moisturisers I bought, or the other cleanser or the serum or the - the list just increases in length, and my bank account is quietly shrinking Dx ) has made my face so much worse! (Intense chin acne with white heads and blackheads invading areas that I didn't know could break out anyone?I think it's due to overuse and trying out too many different things at once! Darn my impatience!) I recently returned to honey, and within 2 days my skin is getting better, along with the help of a peel off mask I recently purchased. I think at the time when my skin broke out when previously using honey, my stress and health in general weren't in check, and therefore, the breakout. Raw honey seems to be saving me right now, the only regret is that I decided to experiment with a whole host of new products that pretty much ruined my skin! Ah well, I'll keep going with the honey, and hopefully the guilt of spending so much on products that don't work will eventually fade Dx Cheers guys!

*FINAL UPDATE* 11/10/2013: Sorry for the long gap once again guys - unfortunately the honey cleansing didn't work. I kept breaking out with the honey and the honey gave me a few cysts as well! Lots of scarring here, but I am glad I tried the honey, even though it worked then stopped working, it's not entire loss since I can just eat the honey :) I might try it again in the future, but for now I'm laying off it :)

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Natural spot treatments, natural acne treatment: using oatmeal as a face wash! Picture heavy post!

 Bubzbeauty! I'm one of the last folk to follower her advice of using oatmeal as a daily facial cleanser, but better late than never right? My skin hasn't been great as of late - a combo of bad university diet (I'm catered, and that's never good) and unsuitable cleansers has made me desperate for a change. I considered getting a a new cleanser, but the amount of cleansers and the time it takes to find one that works is something I don't have the time or patience to do!

So I'm setting myself a challenge. I will use oats to wash my face every time I shower, with occasional updates when I decide I have the time to blog. Once I've finished this humongous bag of oats, the final verdicts shall be clear! 

Handy benefits of oats:

- Natural, so no harsh chemicals that'll tear my pores open and leave large holes on my face!
- Cheap, around £1.10 for a bag of natural oats from the corner shop.
- No waste! Even if the oats aren't the best for me, I can still eat them and they will last a year when stored. That £1.10 goes a long way!
- Easy. Water + oats = face wash. Even I can't mess this one up.

So, my first try made me a happy, happy person!

Here's a before shot in one of my university dorm's bathrooms.

I look really sad here lol. But as you can see, there's redness and spots. Believe me, the picture doesn't do the badness of my skin justice, it's actually a lot worse but the lighting was bright.

Here are some close ups:

Again, the lighting makes it look better than it actually is! Trust me, my cheeks were red and I have blemishes everywhere. And my chin is actually embedded with blackheads that have been there for months!

And here's how I store the oatmeal, the brand I use and the amount I used today:

 Believe me, the amount in that cup was TOO MUCH. It looks like so little, but then again a handful with my tiny hands really isn't much. I used the excess oatmeal on my legs and they are now smoooooth!

Instructions:

1. I got in the shower put the cup at a corner of the shower where I knew it wouldn't get wet. I cleaned the rest of my body with my normal shower gel and ex foliated my legs and the backs of my arms (I have ingrown hairs in those areas, ex foliating will eventually get rid of that.)

2. Take a handful of oats, and  hold them under the shower head until they get wet and soggy. Squeeze, and you should see a white milky liquid come out. Cup this liquid in your other hand, and rub on your face, it's all goodness!

3. Gently ex foliate your face with the oatmeal. It get's messy, but it should be fine if done in slower steps. I took pinches and ex foliated my face with them. Any remaining oats can be rubbed anywhere else you would like on your body. I did my legs.

4. Rinse! WARM water only, hot water is too much for your skin. After rinsing feel free to take the shower head and spray it in the areas of the shower where oatmeal has landed. For me the oatmeal rinsed away with no issues at all, and my university showers don't have plughole strainers.

5. Rinse away any oatmeal from your body, and change the shower temperature to cool/cold, and rinse your face gently to close the pores.

6. Pat yourself down with a towel, with extra gentleness when drying the face.

Here are my AFTER pictures after using the wash ONCE:

(It's normal to have a slightly red face after ex foliating.)

SO much better! Less red and angry, with smaller pores and soft skin. I am so psyched for this natural cleanser, and this is after ONE wash! I have high hopes for this method.

Here's a comparison of my before and after ONE wash:

Before









After, a little red and you may not be able to see the difference right away....








But! Here are more:
                                                                                       


Before








After









Honestly guys, my pictures can't do the method justice, no matter how clear! I can hand on heart say my skin was less red, softer and I was very pleased. If this is one wash, how will my skin look after a few more washes?

I'll update soon. This the beginning of the oatmeal journey!

*UPDATE* 29/03/2013
Hey guys, quick update here. I've been using the face wash when I shower for a while now, and it consistently helps my face stay nice and clean. However, my skin has been so rotten lately during exam season and my lack of exercise and diet has certainly contributed to blemishes and spots. Oatmeal definitely helps calm these down, but I need to use it longer before I make a final verdict.

*FINAL UPDATE* 21/06/2013
Hey guys, I finally finished the whole bag of oatmeal, and I while I stick by my opinion that oatmeal doesn't "fight" spots or acne aggressively, it really hasn't got any cons when it comes to being kind to skin. It soothes and calms redness for sure, and while for some reason I do find it a little drying on the face after my shower, it hasn't had any other negative effects on my skin. So if your skin is irritated and angry for whatever reason, I highly recommend using oatmeal because it's so mild, and will certainly make your skin softer.

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