Are you suffering from acne and love munching on avocados? Well, we’ve got good news for you! According to some research and plenty of people swearing by it, it seems that using avocados for acne can help you reduce blemishes, have fewer acne outbreaks and moisturize your skin naturally without making it oily - and we are here to tell you how!
Avocado is one of the healthiest foods (and fats) in the world, with high amounts of unsaturated, essential fatty acids. Besides eating it, its rich nutrient profile can also be used topically for the skin, hair and the whole body.
The avocado fruit is great for acne not only because it’s filled with omega-3 fatty acids but also because of its many other skin-friendly nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium, copper, magnesium, vitamins A, E, B, and K. Although there aren’t any direct studies that link avocado use and acne, the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming, and we do have studies that link the nutrients in avocado with many skin benefits, such as clearing acne and acne scars.
According to Lipids in Health And Disease, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are linked to improved inflammatory acne lesions and better mental health. Eating avocado can help strengthen your immunity so that your body fights off inflammation from the inside out. Making an avocado mask and using it topically can help kill the acne-causing bacteria, clear any excess oil and moisturize the skin.
Avocados are used in many homemade facial masks for dry skin due to them being amazing moisturizing ingredients. This is because avocados contains vitamin E, potassium, and lecithin - all of which are well absorbed into the skin’s layers and help in hydrating and softening the skin. On top of this, avocados are rich in essential fatty acids, making them extremely beneficial for dry, mature, parched, or aging skin. Just to give you some context, coconut oil is a well-known skin moisturizer, mostly because it contains 5–10% oleic acid. Well, avocados contain 63% oleic acid, so there you go.
Yes, that’s right. One of the best ingredients that can help you with your sunburned skin is the tasty avocado. Due to it being such a great moisturizer, with the power to penetrate deep into the skin layers, its nutrients can rejuvenate damaged skin cells and help the skin heal faster. By making the skin smoother, avocados will also help ease the pain and reduce redness.
Turning the clock around on aging-skin is not easy, but avocados can surely help. Packed with antioxidant vitamins like C and E, the avocado fruit can fight off free radicals that damage the skin. Avocado oil also stimulates collagen and elastin fiber production which give the skin more flexibility and elasticity, keeping it from drying out and forming wrinkles.
There’s a protein found in avocados called sterolins which helps lighten the skin and even decrease the visibility of acne scars and dark spots on the face. Additionally, avocados contain an antioxidant compound called glutathione which is linked to reduced melanin levels. Melanin is a pigment that colors the skin, and reduced levels of melanin can make it look lighter and whiter...
Sometimes the best results come from simple actions. You can use mashed avocado directly on the face as a face mask to get all the benefits mentioned before. Just cut one ripe avocado in half and remove the pit. Scrape off the fruit from the peel and mash it in a small bowl until you get a smooth and creamy paste. Wash your face and fingers, then apply the paste on a clean and dry face. Leave it on the skin for about 20 minutes before washing your face with lukewarm water.
The FDA recognized oatmeal as an effective remedy for the skin, which basically makes it one of the best food-treatments for acne. Oats can penetrate deep into the skin and kill disease-causing bacteria, scavenge oxidative stress and inhibit the growth of damaged cells. Still, the most famous benefit from oatmeal is its power to reduce inflammation.
Combine half a cup of oatmeal with half an avocado to make an amazing acne-clearing face mask. Mash the avocado (as explained earlier) in a small bowl and add cooked oatmeal according to the instructions on the package. Mix the ingredients together and stir well until you get a paste-like consistency. Clean your hands and face, then apply the mask directly on the face. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes and wash it off with warm water afterward. You can use this mask every day.
Bananas are filled with antioxidants and vitamins good for the skin, as well as for overall health (you can even use their peel). Lutein is one oxidant bananas are loaded with which helps protect the skin against damage caused by environmental factors like the sun. Prepare the avocado by cutting it in half, scraping it off from the peel, and mashing it in a small bowl. After this, peel a banana, cut it in small chunks and add it to the same bowl. Use a fork to blend the ingredients together until you get a smooth paste. Apply the mask on a clean face and let it sit for approximately 15 minutes. In the end, wash your face with warm water and use a moisturizer afterward. It’s safe for everyday use.
Honey is a powerful natural remedy used for a variety of reasons. It’s great for acne due to its antibacterial properties that are said to be able to kill P. acnes (the bacteria responsible for your acne). On top of this, honey is known for its anti-inflammatory abilities. It can easily draw out excess oils from the skin and help reduce inflammation, making your pimples less angry. But don't worry. Honey is also a humectant which helps moisturize your skin.
To make this powerful mask for your acne, start by cutting one avocado in half. Take one half and scrape it off the peel. Put it in a small bowl and mash it with a fork. Add one tbsp of raw honey into the bowl and mix well until the ingredients blend completely. Clean your face and hands before applying the mask. After you apply it, wait for 20 minutes so it can do its wonders and rinse it off with warm water. You can use this face mask on a daily basis.
The citric acid in lemons removes any excess oils from the skin due to its strong drying effect. It’s also said that fresh lemon juice has antiseptic properties which can help in killing acne-causing bacteria. Lemons also reduce redness and inflammation and even brighten the skin, so by combining them with avocados, you’ll get a super-powerful anti-acne remedy.
Simply mash half an avocado into a small bowl and squeeze one fresh lemon on top. Clean your hands and face and apply the mask on your face. Be careful not to touch your eyes, since the lemon’s acids can cause a burning sensation and irritation. Leave the mask to act for about 15 to 20 minutes and then wash it off with warm water. Don’t use it more than three times a week, since the lemon can really dry out the skin. Also, your skin can be sensitive to sunlight after, so always wear sunscreen.
If you have acne you probably get alarmed once you hear the word oil - believe me, I know! But, stay at rest. Coconut oil is amazing for the skin. It’s made from medium-chain fatty acids which have strong antimicrobial effects, meaning they can kill acne-causing bacteria. Study after study has shown that one of the strongest acids in coconut oil, the lauric acid, can kill P. acnes. And, this only works if you apply coconut oil directly on the skin, not by eating it, which is great for us because here we have another avocado mix to share with you. It’s still good to note that coconut oil is thick and can clog the pores, which means that is wise to wash your face and cleanse after using the mask. This way you will get all the benefits from coconut oil and still protect your face.
Mix half an avocado together with one tbsp of coconut oil in a small bowl. Mash with a fork and then stir well until you get a smooth paste. Clean your hands and face and evenly apply the mixture on your face. Let the mask act for 20 minutes and then wash your face with warm water. For best results, repeat this every day before bedtime.
Turmeric is an ingredient rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Its anti-inflammatory properties are so strong that it’s said that turmeric can easily target the damaged pores in your skin and help reduce acne scarring. Besides this, it can help you revive your skin and bring back its natural glow. Because turmeric is strong and can cause irritation in sensitive skin, the perfect way to get its benefits is to mix it with avocado and make yourself one great topical remedy for acne. Just mash half an avocado in one small bowl and add one tbsp of turmeric powder. Stir well, until the ingredients mix and you are left with a smooth paste. Apply the mixture on a clean face and leave it on for 20 minutes. In the end, rinse off with lukewarm water.
Yogurt is rich in lactic acid, a well-known ingredient that helps clear the skin and calm aggressive, inflamed acne. It also works as a natural and gentle exfoliator, removing dead skin cells and excess sebum away from the skin. But, relying just on yogurt may not be enough, so here is where the avocado fruit comes to help.
Cut one avocado in half and mash it in a small bowl. Add one tbsp of plain Greek yogurt and stir well until the ingredients blend thoroughly. Clean your face and apply the mask directly and evenly on the whole skin’s surface. Let it dry on the face for about 15 minutes and then wash it with warm water. You can use this recipe on a daily basis.
We wouldn’t be the first nor the last ones to recommend egg whites as a natural, home remedy for acne. They are cheap and easy to use, yet so effective for the skin that people swear by them. Egg whites are packed with many high-quality nutrients beneficial for the skin which can help reduce breakouts and diminish the skin’s discoloration caused by acne.
Cut one avocado and mash it in a bowl. Separate the egg yolk from the egg white and then add it in the bowl with the avocado. Mix well until you get a smooth blend. Apply the mask to your face and leave it on for 20 minutes. In the end, wash your face with lukewarm water. You can use this mask once or twice a week.