Household Cures For Skin Irritation

Treating irritated skin can be as easy as looking through kitchen cabinets. Many commonly found household products treat skin just as well, and sometimes even better than, pricey store-bought products. Best of all, these products are accessible, easy to use and, generally speaking, less expensive than their store-bought counterparts.

Acne

Irritation, including infection, swelling and redness, often accompanies an acne breakout. An easy, home facial can resolve some of the symptoms, as well as help skin to heal. To begin with, determine the areas sensitivity. If the sensitivity is mild, acne sufferers may benefit most from an aspirin exfoliating mask. Aspirin's active ingredient is a close cousin to the beta hydroxyl acid used in acne face peels, salicylic acid. For those who have more sensitive skin, they can use a baking soda exfoliating mask.
For the aspirin mask, dissolve 3 to 4 full strength (325 mg), uncoated aspirin tablets in about 1 teaspoon warm water until it forms a paste. If using coated aspirin, acne sufferers will need to crush the tablets first. Then they can apply the paste to the affected area and leave it on for 15 minutes. After it dries, they can wet their fingertips and gently massage the mask over their skin. This will help to loosen any blackhead plugs that may remain. Rinse well and pat dry.
To make the baking soda exfoliating mask, combine 3 parts baking soda with 1 part arm water to form a paste. Gently massage this over the affected area. Rinse and pat dry.
Follow the exfoliation with a honey mask. Honey offers both anti-microbial and healing properties. Studies have shown that manuka honey, a mono-floral honey from New Zealand, offers even greater benefits than other honeys. To make the mask, thin the honey with a small amount of warm water and spread over the area. Leave for 15 to 20 minutes. Wet fingertips with water and massage over the area. Rinse fully and pat dry.

Itchy Skin

A lavender bath can soothe all-over, itchy skin. Janice Cox, in her book, "Natural Beauty from the Garden", recommends a bath that combines 1 cup of dried, English lavender, 2 cups oatmeal and one-half cup baking soda, all of which have soothing properties. Place the ingredients in a blender and grind until smooth, and then store them in a clean container. Users can fill a bathtub with warm water and sprinkle one-half cup of the balm into bathwater as the water rises. Soak for 20 minutes.

Sunburn

When sunburn happens, it remains important to treat skin as quickly as possible. While the extra "color" might look nice, Cleveland Clinic reports that sunburned skin, when viewed under a strong microscope, shows damage to cells and blood vessels. To take away the immediate heat and burning sensation, wet a cotton ball with white vinegar and apply it to the affected area. If skin hurts too much to touch, pour the vinegar into a spray bottle and spray over skin. Repeat as needed. To calm burning skin, place an aloe vera stalk in the refrigerator or freezer for about 30 minutes. Slice the stalk lengthwise and scoop out the gooey gel inside. Apply this to the affected area. If skin has become blistered or in too much pain to touch, users can mix the aloe vera with enough water to make it fluid. Then they can pour the mixture into a spray bottle and liberally spritz over the affected area. Repeat as often as needed.