I understand not wanting to take Accutane - that is a very powerful and dangerous medicine.  For skin-related problems like acne, I always recommend examining your diet first.  What you put into your body is just as important as what you put on your skin!  Eliminate all soft drinks (diet included), caffeine, processed foods, red meat, and sugar.  Start eating mainly vegetables (especially leafy greens like spinach and kale) and fruits, plus lean proteins and whole grains.  Drink LOTS of water - it’s so important to drink at least eight 8oz. glasses a day. Water will flush out many of the toxins in your body and hydrate your body. I guarantee that if you start drinking more water, your skin will begin to clear up.

The following herbs are useful for acne: burdock, calendula, garlic, lavender, lemon, nasturtium, rosemary, sage, St. John’s Wort, tea tree oil, and thyme.  Try making infusions out of a mixture of the herbs (everything but the tee tree oil is okay to ingest) to drink as a tea and detox from the inside out.  You can also make an infusion and let it cool before using it as a cleanser or toner on your face. Use the herbs as facial steams, or mix into green clay masks that draw out impurities!  There are countless remedies and I’ll be posting a few skin “recipes” in the coming days.