I love salt scrubs.  They are amazing, and to be quite frank, they are really effective.  Bath & Body used to sell one, but they don’t actually sell it anymore.  But it was so simple, I frankly like the smell they had, it was simple and not overwhelming, and it exfoliated fabulously.  I know I have a weird sense of smell.  But being that I really only smell things when I have a migraine, I’ve learned to be very particular about the smells I keep around me at all times being that they get extremely strong around that time, even down to the soaps and otherwise acne treatments I keep in my bathroom. 

But for my acne, regardless of smell, I’ve found that simply combining salt with aloe vera can be one of the best ways to get rid of your acne and keep things under control in terms of exfoliating and improving your skin.  It has been highly helpful and the smell is just an added bonus for me.  You can of course add other ingredients like honey for example in there if you want.  But this is my personal preference, and so far it has worked for me.

Juniper essential oil, it’s not a bad choice.  In general, you should definitely check out essential oils as they have various properties generally required to qualify as an essential oil in total.  But anyway, juniper essential oil obviously comes from the juniper tree, which is an evergreen shrub.  It has been used to ward of infectious diseases such as the plague and cholera, and it has powerful antiseptic properties.  It gives you the flavor in gin, and it is made from distilled berries, needles, and the wood to treat many illnesses and common disorders.  It is also a popular stimulant, and it apparently affects negative energies on the body. 

It helps to relieve exhaustion, tension, nervousness, and anxiety, and it strengthens the nervous system.  It can be applied strait to the skin to cleanse and reduce inflammation, or it can be burned.  But as a stimulant, it is one of the few that can actually redden the skin for a short period of time in general.  So this is something to keep in mind.  However, it doesn’t really damage the skin, and it has various different positive properties.  So all things should be considered together.  In addition, should you combine it with for example jojoba oil, this can provide seriously complimentary benefits to it. 

It’s common to want to cover up your skin blemishes with makeup, but this can often just make the problem worse. Acne is caused by clogged pores, and by piling on makeup to conceal it, you may just clog pores further. Many liquid foundations can irritate your skin. Some have oils and fragrances, which are problematic for sensitive skin.

If you feel you must wear makeup, try not to wear it all the time, and search for oil free and frangrance free brands. Some makeup is specifically meant for people who have problems with acne, so you may want to look into these brands.

Wash your face with an antibacterial soap meant for people with acne. Don’t scrub or use rough cloths, because these can irritate the skin and cause even more breakouts. Always wash gently. You want to remove excess oils, but scrubbing too hard can actually cause your glands to produce more oil. For some people, masks/facial treatments designed for acne, with gentle, antibacterial agents like honey, may also be helpful.

Additionally, to try to reduce breakouts, you should wash your pillowcase frequently, since it absorbds oilsfrom your face while you sleep. Keep your hair out of your face, because this can cause irritation and oil buildup as well.

Chemical peels in some severe cases have been used to treat acne.  After all, you essentially put harsh chemicals on your face, which peel off a layer of your skin, but they also kill any bacteria hiding in the pores.  This is only for extreme cases of acne in the user’s mind, and some would say you should never use them. 

If you choose a chemical peel, its severity can differ depending on your needs.  For example, the most mild form uses benzoyl peroxide, which begs the question why not just use a smaller concentration and get a drying effect that will theoretically kill any bacteria that you would kill with that bacteria.  Another uses glycolic acids, which again have been used in many common acne treatments in smaller amounts, so why not just buy smaller concentrations in your common acne treatments.  Chances are, you may do greater damage with chemical peels, and if it didn’t work in the smaller concentrations, chances are it is not going to work in the amounts used in chemical peels.

Some people using chemical peels in general, no matter the reason, have experienced severe chemical burns and extreme sensitivity to the sun in general.  The FDA therefore requires warnings to each consumer about those effects and additional warnings.  In general terms, you could find the same ingredients in milder acne treatments, and even with those, when you feel a “tingling” feeling, it generally means that it is killing your skin cells along with possible bacteria buildup.