Guest Post - It's Thyme To Clear Up That Acne

    Today we are featuring another guest post on Healthy Living Natural Beauty.  Below you can read about using the herb Thyme to help clear acne and the bio of our guest writer.  Please feel free to leave comments or questions for the authors of any of our guest post articles.

AUTHOR BIO: 
Vanessa Roberts is a skincare blogging babe whose work can be found on websites all around cyber-land, including this review on LifeCell, as well as various other skincare brands. The best part about her job? She gets to help others look and feel their very best.

It's Thyme To Clear Up That Acne

Now that the summer months are upon us, and we're sweating our way through them, our skin can get a little oily and become more susceptible to acne breakouts.

And if you are like me, a lady who prefers to use natural ingredients as opposed to chemicals, you know that it can be hard to find ingredients that are powerful enough to bust through that pore-clogging oil and really zap those zits.

So imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon a sensational little herb that can be used as a toner, a moisturizer, or even a face mask. And to think up until now I only used it when cooking. I am face palming as I type.

So what is this kick a** ingredient? Thyme. Yes, thyme really is on your side. And here is how you can use it.

 

It's Toning Thyme

If you have oily skin that is prone to breakouts, it's usually best if you use a toner when beginning your morning routine.

Since toner can get expensive, especially if you are using organic or high-end products, this little DIY toner will not only save you some cash, but should also give you results you would normally see with any store bought toner.

All you have to do is start by sterilizing a small jar by putting it in boiling water for 10 minutes and thoroughly drying it. Then add 1 tablespoon of dried thyme to your jar and pour 3-4 tablespoons of witch hazel over the thyme and shake well.

Within 20 minutes your mixture should have a light brown color to it. This is good and means that your thyme is steeping well.

The beauty of this toner is that not only does thyme help to bust through dirt and oil, keeping your skin clean and oil free, but you can also use it right away. Simply tip a little bit onto a clean cotton ball and wipe over a clean, dry face.

Finally, make sure to keep the thyme in the mixture for a few days before straining it out, and storing it in a cool, dry place for up to a month.

It's Moisturizing Thyme

Whether you have oily, acne-prone skin or not, a moisturizer made with thyme is an excellent blemish-busting treatment for your skin before hitting the hay each night.

All you need to do is grab a small, sterilized jar, toss in 1 tablespoon of dried thyme and cover with your choice of natural oil such as argan, sesame, or jojoba.

It may seem wrong to be putting oil onto already oily skin but these 3 natural oils are actually quite useful when treating oily and acneic skin.

Just make sure you let your thyme and oil mixture steep for about 2 weeks in a cool, dark, dry place, shaking it daily, and then straining out the thyme before using it.

It's Beautifying Thyme

In case thyme couldn't get any more useful, you can also add it to just about any cosmetic clay to make yourself an effective anti-acne face mask.

Simply grab yourself a small bowl and combine 1 teaspoon of clay with 1 teaspoon of your witch hazel toner and stir well.

Apply your clay mixture to the blemishes in question and let it absorb for at least 20 minutes, or even overnight if you are feeling daring. After your 20 minutes is up, or after you wake up, wash your face off with warm water and pat dry.

This rocking little mask should help to suck the moisture right out of that blemish, while the thyme will help to eradicate the bacteria that helps to keep those annoying pimples alive.

Et voila! 3 simple, and cheap, DIY acne treatments that not only work but are also great for your skin. After all, it's about thyme we started blasting those annoying blemishes, don't you think?