Spot Treatment for Acne-Prone Skin
One of my personal goals this year is to completely replace my routine skin care products with made-by-me versions. There are a few reasons why I would really love to do this, including:
I can reduce the carbon emissions I am contributing to the world by consolidating my purchases into an annual ingredients “haul” instead of purchasing a single product here and there as needed throughout the year.
I can choose the packaging of the product myself. Even though I try to purchase products that are sold in sustainable packaging, with skin care products, I have found that it can be difficult to find something that works for me, has clean ingredients and is packaged sustainably. There are some products that I just have not been able to find in non-plastic packaging that tick off the other two criteria and we have limited ability to recycle packaging (even if it is technically recyclable) in our area. If I am formulating for myself, I can choose the most sustainable packaging myself.
I enjoy formulating and I like to be able to tailor products to my needs. It is incredibly satisfying to be able to concoct my own products and ensure their quality every step of the way.
One of the products on my list to replace is a spot treatment for acne lesions. This is the recipe I have been using thus far and it works as well as (if not better than) the store-bought versions I have tried. It is formulated as an anhydrous (waterless) product, so it can be made without adding a preservative.
About the Ingredients
Black Cumin Seed Oil
I have chosen black cumin seed as an active carrier for this recipe. In at least two studies, it has been found to help improve the health of the skin for people who deal with acne. (1, 2)
Chamomile-Infused Sunflower Seed Oil
Chamomile is an aromatic, anti-inflammatory herb. I like to infuse the dried flower buds into carrier oils to help add a layer of therapeutic effects to my formulas. In this instance, some of the volatile constituents in the chamomile flowers make their way into the sunflower seed oil and thereby contribute their effects to the final formula. If you do not have chamomile on hand, you can use plain sunflower seed oil instead.
Essential Oils
Several scientific studies have found that there are essential oils with in vitro antimicrobial effects against the bacteria strains that can contribute to acne. Normally, an in vitro study is not one that offers much conclusive information for clinical purposes but for something that is going to be applied topically to the skin, an in vitro study can be a good reference tool. It can tell us whether something is effective against a particular strain of bacteria when it comes into contact with it, which is relevant when we are going to be applying our finished product to the skin where those bacteria might be hanging out.
For this formula, I have chosen to go with a combination of essential oils that researchers have found to be effective antimicrobials against the bacteria that can cause acne in in vitro studies (3) as well as two anti-inflammatory (4,5) essential oils.
Note: Some research indicates that tea tree essential oil can be helpful for people with acne. (6,7,8) My skin does not react well to it, so I have left it out of this recipe. If you find it helpful for you, feel free to include a couple of drops of it in your own version in place of one of the other essential oils I have chosen.
Dilution Rate
I have chosen a 1% dilution rate for the essential oils in this product. Normally when I formulate products that will be used on the face, I stick with lower dilutions even than this but since this is a product that is being applied to small, local areas and not the entire face, a 1% dilution will be adequate for most people. If you have especially sensitive skin, you can leave out the essential oils entirely or cut the amount included in the recipe in half and start with a 0.5% dilution.
Recipe:
1 ounce black cumin seed oil
1 ounce German chamomile-infused sunflower seed oil
2 drops German chamomile essential oil (3)
2 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops rose geranium essential oil (3)
1 drop Roman chamomile essential oil (3)
1 drop ylang ylang essential oil (3)
1 drop bay laurel essential oil (3)
1 drop juniper berry essential oil (3)
1 drop sweet orange essential oil (3)
1 drop vetiver essential oil (3)
Instructions:
Add your essential oils to a 2-ounce glass dropper bottle, then top off the bottle with your two carrier oils. Secure the lid on the bottle, then shake well until the essential oils are thoroughly mixed throughout the formula.
I usually recommend working with amber glass bottles if you have access to them because they can help preserve the shelf life of your formulas. However, as long as you are keeping your finished product away from light, you can also store this product in a frosted glass or clear glass dropper bottle if you would like to.
To use, place one drop of your formula on a clean, dry finger and apply it to your skin morning and night after cleansing. Discontinue use if any redness, sensitivity or adverse reaction occurs. Do not include the chamomile ingredients if you have a known allergy to Asteraceae (daisy) family plants.
This product is formulated for external use by responsible adults only.
About the Author
Hi there, I’m Erin - the main instructor here at Floranella. I am a clinical herbalist, aromatherapist, artisan distiller and organic gardener based in the Pacific Northwest. Here at Floranella, I teach people how to work with plants safely and effectively from the garden to the still to the apothecary. Thanks for being here! I’m glad you stopped by.
References
Soleymani, S., Zargaran, A., Farzaei, M. H., Iranpanah, A., Heydarpour, F., Najafi, F., & Rahimi, R. (2020). The effect of a hydrogel made by Nigella sativa L. on acne vulgaris: A randomized double-blind clinical trial. Phytotherapy research : PTR, 34(11), 3052–3062. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6739
Nawarathne, N. W., Wijesekera, K., Wijayaratne, W. M. D. G. B., & Napagoda, M. (2019). Development of Novel Topical Cosmeceutical Formulations from Nigella sativa L. with Antimicrobial Activity against Acne-Causing Microorganisms. TheScientificWorldJournal, 2019, 5985207. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5985207
Orchard, A., van Vuuren, S. F., Viljoen, A. M., & Kamatou, G. (2018). The in vitro antimicrobial evaluation of commercially essential oils and their combinations against acne. International journal of cosmetic science, 10.1111/ics.12456. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/ics.12456
Ma, D., He, J., & He, D. (2020). Chamazulene reverses osteoarthritic inflammation through regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and NF-kβ pathway in in-vitro and in-vivo models. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry, 84(2), 402–410. https://doi.org/10.1080/09168451.2019.1682511
Giovannini, D., Gismondi, A., Basso, A., Canuti, L., Braglia, R., Canini, A., Mariani, F., & Cappelli, G. (2016). Lavandula angustifolia Mill. Essential Oil Exerts Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Macrophage Mediated Immune Response to Staphylococcus aureus. Immunological investigations, 45(1), 11–28. https://doi.org/10.3109/08820139.2015.1085392
Bassett, I. B., Pannowitz, D. L., & Barnetson, R. S. (1990). A comparative study of tea-tree oil versus benzoylperoxide in the treatment of acne. The Medical journal of Australia, 153(8), 455–458. https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1990.tb126150.x
Malhi, H. K., Tu, J., Riley, T. V., Kumarasinghe, S. P., & Hammer, K. A. (2017). Tea tree oil gel for mild to moderate acne; a 12 week uncontrolled, open-label phase II pilot study. The Australasian journal of dermatology, 58(3), 205–210. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajd.12465
Enshaieh, S., Jooya, A., Siadat, A. H., & Iraji, F. (2007). The efficacy of 5% topical tea tree oil gel in mild to moderate acne vulgaris: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. Indian journal of dermatology, venereology and leprology, 73(1), 22–25. https://doi.org/10.4103/0378-6323.30646