Acne Wash Ingredients

• The lavender of the face wash may come from a lavender essential oil, pure lavender tea or lavender flowers. Lavender essential oil used externally on the skin must be a therapeutic-grade organic essential oil. If you choose to use lavender tea or lavender flowers for your acne face wash, use organic lavender tea or organic lavender flowers.
  
  Witch hazel extract has strong astringent and antibacterial properties that tighten pores on the skin, reduce oozing or pus associated with acne and cleanse the face of any bacteria that may be contributing to the acne. Use a quality witch hazel extract that contains 86 percent witch hazel and 14 percent alcohol.
  
  If you have especially sensitive skin, use a rose water base in your acne face wash instead of a witch hazel extract base. Rose water has mild astringent and anti-inflammatory properties that will provide skin-soothing benefits; rose water is exceptionally gentle to the skin and may be applied to facial skin irritated by eczema or rosacea as well.
  
  Lavender essential oil, tea or dried flowers, quality witch hazel extract and rose water may be available in some local health food stores or through Internet retailers.
  
  

Application

• In a one-quart glass jar mix 3 cups of witch hazel or 3 cups or rose water with 1 oz. of lavender essential oil. Use a cotton pad to apply the wash to your face at least twice a day. You may also mix 2 tbsp. of the wash in a small bowl of warm water; dip a washcloth in the bowl and wash your face with the mixture.
  
  If you are using lavender tea or dried lavender flowers in your acne wash, soak 6 tea bags or 1 cup of lavender flowers with 3 cups of witch hazel or 3 cups of rose water in a 1-quart glass jar. Leave the glass jar in a cool, dark place for two weeks and shake the jar at least twice a day. At the end of the two-week period, remove the tea bags or strain out the herbs and then use the wash as described above.
  
  Store your acne wash in a cool, dark place. Witch hazel and rose water acne wash combined with lavender essential oil will last up to one year; an acne wash made with lavender flowers or lavender tea will last up to three months.