(This post contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here.)
Acne is a long-term skin disease that occurs when hair follicles become clogged with dead skin cells and oil from the skin. To make skin perfect there are many products in the market which claims that it will fulfill our skin requirements and without knowing our skin type & requirements, we started to use that. There are many over the counter medicine and other products in the market which claim the eradication of acne. But we know every prescribed medicine comes with along some side effects like redness, dryness, itchy skin etc. So, if you want to remove the problems from the root, you should go for a permanent solution by giving the natural blessing to your skin. If you are a DIY person then you should give a must try to your skin of DIY acne gel which is made up of essential oils which are the main ingredient that will target our requirements.
Now, let’s have a look at why and what ingredients we are using to make DIY acne gel.
Table of Contents
Benefits of DIY Acne Gel Ingredients
- Auxins and gibberellins of aloe vera help in wound healing and have anti-inflammatory action.
- It also contains salicylic acid that possesses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and kills the acne causing bacteria.
- Aloe vera helps in moisturizing your skin, keeps the skin hydrated, rejuvenated and glowing.
- Its antibacterial and anti-viral properties kill bacteria and virus.
- Anti-microbial and antiseptic properties of tea tree oil kill harmful microbes and protect wounds from getting infected.
- It has unique disinfecting and soothing properties and, unlike other acne treatments, tea tree oil will not strip your skin of its natural oils and cause further damage.
- It has anti-fungal properties which inhibit fungus to develop.
- It can be a great moisturizer for dry and chapped skin.
- Lavender tones and makes your skin firm as it boosts circulation, thus resulting in an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrition to the skin cells. This helps in keeping the cells healthy and boosting their renewal process.
- The oil has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that can fight the bacteria that cause acne and inflammation.
Cinnamon Oil
- Good for oily skin as it regulates the oil production on the face.
- Cleanses skin pores and exfoliates the dead skin cells.
- It has antiseptic property to heal wounds.
Also, see Cinnamon Hair mask for gorgeous hair.
Also, see DIY Apple Cider Vinegar for acne and clear skin
Procedure For DIY Acne Gel
- 7 tablespoon aloe vera gel (buy from here)
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil (buy from here)
- 5 drops of tea tree essential oil (buy from here)
- 1 drop of cinnamon essential oil (buy from here)
- an air-tight glass container
- Take a bowl and put fresh or organic aloe vera gel in it. I have taken green coloured aloe vera gel but you can take normal transparent(white) aloe gel.
- Add all essential oils to it and mix well.
- Keep it in an air-tight glass container.
- You can store it for 3-4 weeks.
- Cleanse your face with your facial cleanser.
- Now put your clean face towel in handheld hot water and soak it.
- Wring out the face towel, and place the hot cloth over your face for a couple of minutes. This will open pores to make the gel go into the pores and heals acne from inside.
- Now apply your DIY acne gel.
- If needed, apply moisturizer when the gel has completely penetrated into the skin.
- Apply this DIY acne gel twice or thrice in a day.
2. Additionally, pregnant women, infants, and young children should avoid certain essential oils. so be sure to do your homework beforehand.
3. Keep the DIY acne gel container away from sunlight.
61 Comments
Michelle
February 6, 2017 at 5:32 pmHow long can this be stored for?
Mamta
February 10, 2017 at 6:24 pmHi Michelle, this gel can be stored as long as the aloe vera gel and essential oil used to make it have not expired. My advice would be to make this gel in small batches and store it for around 15-20 days if possible.
Thanks.
Luz
March 21, 2017 at 4:04 amDoes aloe have to be fresh from a leaf or can it be store bought in the containers in the swimming sections?
Mamta
March 22, 2017 at 5:53 pmHi Luz, yes you can use the natural aloe vera if its available. But its totally fine to use the store bought one as well. Make sure that you buy the organic aloe vera gel from the store.
Rose-Anna
March 29, 2017 at 4:42 amHi there, do u not rinse the gel off the face after u apply it? Or do u let it sit overnight then rinse off? Or just leave in completely till it dries and hopefully doesn’t leave green on your face if u decide to use the green gel?? Thanks
Mamta
March 30, 2017 at 3:42 pmHi Rose-Anna, It’s not necessary to use green aloe vera gel, you can use organic transparent coloured aloe vera gel from your nearest store or directly from aloe vera plant. Using green gel will not leave green on your face. There are many ways to use it like you can keep it as an overnight face mask or simply apply it and rinse it off when it completely dries out. But my recommendation is to use it twice a day and leave it for dry as it will not make your skin oily or anything, in fact, you can use it as a daily moisturizer to treat acne fast.
Alura
April 9, 2017 at 9:50 amI really need to make this! My skin is literally so bad at the moment!!
christine
May 15, 2017 at 10:06 amHelp not sure how to get the aloe gel out of the leafs
Mamta
May 16, 2017 at 9:06 amHi Christine, here is the easiest way to take out the gel from aloe vera plant.
Link: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Aloe-Vera-Gel
Donna
June 9, 2017 at 11:38 pmWhere can you buy all of these different oils
Mamta
June 12, 2017 at 5:47 pmHi Donna, you can buy the oils from either online like amazon.com or from your local retail store.
Kayla
July 9, 2017 at 11:24 pmWhere can I buy the jars you used?
Mamta
July 18, 2017 at 3:07 pmHi Kayla, I have used a container of 50 grams. I didn’t buy this container instead used an empty container from one of my old beauty product. You can use any glass jar to store this gel.
Erin
July 17, 2017 at 12:43 pmCould i replace the lavender essential oil with something else? I’m highly allergic to lavender but would love to try this?
Mamta
July 18, 2017 at 2:59 pmHi Erin, you can use rosehip oil in place of lavender oil. Rosehip oil is also great for acne prone skin. It maintains skin pH and regulates oil producing glands.
Ketesha
August 4, 2017 at 8:17 pmHi,
Does this acne gel need to be refrigerated?
Mamta
August 11, 2017 at 12:44 pmHi Ketesha, you don’t need to refrigerate the gel.
Terrie
August 4, 2017 at 9:15 pmI made this with the green aloe vera from my local drug store. After adding the essential oils and mixing well the gel acquired a cloudy appearance and did not stay clear. I assuming this is ok?
Mamta
August 11, 2017 at 12:44 pmHey, Terrie, this is fine. It’s the usual observation.
Envy RX Serum
August 22, 2017 at 4:25 pmI got what you intend, thanks for posting. Woh I
am pleased to find this website through google.
Mackenzie
August 23, 2017 at 12:40 amMy face got very tingly and turned after applying it! I’m assuming this is because of the cinnamon oil but I only used two drops as recommended. Am I allergic or is this normal?
Mamta
August 27, 2017 at 5:14 pmHi, Mackenzie, you may feel some tingling issue due to open pores and popped pimples but it lasts for only 1 minute. If you feel this more than a 1 minute then probably your skin is more sensitive to cinnamon oil. You can mix an extra 2-3 tablespoon of aloe vera gel into your acne gel to lessen the effect of cinnamon oil.
Genevieve
January 9, 2018 at 5:20 pmI did just that. Added 2 extra tablespoons of gel, plus added nutmeg oil, sweet almond oil and jojoba oil. That was it doubles as a moisturizer so I don’t have to use one after. Perfect. Thanks!
Thomas
September 11, 2017 at 5:22 pmGreat post! Have nice day ! 🙂 attjw
Mamta
September 15, 2017 at 1:45 pmThanks, Thomas, great to have you here 🙂
Thomas
September 16, 2017 at 4:05 amGreat post! Have nice day ! 🙂 ltdbh
Mamta
September 16, 2017 at 5:45 pmThank you 🙂
Marsha Leary
September 20, 2017 at 12:46 amDo you use cinnamon bark or cinnamon leaf essential oil? I know one is more gentle than the other (just can’t remember which one).
Mamta
September 22, 2017 at 10:51 amHi Marsha, Cinnamon leaf oil has higher eugenol content and it is valued as an analgesic or pain-killer. The cinnamon bark oil, higher in cinnamaldehyde, is recommended by herbalists for its antimicrobial and antiviral properties. I would recommend using cinnamon bark oil for anti-acne treatment.
tisu basah
September 25, 2017 at 2:10 amI am in fact happy to read this web site posts which includes plenty of helpful information, thanks for providing these
statistics.
Mamta
September 25, 2017 at 6:35 pmHi, Tisu, I am glad you liked the info on alluringsoul. Don’t forget to share it so that others looking for help can easily find it.
Thanks
Mamta
Rebabii7
September 27, 2017 at 2:10 pmHi,
Iv’e started using this on my face as my skin is very acne prone. Atm I cannot tell if it has done any bad or good as I am due on and get break outs so that could be why I am so spotty atm! I will continue to use it to see how I get on, I just wondered if anyone flared up from using this or is it unlikly as it’s so natural?
Mamta
September 30, 2017 at 9:49 amHi, Rebabii,
You should give at least 4 weeks to start showing results to any natural remedy.If after 4 weeks also, your pimples are growing then you should stop using the gel. The reasons could be the essential oils are not reacting in a positive way with your skin.
Also, nothing to worry about, when you are starting out it might take some time to adjust to your skin.
Do let me know your progress.
Thanks
Mamta
Muskaan
November 9, 2017 at 10:17 amShould we rinse it off like a face wash? Or leave it in after applying? If so after how long should we wash it off
Mamta
November 15, 2017 at 4:15 pmHi Muskaan,
You can use it as a face moisturizer or if you want to rinse it off then make sure you do it after 30-40 mins when aloe vera is completely absorbed by your skin. My suggestion would be to try it as a moisturizer if you are facing severe acne issues.
Thanks
Mamta
Sara
November 22, 2017 at 4:10 amDoes this work for oily skin that is prone to black heads? If I don’t use a super strong face wash made for overly oily skin, it looks like you could fry an egg on my forehead. Because of this, I can’t use face moisturizers.
Mamta
November 22, 2017 at 3:27 pmHi Sara, This acne gel is non-greasy and would work great for oily skin. You can also use it as a moisturizer. But one thing I would recommend that you should start applying moisturizer after cleansing even if you have oily, acne-prone skin. By skipping moisturizer, your skin cells will dry out and in turn, it will produce more oil, which can actually cause more breakouts. It attracts moisture from the air keeping skin moist and supple throughout the day. Go for non-comedogenic and non-greasy moisturizer every day.
Thanks
Mamta
Marnie Z.
November 22, 2017 at 4:43 amCan I use Young Living essential oils as substitutes for the brands you have listed?
Mamta
November 22, 2017 at 3:14 pmHi Marnie, Yes you can use them.
ivvi
November 25, 2017 at 2:13 amdisculpa, si me lo dejo en la cara y después salgo cuando me pegue el sol no va a arder o algo por tener aceites?
Mamta
December 5, 2017 at 4:00 pmHi Ivvi,
If you are using it in the day and planning to go out, then use sunscreen when it gets dried on your face. I will recommend using at night.
Talia
December 31, 2017 at 5:36 amHi would be alright if I used aloe vera gel with green tea in it.
Mamta
January 11, 2018 at 3:53 pmHi Talia,
You can use aloe vera with green tea but the shelf life will be reduced. So always make a smaller batch.
LANI BELARDO
March 4, 2018 at 2:35 pmHi!
Can you recommend an oil that can replace the cinnamon oil?
Thanks!
Regards,
LANI
Mamta
March 15, 2018 at 4:16 pmHi Lani,
You can use nutmeg oil or eucalyptus oil.
Lani Belardo
March 5, 2018 at 1:35 pmWhat is the replacement for cinnamon bark? Don’t have one at the moment but I would love to try the recipe.
Mamta
March 15, 2018 at 4:18 pmHi Lani,
You can use nutmeg or eucalyptus oil.
Sabrina Fair
March 15, 2018 at 1:14 pmThis works nicely! But I didn’t have cinnamon oil so I used Australian Manuka essential oil which is very potent against acne and bacteria. Also a note, if you add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of orange blossom flower water ( which helps soothe and lightly moisturize the skin) it turns the clear gel into a smooth opaque face cream instead. It was a happy accident for me and adds a beautiful natural scent to the cream. If you use more of the orange blossom water to thin out the cream, you can put it in a pump dispenser. That way hand bacteria doesn’t get in the pot of gel.
Echo
April 22, 2018 at 5:52 amHi do you need to use a face wash first or can i immediately put it on also can i cut out the cinnamon oil or will it not work, if so is there a substitute i quite dislike cinnamon
Thanks
Mamta
May 9, 2018 at 8:29 amHi Echo, Yes, this acne gel is recommended to use on the cleansed face. You can substitute cinnamon oil with nutmeg oil because both are good for removing acne.
Cecilia
May 19, 2018 at 2:03 ampor el aloe vera ¿puedo usar conservante en este gel?
Mamta
May 22, 2018 at 1:19 pmNo es necesario si no está usando gel de aloe vera fresco. Si desea conservar este gel durante más de 6 meses, puede agregar conservantes no tóxicos.
Prerna
June 6, 2018 at 7:05 amHi Mamta,
Can we use Vitamin E oil in place of cinnamon?
Mamta
July 4, 2018 at 11:25 amHi Prerna,
You can skip the cinnamon essential oil and be free to add vitamin E oil if you want.
Lyn
June 12, 2018 at 1:30 amWhen I used This my face started burning immediately…is this normal ???
Mamta
July 4, 2018 at 11:18 amHi Lyn,
This burning might be happening due to cinnamon essential oil. If this happens for more than 1 minute then mix more aloe vera gel into it.
Anamika
October 18, 2018 at 12:16 pmWould you suggest some cost effective moisturizer for extreme oily skin with abundant break outs.
Also, I found this interesting so applied it on my face, it’s been only a few days since I have been using this, but it extremely burns on my face, is it normal? Should I continue to use it?
To be added, I accidentally added twice the quantity of essential oils as said.
Mamta
January 11, 2019 at 6:00 amHi Anamika, just mix the double amount of aloe vera gel in the recipe then it won’t burn your face. Additionally, you can mix 1-2 tablespoon of argan oil in this recipe to make an effective acne face moisturizer for oily skin.
OR, use can use another all natural face moisturizer for oily skin. Here is the link to get the recipe- https://alluringsoul.com/aloe-vera-face-moisturizer-for-oily-skin/
jacqueline
April 4, 2019 at 7:59 amThank you so much for this, I’m going to try it
Corrina
May 29, 2021 at 11:29 pmHi. Thank you for the recipe. Is there any substitute for tea tree oil, my daughter is allergic?
Mamta
June 2, 2021 at 6:21 amHi Corrina,
You can increase the amount of lavender essential oil or you can add any essential oils that are helpful in treating acne, like basil, eucalyptus, thyme, rosemary, etc. OR you can check this post, it contains detailed information about essential oils for acne.