Confused about which essential oil to use for your acne?
Which one works the best?
Acne, it’s one problem that isn’t going to go away anytime soon.
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Don’t give up hope because essential oils can help with your acne problems.
I can’t stress the importance of using essential oils that are pure. Brands like Green Health, ArtNaturals, and Radha Beauty sell essential oils that are adulterated. Meaning, they are synthetic and will not help your body against acne.
Below I am going to show you essential oils that help get rid of your acne.
Tea Tree
I use tea tree essential oil in a lot of household cleaners because it’s a germ killer. Bacteria has been proven to show why so many people have acne problems. But, for treating acne it’s a powerhouse.
Not only does tea tree oil have antimicrobial and antifungal properties, but it’s actually one of the common ingredients that’s included in a lot of over the counter acne medicines.
When testing was done on this oil, there were some pretty interesting things learned. For starters, the oil can help reduce the number of acne wounds. In addition, it was found out that tea tree oil actually works as well as traditional acne treatments.
Topically. You can add a few drops of tea tree oil to a cotton ball or cotton pad, then rub it right onto the problem areas. Make sure you dilute the tea tree essential oil with a carrier oil, such as grapeseed or aloe vera gel.
Face Wash. You could also add a few drops to the face wash that you always use for a little extra added power. However, if you are using benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid they do dry out your skin so if your favorite face wash contains any of those chemicals you could overdo it with tea tree. It will cause your face to be excessively dry.
Spritz. Add a few drops of the oil to some water and fill a spray bottle. Spray it on your face and leave it there. Make sure you close your eyes before spraying your face. If tea tree gets in your eye it will burn and your eyes will become very red.
Lavender
The biggest reason why lavender essential oil is so good at treating acne is because it has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Both of these will kill the acne-causing bacteria, as well as helping strengthen your skin.
It can also reduce anxiety and stress that might be contributing to acne outbreaks. It also helps because it stimulates the different systems in your body that help with relaxation and fighting off bacteria.
As an added benefit lavender actually helps hydrate your skin so if your skin is very dry you can apply lavender with a carrier oil to help moisturize it.
Diffuse. To relieve stress and anxiety that might be contributing to acne put a few drops in a diffuser and let it fill your room.
Topically. Lavender oil is gentle, you can apply it right on your skin with a carrier oil like coconut (at 5% dilution). Rub it right onto the problem areas.
Clary Sage
Clary sage has an ingredient called linalyl acetate that helps reduce inflammation and redness. It also helps calm down acne and irritations that happen to the skin. It also helps reduce the amount of oil produced, which can be a big factor in acne breakouts. In addition, clary sage can also help stop the growth and spread of bacteria, help calm down stressful and anxious feelings and help balance hormones.
Diffuse. To get the benefits of reduced stress and anxiety, put 3-5 drops of the oil in a diffuser and let it run. You could do it by itself or mix it with lavender oil.
Topically. Clary sage is a gentle essential oil, but you should still use a carrier oil. Use a clean cotton pad or cotton ball and apply it right to the problem area.
Juniper Berry
Juniper berry has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that occur naturally. This oil is actually one that’s been used to treat skin infections and irritations for a long time. Not only does it reduce stress and kill acne-causing bacteria, but it also helps detoxify your skin and remove any toxins. Studies have actually shown that juniper berry oil helps almost as well as traditional acne treatments.
Topically. The main way to use juniper berry for acne treatment is to use it topically. Apply a few drops on a clean cotton pad or cotton ball and add it right onto the trouble areas. Make sure to dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil, such as jojoba or coconut oil.
Topically
Obviously, the most effective way to use essential oils is topically. The way that will work the best for acne is to use a few drops of the oil right on the problem areas. You should also combine them with a carrier oil, like coconut oil, and rub that right onto your face. Many carrier oils have added benefits, so you’ll be getting the positives from the essential oils and carrier oils.
I can’t stress the importance of dabbing your acne spots and not scrubbing them. When you scrub your acne spots it inflames your pores and makes it worse.
Daily Acne Fighter
- 20 ml (4 teaspoons) aloe vera gel.
- 20 drops of tea tree essential oil.
Use a cotton ball, QTip, and gently dap your acne troubled spots. You can also use the carrier oil coconut or grapeseed if you want instead of aloe vera gel.
Make sure that you wash your skin before applying the daily acne fighter. You can leave this on throughout the day and apply it 2-3 times. If you notice it drys out your skin to much use 15 drops of tea tree and 5 drops of lavender instead of 20 drops of tea tree.
Feel free to use any combination of essential oils that I have mentioned in this article. For example, you could use 5 drops of tea tree, 5 drops of lavender, 5 drops of clary sage, and 5 drops of juniper berry.
Back Acne Mix
- 1 Cup of Aloe Vera Juice.
- 1/2 Teaspoon (50 drops) Tea Tree Oil.
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar.
- 1 Tablespoon of Jojoba Oil.
- 2 Tablespoons of Pure Rose Water.
Mix all the contents in a mason jar. Whenever you get out of the shower you can apply this to your back and shoulders for 1-2 times a day. Use a cotton ball to dab it on your shoulders and back. Over time your back acne will be reduced. Make sure you shake before using it each time.
Body Acne Toner Spray
- 2 oz Witch Hazel.
- 1 oz Pure Rose Water.
- 15 drops Tea Tree.
Pour the witch hazel and rose water in first. Then put in your 15 drops of tea tree essential oil. Make sure you shake before using.
Face Wash
Make this homemade face wash to help kill the bacteria that actually causes acne and help strengthen the skin. The ingredients you’ll need are listed next.
- 1 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil.
- 3 Ttablespoons of Raw Organic Honey.
- 1 Ttablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar.
- 20 drops of Tea Tree Oil
- 2 tablets of Live Probiotics
Combine all of these ingredients together and use a hand blender to make sure it’s well blended. Put the mixture in a small bottle and make sure it’s kept in a cool area. Use this at least 1 time a day.
Scar Treatment
To make a paste that helps get rid of acne scars, you’ll want to combine the ingredients below.
- 2 Teaspoons of Raw Organic Honey.
- 3 drops of Lavender Essential Oil.
- 3 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil.
- 3 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil.
Scare Treatment #2
- 20 ml (4 teaspoons) Grapeseed Carrier Oil.
- 20 drops of Lemon Essential Oil.
Lemon essential oil is good for restoring your skin. Mix the grapeseed with lemon essential oil. Use a cotton ball to dab your acne scars and apply it once a day for 2-3 weeks. Over the weeks you will see the acne scars start to disappear. Optionally, you can use raw organic honey instead of grapeseed carrier oil.
Before applying, wash and dry your face thoroughly. I recommend using Dr. Bronner’s castile soap. Put the paste on the scars and let it sit for about an hour.
15 thoughts on “Best Essential Oils For Acne + 6 Awesome Recipes”
Hey, great article. I intermittently have problems with acne and know that, from previous experience, tea tree essential oil was the one thing that always helped me. This just confirms that I should maybe stick with what works!
Thanks for the info!
Essential oils are definitely worth learning about. Thanks for your informative post. I really liked that you put recipes in there. What do you feel is the best carrier oil to use though?
Hey Fran,
You do have a lot of different options for a carrier oil for acne. Below, I will discuss them:
Coconut oil.
Many people claim that coconut oil is the best carrier oil. Not, just for acne, but many people use coconut as a carrier oil for everything. Coconut oil is oil that is jam packed with antioxidants, it has antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Coconut oil does contain 50% lauric acid. This means the shelf life is fairly long. Lastly, the carrier coconut oil doesn’t have any aroma really and absorbs into the skin very quickly.
Grapeseed oil.
Grapeseed oil is extracted from the seeds of grapes as it’s name suggest. It’s a carrier oil that is loaded with antioxidants, Vitamin E and linoleic acid (which is a natural anti-inflammatory).
What I love about grapeseed oil is it isn’t greasy at all. It does have some antiseptic properties and has some mild astringent properties in it. It’s a light carrier oil and is great for acne-prone skin.
It’s clearly one of my favorite carrier oils to mix for my acne treatments.
Jojoba oil.
Jojoba oil is one of the most popular carrier oils used with essential oils for acne. It has 75% eicosenoic acid. What I like about jojoba oil isn’t it doesn’t leave your skin looking greasy like some other carrier oils.
Jojoba oil is a great moisturizer, too. It does have a light nutty aroma. It does have some anti-fungal properties. Jojoba oil does have a long shelf life and a high absorption rate, which makes it one of the best carrier oils.
Sweet almond oil.
Sweet almond oil is a carrier oil that is very rich in Vitamin E. It’s a great carrier oil and is thought to be a natural antioxidant. It’s a good nourishing oil that helps regenerate new skin and is an excellent moisturizer. Many people that have dry skin use sweet almond oil.
Its a great carrier oil to use if you have been in the sun. It has a high amount of oleic and linoleum acid. This means its great for soothing skin and helps relieve inflammation.
Also, sweet almond oil is one of the best carrier oils to use for massage oils and specifically infants. Just one of the best carrier oils, period.
Olive oil.
While olive oil is good to cook with you can also use it on your skin. It contains 75% oleic acid. It contains the highest amount of oleic acid out of all the carrier oils. It has strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Olive oil is a thick or heavy oil, though. It can be kind of greasy when you apply it to your skin though. I do recommend using it if you’re going to be staying home. It’s very cheap and I highly recommend you use 100% unrefined extra virgin olive oil.
Did I mention it’s very cheap, too?
Argon oil.
Typically, Aragon oil is thought to be an anti-aging carrier oil. It’s very rich in antioxidants, contains oleic and linoleic fatty acids, and Vitamin A and E.
It’s one of the best carrier oils for regenerating skin cells and a great carrier oil to use for those that are having acne issues.
Avocado oil.
Avocado oil does contain a high amount of oleic and linoleic fatty acids. This makes it very potent and gives it los of anti-inflammatory and antioxidants. It does include Vitamin A, D & E.
Avocado oil is mostly used for massages but is an excellent carrier oil for helping treat eczema and psoriasis. It’s a thick oil and does dry slowly. I would recommend mixing it with sweet almond (a 50% mix) when you are using it as a carrier oil for acne.
Some great oils for me to add to my routine. I discovered oil cleansing a few years back and my skin has changed dramatically because of it. I used to suffer breakouts all the time and my skin was an oil slick no matter what I tried from the store. Then I read about how oil cleansing helps dissolve the oils on your skin, because like dissolves like. So I started experimenting with oil combinations. Everyone’s skin is different so you have to play around with mixtures til you get the right one for you. I love to mix grapeseed oil with tea tree and orange oil. The orange helps to reduce redness with the vitamin c.
I will be trying Clary Sage and Juniper Berry in the future. We use lavender as an aromatherapy at night. I wonder if the scent will mix well with Clary Sage.
Hey Marryann,
Cleansing the skin is very important and is commonly overlooked by people who have acne. I can’t stress the importance of using Castile liquid soap to help cleanse the skin before applying essential oils with a carrier oil on your skin.
You are correct orange is great for the skin, too. Also, you can try lemon, too. It’s very good for the skin as well.
Yes, clary sage and juniper berry mix quite nicely with lavender. They are all three in the floral category as far as essential oils are concerned.
Great article! This is a struggle for so many. I deal with a breakout here and there and have most of these oils on hand–next time I’ll definitely try these out! I’m also interested in making the Toner Spray recipe.
Hey Holly,
Try the toner spray out it really works good. Also, you can mix lavender, clary sage, and juniper berry to the toner. Some people are not crazy about the smell of tea tree oil.
I really enjoy this post. Essential oils are certainly some of my favorite things to have. I can’t ever remember not having them in my home. My very favorite is Lavender oil. I think it has the best scent. I also like clary sage and jojoba oils. I really like the idea of the back acne mix. My daughter suffers from acne on her back, so I will definitely share this post with her. Hope she makes it this weekend. Does this mixture need refrigeration?
Hey Carol,
There are so many uses for essential oils. Acne treatment is just another one of them. No you don’t have to refrigerate your mixture. But, you can and I recommend that you do. It will help double the life of the essential oils and carrier oil. Also, make sure you store it in an amber glass bottle. Plastic shouldn’t be used with essential oils.
Wow, I had no idea that oil was so useful to remove acne! I have been trying apple cider vinegar with mixed results. I like the idea of using Lavender. I hear nothing but great things about it.
Do you recommend getting it to diffuse and as an oil? Or is that overkill?
Hey Jacob,
Treating acne is best to do topically, really. However, if you think your acne is from stress than using lavender to diffuse throughout the day is fine.
Hi and thanks for the very helpful review of all these wonderful oils. I had no idea there were so many varieties and that they all have quite different uses. I believe that people need to know more about what is available naturally and try when they can to stay away from synthetic products.
Hey Kenny,
A lot of the synthetic products actually have harmful chemicals in them which can cause skin irritations. I firmly believe in going the natural way. I stopped using store-bought shampoos years ago for this very reason.
Do these essential oils help with all different kinds of acne or only specific ones such as pimple and whiteheads? Or will essential oils help if I have blackhead problems as well?
Also, is there a concern someone should have when it comes to allergies with essential oils? Can people be allergic to them?
Hey Jessie,
For blackheads I would recommend these essential oils:
Tea tree.
Lavender.
Juniper Berry.
Clary sage.
Also, you could use lemon, lemongrass, and tangerine essential oil.
For whiteheads I would recommend these essential oils:
Tea tree.
Lavender.
Rosemary.
Lemon.
Clary sage.
I do recommend using jojoba carrier oil for treating whiteheads, too.
Yes, your skin can actually have reactions to essential oils. It’s important that you conduct a skin patch test. If there are no dermal irritation after the test your body doesn’t have any reactions to that essential oil.
But, always make sure you use a carrier oil. Don’t apply the essential oils without a carrier oil. It can be really bad news. You could have sensitization which is a bad reaction to essential oils.