There are several herbs that treat acne naturally; you just have to know how to use them. Some herbs, such as garlic, can help fight acne when ingested or applied topically in a pure form. Some herbs, such as melaleuca/tea tree, help fight acne only when applied topically in an oil form.

If any herbs that treat acne need to be diluted for use, your best choices are water or jojoba oil. Water can be used with non-oil based herbs, such as garlic or tea. Herbal essential oils, such as lavender, won’t mix well with water. They need a light carrier oil that will not clog skin pores. Jojoba oil closely resembles that natural oil your skin produces and is too light to get stuck in pores, making it the best choice.  

Herbs for Acne

• Garlic is a strong antibiotic that is renowned for its cleansing powers. You can simply cut a fresh garlic clove and rub it against the acne-prone area of your skin. The strong garlic juice kills all the bacteria on the skin, including the kinds that cause acne. If pure garlic smells too strong, mash the garlic with a little water to dilute. Eating large amounts of fresh garlic can help prevent acne by cleansing the blood and reducing the overall toxin levels in the body.
• Tea tree essential oil, from the melaleuca plant, is the most popular natural treatments for acne. The antiseptic oil revitalizes skin while killing bacteria, virus, and fungus infections. Pure tea tree oil is too strong for topical use, so look for 10 percent oil solutions. You can also dilute the oil yourself by mixing one part tea tree oil with every nine parts jojoba oil. Add a few drops of the diluted oil to a cotton ball. Dab the cotton ball over the cleaned problem areas and let dry. Repeat twice daily.
• Lavender essential oil is a strong antiseptic with the added benefit of smelling pleasant. It gently soothes skin as it fights off infection. It also helps increase blood circulation to quickly move toxins out of your system. Pure lavender oil is usually too strong for topical use and needs to be diluted a little with jojoba oil. Mix together one part lavender oil and one part jojoba oil. Add a few drops of the oil to a cotton ball, dab onto clean skin and let dry. Repeat twice daily.
• Aloe vera is packed with vitamin E and very soothing to irritated skin. Only use aloe vera topically. For the best results, keep an aloe plant in your home. Break off a small piece of the stem and slice it open. Smear the gel over your clean skin and let dry. You can also scrape the gel into a small bowl and smash it into a smooth paste. Smear the paste over any severe acne as an extra healing boost. Repeat two to four times daily.