Question:
Natural/cheap acne cures?

My husband and I recently lost perscription coverage, and had been using perscription acne meds (topical). So now we need natural (and cheap please) cures or prevention ideas. We are using little clensing pads and cream Noxema, but still worry about break outs, not to mention that using both noxema and pads drys out our non-oily spots. Any ideas or suggestions?

Answer: Natual skin care is also the best way to stay healthy.

I sometimes use a tube of "Virasolve" on my very occasional pimples, just to kill bacteria and dry it out. It is a cold sore lotion, but works really well to quickly nip a pimple in the bud.

I also use a great big tube of Aloe Vera gel from Herbalife, that is REALLY CHEAP and is just incredible. This has been the only skincare product I have bought for about 10 years now apart from maybe once a year getting a jar of cheap moisturiser for winter months... the Aloe gel gets smoothed on my face after I shower. It is antibacterial and anticeptic so that kills most of the problems that might trigger any acne. It also helps soothe any sensitive skin or dry skin issues that come and go. It is non-oily so I never "feel" it on my skin... just brilliant - and very, very, cheap for a top quality product.

THEN I have my source for "pamper" skin treatments that I love to use.

I steam my face whenever I feel a bit peaked or sniffly.... just chuck a chamolile teabag in the hot water, some honey, some cinamon stick & cloves. Maybe add some mint.

Here are some tips for keeping your skin fresh and healthy:

1. Stay hydrated, and drink plenty of water! That doesn’t mean soda, caffeine or any other type of liquid even if it is low cal. Soda (even diet soda) has a high concentration of sodium. Sodium retains fluids. You need fluid that will hydrate and flush your body free of toxins. Make sure you are drinking at least 8 glasses a day!

2. Protect your skin from harmful ultra violet (UV) rays. We all love the sun. We love being in it and we love having a beautiful tan. The truth is you can poison yourself with too much sunshine.

UV rays cause skin cancer, and if that isn’t bad enough, it causes your skin to age faster than it should, contributing to unsightly wrinkles. If you must play in the sun, make certain you are using an adequate sun screen. Don’t leave home without it!

3. Apply your sun screen even if you only make a quick trip to the grocery store. Yes, you can get harmful UV rays even while driving your car!

4. When you purchase sun screen, make certain you are buying the right tool for the job. There are different types of UV rays and they don’t all affect our skin in the same ways. The time of year also has a bearing on how much damage the sun can do to your skin.

Altitude is another important factor. UV rays are more intense at high altitudes. Sunshine alone is not the culprit. You can do just as much damage to your skin (or in some cases even more) on a cloudy day!