AfRoDiVa - Me and My afro: Finally! An acne revolution!

Hi dear readers!

It has been a while (about a month :D)since I posted anything new, partly from the fact that I've been busy with school, and also because of partial laziness :D, but I'm back, and boy have I great news for you all!!!

If, like me, you have had to endure heart-breaking years of irritating acne, and been led to believe that there has to be a product out there that will take your problems away... save that money, and don't look far - because the solution lies in the comfort of your own home - in your own kitchen!!!

Unbelievable?!?! I didn't believe it when I began my research, but I will testify that truly all we need has been provided by God through nature - including a cure for acne. It is sad how we spend tons of money on acne treatments, and I'm sure we have ended up being product junkies because we keep hearing different cosmetic providers saying the same thing - and immediately run out to the drugstore to purchase the product.

Don't get me wrong, those products are not all bad; I've read and seen it work wonders for people. But we don't all have the same acne problem, and I can say that none of those over-the-counter stuff have worked for me. It's been about a month since I've been using this all-natural remedy I somehow came up through research, and I find myself staring at myself in the mirror without flinching anymore^^.

Treating acne can be broken down to 2 major steps: reducing infection, and healing. You will find these steps in the food list and recipes below.

What makes me almost want to jump up and burst the ceiling is that what I use for my acne are the same things I use for my hair^^. How awesome can it get.

Please note that some people may be allergic to certain components in this items, and should go for an allergy test, unless you're brave and determined like me :D, to see that it is safe to use. Try one item first for about a week or two, to see if there's any change, before compiling with another one.
But if you notice an immediate irritation, please discontinue usage of the item, and give your skin time to recover before you decide to try another item.
Goodluck!

Below are the foods I use, along with recipes for them.
Remember to use cold water when doing a last rinse (right before you either leave the bathroom or apply a moisturizer). Warm water will open your pores, while cold pores helps close them.

1) Honey:

Honey has anti-bacterial properties, and acne is caused by bacteria, which makes honey a good natural remedy against acne.
Using honey on your face will kill the bacterial infection right from inside the pimple, and thus prevent outbreak.
Honey is also a great moisture-retainer, and helps the skin hold in moisture and avoid dryness.
P.S Make sure the honey is good. You can either purchase honey that is still in its crude unprocessed form, or is medically graded, or hasn't gone through much processing.

2) Lemon juice:

Lemon juice is a wonderful acid peel. This is thanks to its alpha hydroxy acid, also know as citric acid. The acid helps remove the dead skin cells on the surface, and allows a new layer of new skin cells to surface. This will promote healthy, vibrant-looking skin.

Because of this property, lemon juice tightens your pores, making them smaller and thus harder for dirt to get trapped in.

It also acts as an astringent, and pulls out much oil that sustain the bacteria.

I sometimes use lemon juice to clean my face, especially as I haven't found an ideal face cleanser, and it works great with removing dirt, and makeup too. After about 5minutes I rinse it off, and apply my aloe vera.

HONEY/LEMON JUICE TONER

Everyday, in the morning and before bedtime, applying a mixture of natural honey and lemon juice to your face.

You can leave it on if you're about to sleep, or rinse it off in the daytime since the honey may feel sticky. If you're applying only lemon, you can leave it on during the day.

Make a honey/lemon mixture of about 30% and 70% proportions respectively.

You can also apply only the honey, and rinse after 15minutes.

3) Aloe vera:

Acne causes scarring and damage to the skin. One of the steps to treating your acne is healing the broken skin, since a healthy skin will help enhance and quicken your acne treatment.

Thus aloe vera is well-known for its healing properties.

It also has anti-inflammatory properties, and is great for purifying the blood, reducing inflammation, and preventing further infection.

It also contains vitamins C and E, which stimulates collagen production, thus promoting skin elasticity, which helps prevent wrinkles.

ALOE VERA GEL REMEDY

All you need to do is apply it after your toner. You can use it once or twice a day, especially if you wear make-up. Toning is also very important for people who wear make-up.

P.S Use aloe vera gel in its purest form. I couldn't afford the all-natural, plus I was trying it for the first time, so I purchased a gel that is 90% aloe vera, which has been doing a good job so far. So I'll recommend you get a small size first, then when you're satisfied with the effects, you can go for a big size.

4) TOMATO:

I just recently started using this ingredient, and it has helped greatly in reducing a bump I had underneath my chin.

It is an anti-oxidant, it helps reduce pimples or surfacing bumps, and removes blackheads(which I have yet to notice^^)

5) AVOCADO:

I used avocado for the first time today, and after taking off the mask, I was amazed at how soft my face felt. So it is definitely something worth using.

Other benefits include:

Gets rids of sun damage and age spots

Prevents the growth of the acne-causing bacteria

Keeps face looking young and glowing

Moisturizes and keeps skin hydrated

AVOCADO MASK

You can use an avocado mask once a week, and can add any other of the natural remedies mentioned here. I added tomato to my avocado mask, and when you apply the mask, it feels so fresh and cool on your skin. Wonderful!

This is all I have tried so far. I am still experimenting with facial scrubs and a washers, so I will post up remedies once I find something that works.

Oh! Before I forget, very important thing to carry around with you:

6) SUNSCREEN:

Trying on these different remedies, and especially with the acids and peeling, and you're playing with your pigmentation, which means that you would want to protect your skin from the sun rays as much as possible. During the treatment period, the skin layer is very fragile, and thus very susceptible to sunburn, which can worsen skin conditions.

As a sunscreen, I decided to go with this product: