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February 10, 2021

17 Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Acne and Pimples

Little bit of lemon (or vinegar)

To help clear out clogged pores, simply dab some lemon juice right on your pimples. The acid will help dissolve the oil that keeps them around. You can also use vinegar, but lemon juice smells nicer!

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An aspirin a day keeps acne away

Did you know that the bottle of aspirin you’ve got at the back of your medicine cabinet is a powerful pimple popper? Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory drug, and its active ingredient is similar to salicylic acid, which is used to treat acne. To harness aspirin’s anti-acne properties, simply crush up a tablet or two and combine with enough water to make a paste. Apply it to the blemish and allow the paste to dry, then rinse off with cool water. Your skin will look great, and you won’t have had to spend an extra cent for a fancy pimple cream!

Obviously, avoid using aspirin to treat acne if you’re allergic!

Milk of magnesia mask

On the off chance you don’t have any aspirin around, you can also try using milk of magnesia. (Yes, the same stuff used to treat constipation or upset stomach.) Just dab it on affected skin like a mask. Allow to dry, then rinse it off with warm water. Not only does milk of magnesia absorb excess oil, but the zinc it contains also helps heal pimples.

Chamomile–witch hazel toner

For acne-prone skin, try this antioxidant-rich toner. Brew a strong cup of chamomile tea, allowing the bag to steep for five minutes or more. Allow the tea to cool, and mix in an equal amount of witch hazel, a powerful astringent that can be found at most drugstores. Apply the toner to clean skin with a cotton ball and rinse after 10 minutes. The leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Special blackhead buster

For blackheads, mix together 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Spread the paste onto skin and allow to dry, then rinse off with warm water. This wonderful smelling toner will prevent acne, get rid of blackheads, and tighten your pores!

RELATED: 4 Common Skin Problems and How to Deal

Banana peels for pimples

As we shared in our post on the many uses of a banana peel, you can rub the pulpy side of the peel right on your face to help get rid of pimples.

Acne attacker

Got a pimple problem? Don’t head to the skincare aisle of the drugstore just yet—not only are those treatments costly, they also contain tons of chemicals that your skin does not need. Instead, reach for a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. This common (and cheap) over-the-counter antiseptic is a miracle-worker on acne. It kills the pimple-producing bacteria living in your skin and oxygenates your pores to prevent new bacteria from setting up shop. First, wash your face with soap and water to remove dirt, oils, and any make-up. Gently pat dry. Then soak a cotton ball in peroxide and dab it over any blemishes or apply it all over your face. Let sit for about two minutes, or until the peroxide stops bubbling, then rinse off with water and apply oil-free moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated.

Experiment with what you’ve got in your pantry and see what works best for your skin.

DIY pore strips

Here’s an affordable alternative to commercial pore strips, which help keep skin clear and free of pimples. Mix together 1–2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin with equal parts milk, and heat until warm. Spread this mixture on your skin, and allow to dry completely. You will be able to peel it off in strips, removing blackheads in the process!

Glue pore strip

Here’s another cheap and easy DIY pore strip: white glue like Elmer’s. Spread a thin layer on the problem area (avoiding the eyes), let dry, and peel away. It works on blackheads, and it’s actually pretty fun!

Potato acne fighter

Sprouting pimples like they’re going out of style? Try this neat trick to clear up your face. Cut a raw potato in half and rub the flat end over your face. Leave the juice on for 20 minutes before rinsing off. The starch in the potato will help dry out your oily skin.

RELATED: Which Type of Potato Should You Use?

Nourish with nutmeg

This nutmeg-milk scrub provides a double-whammy of skin nourishment: Nutmeg works as an astringent, exfoliant, and anti-inflammatory (goodbye blackheads and acne), while the milk’s lactic acid works as a peel to eliminate dead skin cells. To make the scrub, combine nutmeg and milk until the mixture resembles a paste. After washing your face with a cleanser, massage the nutmeg scrub onto your skin in gentle circular strokes. Exfoliate for 5–10 minutes, then rinse.

Stop a zit in its tracks

If a giant pimple sprouts up at work or school, here’s a way to make it less noticeable without applying a face mask at your desk: Place an ice cube on it for 30–60 seconds, and/or place a few eye drops onto a tissue and hold it on the spot for 3 minutes. This will cause the blood vessels below your skin to contract, making the pimple less red and easing some of the irritation.

Honey for pimples

We love this all-natural remedy for skin blemishes—it’s easy, effective, and cheap! Simply apply a drop of honey on top of the affected area and cover with a band-aid. Honey is loaded with healing enzymes that kill bacteria and toxins, reduce inflammation, and moisturize the skin. So the next time your skin acts up, just reach into your kitchen pantry for some sweet stuff.

No ifs, ands, or butts

Who knew diaper rash cream could help get rid of pimples? Dab a bit on offending areas, and the zinc oxide in the cream will dry up oil and kill bacteria, while the moisturizers will soften your skin. Meanwhile, it costs less than most store-bought acne treatments with the same ingredients.

Tea tree + toothpaste

Fear you’re getting a pimple? Dab the offending spot with a little tea tree oil (available at many drugstores), then cover it with a bit of toothpaste. The tea tree oil is a great all-natural remedy with proven results similar to over-the-counter acne creams, and the toothpaste has an anti-inflammatory effect. Repeat three times a day for an ongoing acne problem.

If you have rosacea, avoid tea tree oil because it may aggravate your condition.

Bag those blemishes

Both chamomile and mint have anti-inflammatory properties, so try soaking a tea bag in water and then applying to your acne for a few minutes several times a day. You can also use green tea, which is both anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory. Supercharge this remedy by making ice cubes out of the tea! Chamomile, mint, and green tea work great, but you can also use hibiscus or even basil tea. Experiment with what you’ve got in your pantry and see what works best for your skin.

SEE ALSO: Who Knew's 5 New Uses for Used Tea Bags

Get rid of acne scars

Do you have acne scars or other dark spots on your face? Erase them with home remedies. You can use the enzymes in certain foods to help lighten them! Here’s a soothing mask to try. Stir together 1 teaspoon each lemon juice and honey plus 2 teaspoons plain yogurt in a small bowl. Apply to your face, and leave on for about 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

For more all-natural remedies from all around the internet, check out our Health and Beauty Tips board on Pinterest. 

The suggestions offered here are for informational purposes only.  The author and publisher do not accept liability for damages arising from the use, attempted use, misuse, or application of any of the suggestions included on this website.

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February 10, 2021

6 Fun, Inexpensive Ways to Revamp Furniture

FunInexpensiveWaystoRevampFurniture

Dresser Storage

If your country kitchen is running out of room, consider a dresser. Even though you’re used to bureaus being only for bedrooms, it can be a valuable addition to a kitchen for storing napkins, utensils, and more. Repaint the dresser in colors to match your kitchen and you’ll have guests asking where you got your newest piece of kitchen furniture.

Don’t Discard Dingy Dressers

If your furniture is weathered or out of style, that’s not necessarily a reason to replace it. There are plenty of ways to spruce up old dressers, chairs, and tables. Everybody loves quilts, so why not drape one over that old chair that needs re-upholstering? You can also try using colorful fabrics on the fronts of nightstand and dresser drawers. Just get some scrap cloth from your last project or from a fabric store, and attach it to the dresser drawers with a staple gun. To have even more fun with it, we like to paint part of the piece and color-coordinate it with the cloth we’re using.

Handled With Style

If your cabinets are getting old and worn, you can revive them just by replacing the knobs and handles. A good variety should be available inexpensively at your local hardware store. They’ll make your kitchen or bathroom look brand new!

A Gift for Decoration

Dress up an inexpensive set of plastic drawers by covering them in wrapping paper. Choose some paper you love (you can even pick several coordinating designs), and cut the pieces to fit the size of the drawers. Then spread a crafting glue/sealer, such as Mod Podge, on the plastic and smooth the wrapping paper onto it, being careful to eliminate bubbles. Allow to dry, and apply a coat of sealant on top. Not only does the paper look beautiful, but it also hides the contents of the drawers, making everything appear neat and tidy.

Matching Not Necessary

You’ve probably noticed this at the restaurants you frequent, but it’s becoming more and more acceptable nowadays—even hip—to eat your meals on vintage, mismatched chairs. Instead of spending a fortune on a dining-room set, go for the mismatched look and hunt for your chairs at thrift shops and used furniture stores.

Brighten Up the Bookshelf

If you’re looking for an easy, inexpensive way to add a pop of color to a room, look no further than the bookshelf. You can paint the interior back “wall” of the bookshelf a color that either contrasts or coordinates with your decor. It will add a modern touch for not a lot of money! 

Get more great tips on our podcast by subscribing on iTunes or Stitcher! You can also sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook for our daily tips!

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

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February 10, 2021

7 Budget Friendly Tips for a Room Makeover

Sometimes the need to redecorate a room doesn’t line up with when the budget allows for a full makeover. In those times, it’s good to have a few budget friendly ideas to spruce up the space. These seven tips are things that can be done even when funds are tight.

1 – Rearrange or Swap with Other Rooms

The most budget friendly thing you can do when redecorating is to look for inspiration from the other rooms in your home. Often times, especially in larger homes, there are pieces of furniture and other décor that could be moved from one room to another to make a free update to the space. If you are thinking about updating your master bedroom, consider using pieces from your office, the living room, and even the outside patio. Taking a piece from another room can provide just the change you are craving in the space you want to update.

2 – Paint Furniture

If you found a piece of furniture in another room that can work based on the shape and size, but it doesn’t quite match, consider painting the furniture. This is also a great option for updating old wood furniture that you’ve had in the room for years, or even furniture that you just found at a thrift store or rummage sale. Changing the color of furniture with spray paint is a quick and easy way to give it an entirely new look in less than a day’s time.

When determining if a piece of furniture can be painted, look for pieces that have good structure and very few flaws to the shape. When you paint, gouges and scratches can become more pronounced, so if you find a few imperfections, fill them with wood filler and sand them smooth before painting. If you are painting metal furniture, make sure to sand off any rust spots to ensure the rust doesn’t spread after you complete the makeover.

3 – Paint the Walls

If you want to make a bigger impact in a space, consider investing in a can or two of paint. Many rooms can be completed with one can of paint, but for more drastic color changes (like from white walls to dark blue walls or vise versa), you may need two cans to allow for multiple coats to get the walls fully covered.

If you don’t want to paint the entire room, consider painting an accent wall to give it a pop of color. If you have more time than funds, you can invest a few hours, a quart of paint, and a roll of painters tape into making a design on a wall instead. You might add a single stripe, a chevron stripe, or some free-hand circles around the room. You can get creative with the accent designs to make the room as fun as you want it to be.

4 – Have a Plan

One of the biggest things you can do to keep a makeover project budget friendly is to have a plan and a little patience. Think about it like this: if your car dies and you need a new car, you are at the mercy of the people who are selling cars at that exact time. If you are able to plan ahead on the purchase of your new car, you have significantly more bargaining power because you don’t NEED to purchase it immediately. You can wait for a better price to come along.

The exact same thing is true when it comes to purchases for your home. If you are determined to buy things on a certain day, you are at the mercy of what’s available on that exact day in the shops you can get to. If you’re able to instead plan the project, decide what you are going to look for, and then purchase when you find the items at the right price, you are in a much better position to find bargain pieces.

5 – Keep Your Eyes Peeled

Once you have your budget makeover plan in place, keep your eyes open for the perfect pieces everywhere you possibly can. Tour your neighborhood on the weekends to see if any of the neighbors are selling the perfect pieces on rummage sales. Search Craigslist and online rummage sale sites to catch when the items you need pop up for sale. Walk through thrift stores on a weekly basis and keep your eyes peeled for the perfect used items. And don’t forget to watch the clearance racks at your favorite stores to see what goes on super sale. I personally love walking through Target on the days they mark down their home décor items. It feels like a treasure hunt to find just the right throw pillows or wall art to fit my plan. When the items are on clearance, it’s an even bigger success knowing that I didn’t spend even close to full price on the perfect pieces.

6 – Change Light Fixtures

If you are handy, or you have a friend who is familiar with electrical wiring, you may want to consider changing out the light fixtures in your home to quickly update the space. Having light fixtures that are decades old often means that they are in an outdated style or finish, which can make the entire space look out of date. By swapping them out with an eye catching light fixture that you found on sale or at a thrift store, you can make a big impact change in that one item. One of my favorite stores to check for items like light fixtures is the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Many cities and towns that have a Habitat for Humanity program also have a Restore where they sell good quality home fixtures that have been removed from homes that were remodeled. It is a store where one man’s trash truly is another man’s treasure.

7 – Change Flooring

The final tip is definitely more hands-on, but can make a large impact in a room if you have just a little bit more money to spend and a weekend’s worth of time. Changing the flooring in a room can create a big change for not as much money as you are probably imagining.

Laminate flooring has come a long way in the last 5 years, and you can now buy a variety of great looking laminate flooring for less than $1/square foot. This lightweight, easy to install flooring can be printed with images of wood, stone, or other designs to give your room a totally new feel. Considering most bedrooms in homes are close to 12’ x 12’, that means you could change the flooring in a room for under $150.

If that is outside your budget, you still have options. Consider getting a large area rug to anchor the room. These are typically available at stores like Ross and Home Goods for $50 or less. Not only can they add a pop of color to your floor, but you can move them into new rooms if you ever feel like rearranging in the future.

Having a strict budget shouldn’t keep you from having a space that you love. For under $200 there are a number of quick changes you can make to your home. Mix and match a few ideas and you’ll be surprised at how quickly a little time and a few dollars can change the feel of your home.

Until next time, I’m the Domestic CEO, helping you love your home.

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February 10, 2021

8 Free Sleep Apps for a Blissful Night’s Rest

Whether it’s fear of getting sick, worry for a loved one’s health, job anxiety, the stress of juggling parenting and career in a pandemic, or all of the above, sky-high stress seems to be the new normal. While free sleep apps won’t solve your big-picture problems, they could help you fall asleep faster, so you […]

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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