Natural Facial Cleansers for Troubled Skin

Perhaps you don't like the idea of using chemicals on your face, or maybe your skin is too sensitive for soaps or other cleansers. Possibly, store-bought cleansers haven't given you the results you've been looking for with your troubled skin. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of natural options when it comes to facial cleansers for troubled skin.

There's a reason Cleopatra took those legendary milk baths. Milk contains alpha-hydroxy acids, which help to exfoliate the skin. Removing the top layer of skin allows the body's oils to reach the surface and relieve dryness. Exfoliating with alpha-hydroxy acids also helps clear up blackheads. You can also use yogurt as a cleanser. Just massage it gently into the skin of your face, rinse and pat.

Like milk, many fruit juices contain alpha-hydroxy acids as well, according to the Care 2 Website. Lemons, blackberries, oranges, tomatoes, and apples all work to exfoliate the skin. Papaya and cucumber also work well as astringents for oily skin, and cucumbers are often used in commercially made natural cleansers. Fruits--such as avocados, bananas, squash, and cantaloupe--are high in oils, and they condition the skin. Cooked vegetables also can be used as a facial cleanser, as can the water used to cook the vegetables. Many vegetables are packed with vitamins your skin needs, and they make a good gentle cleanser.

For mature skin or skin that is very dry, oils such as vegetable oil and olive oil can be used as a cleanser. They work much the same way cold creams do. These cleansers would not be advisable for teens and people with oily skin. Even people for whom using oil as a cleanser is appropriate should be sure to wipe or rinse the oil off their skin completely, according to the Scrib D Website.

Cooked oatmeal makes a good cleanser; it also soothes and protects dry skin. Oatmeal is also hypoallergenic and helps keep skin soft. Oatmeal can also be mixed with many other substances such as yogurt and lemon juice. And, according to the Rosacea Support organization Website, oatmeal is thought to be an ideal facial cleanser for people with rosacea.

There are many other substances you can find in your kitchen that make good natural facial cleansers, either by themselves or when mixed with other things. These include honey, vinegar, eggs, whole wheat flour, and some nuts and seeds. For instance, Fat Free Kitchen recommends a facial cleanser made of powdered almonds, lemon juice and honey.