Growing up, I never really had a problem with acne. Until I hit my 20-30s. It seemed, like I could never really completely clear my face. I wasn’t too scientific about it … I would clean my face at night and in the shower, but if I was tired (or too lazy), it kinda fell by the wayside.
Until last year – when I was getting ready for our wedding. I mean, who wants to have a face full of blemishes for all those wedding pictures? I guess I shouldn’t have worried, because my future sister in law did my makeup, and told me she could pretty much cover anything up
I started using Dermalogica and the Clarisonic Mia. Honestly, I really didn’t feel like the amount of money I paid for either lived up to their separate claims. They were ok, just not life altering.
I felt really pretty for our wedding, but I have never worn so much makeup in my whole life!
Then, this January, this post on Pure 2 Raw really interested me. I was starting to be more interested in natural items to clean my face, but I really didn’t know where to start. I purchased some items from The Body Deli. I really like their products, but it was really expensive! I knew their had to be a cheaper way!
In the meantime, I was using the bottles of face cleaners that I already had, and I told myself that as soon as those bottles were gone, I would figure something else out. I started researching face scrubs and natural alternatives.
This is the face scrub recipe I have been using now for a couple months, and I love it!! It is cheap, made from ingredients I already have in my house, and I really feel it is helping my face! It has coconut oil in it, which is so moisturizing!!! I keep a jar of this in my shower, and it really lasts a long time!
Salt and Sugar Face Scrub
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
10-15 drops essential oil (tea tree or thyme)
Mash together the salt, sugar and coconut oil. Add the essential oils, and mix well.
Store in a covered glass jar.
I will say, just be careful using this if you have any cuts on your fingers. That phrase “like rubbing salt into a wound … “ SO TRUE!! It will sting really bad!
Coconut oil does liquify when it gets warm – so if it turns a little liquidy, that is ok. It will firm back up when it cools down.When I first made this scrub, I added tea tree essential oil, because tea tree is a natural antiseptic, and can help eliminate the bacteria that leads to acne. However, at the end of May, I came across this post from Crunchy Betty and started experimenting with thyme!
I was already using witch hazel as a toner on my face at night. I have been using this Witch Hazel with Rose Petals and Aloe. I love it! It seems great, and feels great on my face! Crunchy Betty suggested infusing Witch Hazel with thyme, which was studied to be more effective on pimples than prescription creams. So I figured – it can’t hurt to try! And what’s not to love about thyme – smells like a lasagna on your face!
So here is what I did – take about 1-2 tbsp of dried thyme, and add 1/4 cup of witch hazel.
Let this sit for a few days, and then strain out the thyme. Kinda like making a tea! You will be left a thyme infused witch hazel.
I just keep this with all my other beauty products, and use it in the morning as a toner. Has it helped my acne? I think it has! I can tell a difference from when I use it and when I don’t. I will say – don’t make too much of this at a time, because it will go bad! I think this amount is the perfect amount where you don’t have to make it every week, but you can use it up before it goes bad.
I bought all my supplies from Vitacost. I got this thyme and this witch hazel.
Crunchy Betty also suggests making a face mask out of the thyme infused witch hazel and Bentonite clay. I have been doing this about once a week, or whenever I feel my face needs a little extra help. I just pour some bentonite clay in my hand, and add some thyme witch hazel, to make it a spreadable consistency. Spread on your face, and leave for a few minutes. Rinse off when you can’t stand it anymore!
If you would like to buy any of these items, use this link and you can save $10! I love Vitacost – I order something pretty much every couple of weeks. I find it is pretty cheap comparatively to other stores, and I love the convenience of shopping online. I am a huge online shopper!
I also got some thyme essential oil, and stated adding that to my face scrub, instead of tea tree oil. I figured it would better harness the power of thyme!
I feel I have really made some positive changes regarding my face routine. I feel so much better about what I am putting on my face.
Do you have any tips or tricks to pass on about cleaning up your face routine?
This is linked to Home is Where the Heart Is.
You are absolutely stunning and beautiful in this wedding photo!! You and hubby should be on the front of a bridal wedding!!!
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~ We’ve used Bentonite clay in our home before- not for facial reasons though. We used it in a bath detox rememdy.
Thanks for sharing the homemade facial care ingredients.
Blessings!
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Thank you so much Deanna!
I put so much effort into every detail of the wedding, I still smile looking back remembering everything! 
I’ll have to remember Bentonite clay can be used for detox, interesting!
You made a beautiful bride, Jane. I love the long gloves!
I’ve always had the opposite problem with too dry skin. Have always used either Noxema (when I was young) or Ponds cold cream. Paraban isn’t listed as one of its ingredients, but would love to find an all-natural solution. As long as it is just as cheap!
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Thank you! It is funny .. I actually never went into a bridal shop to try on my dress, I bought it online based soley on measurements! Bridal shops just scared me … I showed the picture of the dress to a friend at work, and told her I was going back on forth on the gloves, and she told me I HAD to get them, that they would “make” the look. I am so glad I did! I was worried about getting the ring on during the ceremony, but that turned out to be pretty easy, because I just cut the seam out of that finger. Plus, the gloves helped keep me warm (it was about 45 degrees and rainy out on the day of the wedding, and it was an outdoor wedding!)
Oo, next time I need to buy protein powder/etc., I’ll totally use your referral link, I’ve been thinking about using Vitacost for awhile now anyway. I hope you get some sweet credit in return
And my skin was patchy (I guess I posted about this fairly recently?), but I found that washing it daily with Yes to Carrots and then following that with a layer of just coconut oil has done a great job controlling the random pimples and weird dry patches I tend to get. Still not perfect skin or anything, but it definitely helped.
And you look GORGEOUS in that wedding picture, my dear
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Thanks! I remember you posting about the Yes to Carrots, I still haven’t found that! I love coconut oil, it really has helped!
Funny to see this today when I was just talking about my own adult acne on my blog. I’ve never done natural remedies but did Proactiv which has herbal-ness to it (lol) along with benzoil peroxide, which is an effective treatment. I got a scrip but it’s antibiotics and a wash….so far I’m doing the wash but I decided I was going to call the dermatologist to tell him I didn’t feel right taking the antibiotics (esp since you have to stop them once pregnant) to see if he can give me a topical cream with antibiotics. Wish I could say I was more interested in natural remedies! I just think my acne is a bit too severe for it to keep it under control, but these remedies sound really lovely. I laughed at the lasagna on your face thing! lol! I’m glad they are helping you.
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I have tried Proactiv before too, in fact I did it for a couple years, but I guess I never felt like it was really worth the $$. So funny you mention the P word! That has really been on my mind recently (I guess I feel that clock ticking). My husband is older than me, and we have been talking seriously about trying now. Ahh! I’m scared but excited!! I’ve really been into everything natural recently, and this has been working for me. I hope the prescription helps you!!
That can be a scary word! I hope your journey to parenthood is easier than ours has been–ours has been long and emotional but we’re finally taking action and seeing doctors for help. There is hope for us though! My hubs is older too by 13 years (I’m 31) so we REALLY need to get this party started. LOL!
What a stunningly beautiful wedding photo. I don’t have any skin care tricks. I’m still figuring things out myself. Information can be so overwhelming when it comes to skin care products. I would like to move towards more natural and homemade products. I currently use Origins Check and Balances skin cleanser. I’ve used it for a while now and really like it. I have a couple of other products from Origins. I use coconut oil on my skin as a moisturizer before bed. I try to always use an eye cream because my word are those lines coming in faster than I would like! I use Witch Hazel as a toner.
I love Vitacost. I agree their prices are very low compared to other places. Thanks for passing along the link for $10 discount.
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Thanks Aimee! I never have heard of Origins actually … I’m glad you have something that is working for you! I know what you mean about sooo much information out there… and so many products! The trick is just finding out what works for you! I currently have 2 pimples I am trying to get rid of grrrrr… All the daily stress of life in general isn’t helping much either!
You know I will try this one out, I love coconut oil, sounds yummy and healthful!!!
Beautiful wedding photos, stunning!!
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Thank you so much! I love coconut oil — it really is so moisturizing!!
Hi Jane, your wedding photo is beautiful, so it was totally worth wearing tons of make up. Another reason to have make up before taking photo is to eliminate the shiny spots (ask your husband, professional TV people always carry with them compact powder in their pockets).
As of face cleaning, absolutely accidentally we found a great soap, that moisten the skin as it cleans it, and we’ve been using it since.
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Thank you! It was worth wearing all that makeup! I’m glad you found a soap that works! I think that is the key — finding something that works for you!
Glad we could help inspire you! We use that same toner! We will have to try thyme, really intrigued.
Thanks so much! I think it is a continuing journey – finding what works, but your stories really inspired me!! I love the thyme — it is cheap, and it really has been working for me!
1. you are beautiful!! 2. I have been looking for a good natural face scrub that wasn’t a zillion dollars!
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ahhh thanks
I seriously love this face scrub. The coconut oil makes it so moisturizing!!
I tried this face scrub – my only question is how do you get the oil off your face? w/o using a harsh soap after – I have very sensitive skin and can’t really use soaps – only homemade things like this scrub. That said when I’ve tried this scrub in the shower I have to rinse and rinse and rinse and rinse to not leave too much oil on my skin (which even with coconut oil seems to make my breakouts worse).
Thanks everyone!
Hi Megan – I use it in the shower too, just a little bit on my fingertips and massage it in my face, then I wash it off. I’ve never really had that problem, but I don’t have super oily skin to being with. I just rinse, and then pat my face dry when I get out of the shower. I did find this post that has some great tips on using baking soda and coconut oil … you may try that!
That’s the ironic part – I have dry skin! It is just really reactive to if I introduce any oil at all. I think maybe I put too much oil to the amount of salt and sugar? Or am just using too much. 2 or 3 days after I tried the scrub I broke out badly again
though it might be hormonal. I have been using the thyme infused witch hazel with good results – and since I do have dry skin I just started trying using a tiny amount of coconut oil with thyme essential oil in it as a moisturizer – to try and moisturize while combating the breakouts! Thanks for the link too Jane!
Hi – your website is awesome. I’ve opened a whole bunch of tabs in my browser, of recipes I want to try – and I’ve only been browing for 5 minutes! I’m in the UK, so it would be really useful if you could include weights in your ingredients list – for international readers! Great job, and I look forward to trying some of the recipes out