How to Use Lavender Oil for Acne to Calm Your Skin Down

Use lavender oil to fight existing breakouts and prevent further infection.

Lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils on the market, and for good reason too. Lavender’s current claim to fame results from its link to relieving stress, and is often used to promote relaxation and during meditation. But did you know that lavender oil was also widely used as an antibacterial in World War I? For this reason, lavender oil for acne is a commonly used natural remedy. Lavender’s benefits for both mental and physical health make it worth a try in a natural acne treatment plan.

Benefits of lavender oil for acne

1. Relieves stress

If you know what aromatherapy is, you probably are familiar with lavender oil’s relaxing scent. It’s widely used with an essential oil diffuser to create the perfect environment for meditation or de-stressing. And it’s not a sham home remedy. Lavender aromatherapy has actually been shown to decrease stress levels. Another study found that simply inhaling the scent of lavender can decrease blood pressure and heart rate.

That’s good news for you, if you’ve been fighting your fair share of breakouts. Did you know that excessive stress can be a cause of acne? Emotional stress has been found to worsen acne too. So if you don’t have quite enough time to bust out a diffuser and get it going with some lavender oil, we recommend looking for it in your beauty products! It’s often used as a natural scent in organic skin care products, while also working to help preserve the formula with its antibacterial properties (more on that below!).

2. Fights acne-causing bacteria

Acne is caused  by a combination of a many different factors, such as heredity, hormones, and even the bacterial balance on your skin! For example, a flare up can result from bacteria infecting a clogged pores. That’s why cleansing your face regularly is so important, but over-cleansing can also disturb the delicate bacterial balance of your skin.

If you’re dealing with an over-flux of acne-causing bacteria on your skin, you might benefit from adding lavender essential oil and other natural anti-acne ingredients to your beauty routine that help to kill bacteria. A study found that applying lavender oil to skin using its antibacterial properties resulted in decrease of acne, as well as balancing sebum levels and skin tone.

3. Reduces inflammation

Dreading those red painful bumps on your skin with your next breakout? That swelling and redness typically results from inflammation, when your skin is reacting to infection. That’s right, all that bacteria, oil, and dead skin cells plugging up your pores can easily throw your skin out of whack. While inflammation is a natural part of your body’s defense mechanism, it’s possible to keep it from going on overdrive and causing more severe breakouts such as cystic acne.

Lavender oil has been shown to lessen inflammatory acne, thanks to its natural anti-inflammatory properties. It even reduced acne scars, which can be caused by severe cases of inflammation in skin.

How to use lavender oil for acne

1. As a cleanser

Thanks to its acne-fighting properties, lavender oil makes an idea ingredient to use in skin care, while also helping to preserve the product. Be sure to massage the cleanser into your face in the AM and PM, working it into your pores, before finally rinsing it off. Always make sure to cleanse before applying makeup, and before going to bed at night to prevent against clogged pores and further breakouts! This is especially important for oily skin.

Cleansing Milk from Tammy Fender
Acne treatments don’t have to be harsh. This natural cleanser is lightweight and creamy on skin, and is perfect for oily and dry skin alike. It contains both lavender flower water and lavender oil, as well as a blend of soothing botanicals for a gentle yet thorough cleanse.

Blue Lavender Cleansing Milk from Evan Healy
A gentle yet luxurious detox treatment for clogged up pores. White kaolin clay draws out impurities and leaving skin soft and smooth, while essential oils cleanse and balance skin.

Soapberry Facial Cleanser from Tree to Tub
Ever heard of the soapberry? Turns out you can use it for your face too to remove all makeup and also moisturize your skin. This cleanser is pH-balanced so it won’t disturb your delicate skin.

Lavender-Sage Facial Cleansing Gele from Isun Skincare
We’ve covered plenty of cream cleansers, but if you prefer a gel formula instead, this one will be your go-to. It’s actually an oil-free formula, with lavender and tea tree oil to help keep those pimples curbed.

2. As a toner

Feel that oil creeping back in on your face during the day, or simply have your own cleanser you’d rather stick to? Not to worry, there are plenty of lavender oil toners to use for your acneic skin. Spritz it on after cleansing for an extra purifying step, or apply it throughout the day for easy grease control.

Lavender Tonique from 100% Pure
Sometimes less means more for sensitive or acne-prone skin, and this formula definitely lives up to that with its ultra minimalist ingredients list. Apply it to help curb existing breakouts, or help soothe your skin in the healing stages.

Flower Water Toner from Puristry
Yes, floral skin care is totally a thing. This toner combines rose and calendula hydrosols for the ultimate soothing treatment for inflamed skin. It packs a dose of hyaluronic acid to keep your skin cells hydrated.

Calming Lavender Mist from Kora Organics
Now here’s a skin care gem that calms both your skin and your mind, giving you twice the power in conquering your breakout. Lavender and bergamot water calm skin while relaxing your mind with refreshing scents.

3. For spot treatment

Can’t resist popping those pimples? You’re better off rubbing a spot treatment over them whenever you get the urge to touch them! Osmia Organics offers a convenient roll-on Spot Treatment that’s perfect for targeting pimples around your nose, mouth, and other hard-to-reach spots.

You can also easily create your own formula with lavender oil and a bit of your favorite carrier oil, such as argan oil and jojoba oil. Apply 1-2 drops of pure lavender oil to a spoonful of the carrier oil, or 10 drops per ounce.

As with using other essential oils for acne such as tea tree oil, be sure to use low concentrations since the essential oils are highly potent. People with sensitive skin or dry skin will want to stick to premade versions of lavender oil products to treat acne instead. Lavender oil for acne is a powerful home remedy that’s now found its way into beauty products. Now that’s a big win for clean beauty!