9 Natural Cleansers For Clear Skin

After a long day at work, your skin care regimen almost definitely includes cleansing with a facial cleanser. Cleansing is important to rid your skin of dirt and pollution and allow it to breathe. The more you tend to neglect this basic step, the more skin issues you will develop. If you do not want to use chemical-based or commercial cleansers, head to your kitchen and make use of natural, everyday ingredients to cleanse your face. Here are eight natural cleansers that can make your skin soft, smooth, and radiant.

Top 9 Natural Cleansers For Clear Skin

There are so many ancient homemade organic skincare remedies that help you get clean, glowing skin. Marianna Blyumin-Karasik, a board-certified dermatologist, says, “Rose water mists and toners are good short-term refreshers to mildly cleanse the skin while balancing the pH and hydrating the skin. The other benefit of rose water is to reduce skin redness and irritation and provides natural aromatherapy to amplify the sensual aspect of skin care.”

She adds, “Besan or gram flour is a well known Ayurvedic natural skin ingredient with many skin-boosting properties. One of the integral benefits is removing skin impurities while enhancing exfoliation.”

Let’s take a look at the best natural cleansers for clear skin.

1. Chickpea Powder And Turmeric

Chickpea flour has been traditionally used as a base for skin purifying face packs. The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of turmeric powder can help lighten any dark spots on your face, boost acne treatment, and leave your skin feeling cleansed and fresh (1).

You Will Need 

• 2 tablespoons of chickpea powder
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• Milk

What You Have To Do

1. Make a paste using the ingredients listed above and apply it to your face and neck.
2. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and wash off thoroughly with water.

How Often Should You Do This 

Do this at least twice a week.

2. Milk

Milk is an effective facial cleanser and makes your skin soft. It contains compounds that can improve skin barrier function (2). This, in turn, improves skin radiance and overall skin health.

You Will Need 

• Salt
• Milk

What You Have To Do

1. Make a facial cleanser using milk and salt.
2. Apply this to your face and neck using a cotton ball.

How Often Should You Do This 

You can do this once or twice a week.

Quick Tip

You can add mashed strawberries to milk for skin detoxification and exfoliation. Let it sit for about 10 minutes after scrubbing and wash off with warm water.

3. Cucumber And Curd

Curd soothes the skin. The bioactive compounds in cucumber can help eliminate age spots and blemishes and provide skin rejuvenation (3). This can leave your skin feeling moisturized and healthy.

You Will Need 

• Fresh cucumber
• 2-3 tablespoons of curd

What You Have To Do

1. Blend the cucumber and
2. add a few tablespoons of curd to form a thick paste.
3. Apply this paste to your face and neck and leave it on for 10 minutes.
4. Wash it off with plain water.

How Often Should You Do This 

Apply this paste once or twice a week.

4. Honey

Honey exhibits emollient, humectant, and soothing effects. It not only provides skin hydration and slows down wrinkle formation but also regulates your skin’s pH (4). This makes your skin look young and glowing.

You Will Need 

• Fresh milk
• 2-3 teaspoons of honey

What You Have To Do

1. Make a thick paste by mixing milk and honey.
2. Apply this paste to your face and neck.
3. Leave it on for 30 seconds and scrub your skin lightly.
4. Pat your face and neck dry.

How Often Should You Do This 

You can use this cleanser 2-3 times a week.

5. Oatmeal Facial Cleanser

Colloidal oatmeal is an amazing facial cleanser. It possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help eliminate dryness of skin (5).

You Will Need 

• 1 tablespoon of buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon of oatmeal
• Honey

What You Have To Do

1. Make a fine paste by mixing all the ingredients.
2. Apply this paste to your face and neck and scrub gently in circular motions.
3. Wash off with plain water.

How Often Should You Do This 

Do this once a week for clear skin.

6. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains lauric acid and possesses moisturizing properties, thereby eliminating dryness of skin and promoting clearer-looking skin (6). The oil can also help you with makeup removal and double cleansing if you do not want to use micellar water.

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon yogurt

What You Have To Do

1. Mix all the ingredients to get a thick mixture.
2. Apply it to your face and leave it on for about 15 minutes.
3. Rinse off thoroughly.

How Often Should You Do This

Do this 2-3 times a week.

Quick Tip

You can add 1-2 drops of essential oils like citrus, lavender, or rosemary to this blend to benefit from their skin-protective and antimicrobial properties.

7. Yogurt

Yogurt contains lactic acid that helps with skin brightening, moisturizes your skin, and helps alleviate dry and dull skin (7).

You Will Need

• 1-2 tablespoons of yogurt
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

What You Have To Do

1. Mix yogurt, honey, and lemon juice in a bowl.
2. Apply the mixture to your face and neck.
3. Rinse your face after 15-20 minutes.

How Often Should You Do This

You can do this once a week.

8. Lemon

Lemon contains ascorbic acid that, as research shows, can help eliminate excessive pigmentation and blemishes from your face (8). This improves your complexion and makes your skin clearer.

You Will Need

• 1 ripe lemon
• Cotton pad

What You Have To Do

1. Extract the juice from a lemon and dab a cotton pad with it.
2. Apply this to your face and neck and leave it on for 10 minutes.
3. Rinse thoroughly with water.

How Often Should You Do This

You can do this 1-2 times a week.

Caution: Do a patch test before trying this remedy as lemon might irritate the skin. Also, do not step out without applying sunscreen as lemon juice makes your skin photosensitive.

9. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has antimicrobial properties and contains acetic and malic acids (9). Research suggests that acetic acid has a low pH and may help inhibit bacterial growth (10). Malic acid, on the other hand, is known for its exfoliating properties (11).

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons of water
• 1 cotton ball

What You Have To Do

1. Mix the apple cider vinegar with water to create a diluted solution.
2. Dip a clean cotton ball in it and gently apply it all over your face and neck.
3. Leave it on for 5 minutes.
4. Rinse it off with warm water and pat dry.

How Often Should You Do This

You can do this 1-2 times a week.

Caution: Always perform a patch test before using any apple cider vinegar face cleanser as it may irritate the skin.

Aloe vera is another natural ingredient with skin benefiting properties. Marianna Blyumin-Karasik, a board-certified dermatologist, says, “Aloe vera is an excellent botanical skin care ingredient integrated into many skin cleansers. It has cooling, soothing, and healing skin benefits, and as a skin adaptogen, it enhances skin balance and brilliance.”

Doro Cubillo, a beauty and lifestyle vlogger, tried cleansing her face with oil and found incredible results. Her skin became softer and shinier than before. She says, “I really like the results, my skin looks very clean and it feels very glowy (i).”

Infographic: DIY Cleansers For Healthy-Looking Skin

Do store-bought foaming cleansers not work for your skin type? Why not create your own natural face wash, then? These cleansers are made with natural ingredients that offer many benefits to your skin. And, they are easy to create!

Check out the infographic below for some natural cleansers that will leave your skin glowing and smooth.

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Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you flush toxins from your face?

You can do this by cleansing and exfoliating your face regularly. You can also use any of the remedies mentioned above to make sure your skin is always fresh and healthy.

Should I wash my face with soap or just water?

Washing your face with soap ensures better removal of impurities. However, excessive use of soaps can strip your skin of the natural moisture and oils. Moderation is key.

What should we apply on our face before bed?

You can apply a light moisturizer that is non-comedogenic. It should moisturize your skin without clogging the pores. Instead of rubbing the moisturizer, use your fingertips and knuckles to do a simple facial massage to help it get absorbed into the skin.

When should I cleanse my face?

You should wash your face twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, to remove all the dirt and grime that has accumulated over the day. However, if you are not up for it, you can wash your face once a day in the evening.

What is the difference between face wash and cleanser?

Both a face wash and a cleanser help cleanse your skin. However, a face wash is foamy and deeply cleanses your pores, while a cleanser has a creamy, gel, or watery texture that helps dissolve any excess grime or dirt from your face.

Which is better: soap or cleanser?

A cleanser is better because it is gentler on your face than a soap (which is harsh and can strip your skin of its natural oils).

Is rose water a cleanser?

Yes, rose water is considered a cleanser due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that protect the skin against free radicals and reduce acne (12), (13).

What comes first after cleanser?

A moisturizer must come first after a cleanser to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. At night, you can also use a toner or serum before it for extra skin nourishment.

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

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Discover how to cleanse your face using only water! Check out this video to learn how to keep your skin feeling fresh and clean without using harsh chemicals.

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Dr. Zeel GandhiBAMS

Dr. Zeel Gandhi is an Ayurvedic doctor with 7 years of experience and an expert at providing holistic solutions for health problems encompassing Internal medicine, Panchakarma, Yoga, Ayurvedic Nutrition, and formulations. She graduated as a top ranker from Dr. D.Y.Patil College of Ayurveda and Research Centre , Navi Mumbai, and is a specialist in Panchakarma therapies. She believes that Ayurveda...more

• Dr. Marianna Blyumin-KarasikMD, FAAD

  Dr. Marianna Blyumin-Karasik, MD, FAAD, practices cosmetic, medical and surgical dermatology. As a board-certified dermatologist, she takes care of variety of skin conditions. She is also a cosmetic expert in many skin procedures, including acne treatment and scars correction, skin cancer removal, neurotoxins (Botox, Dysport), fillers, laser and energy procedures, and others.
  
  Dr. Marianna Blyumin-Karasik, MD, FAAD, practices cosmetic, medical and surgical dermatology. As a board-certified dermatologist, she takes care of variety of skin conditions. She is also a cosmetic expert in many skin procedures, including acne treatment and scars correction, skin cancer removal, neurotoxins (Botox, Dysport), fillers, laser and energy procedures, and others.

Shaheen NaserHealth & Wellness Writer

 

Shaheen holds a postgraduate degree in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology from Bharathiar University. She is a Geneticist with proficiency in Biotechnology, Immunology, Medical Genetics, Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Genetic Counseling. Her passion for writing and her educational background have assisted her substantially in writing quality content on topics related to health and wellness for over three years. In her free...more

Anjali SayeeAssociate Editor

Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy. She has taken it upon herself to show...more

Swathi ESenior Beauty & Lifestyle Writer

Swathi has a postgraduate degree in English literature from The English And Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and over two years of experience in writing on health and lifestyle. She also has a diploma in English journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Kottayam, and is a certified skincare coach. She writes on skin care and aims to present well-researched...more