Bothered by acne scars on your skin? There are several ways to get rid of them. The most common option is buying a pharmaceutical cream.
They may help to reduce the scarring but many come with unwanted side effects. If you don’t want to come into contact with all those chemicals there are plenty of natural alternatives. One of the best is essential oils.
They may work more gradually but they are just as effective without causing any adverse side effects. And as a bonus they benefit your skin in several other ways such as reducing fine lines and wrinkles, treating sun damage and reducing acne breakouts.
But not all essential oils are effective at getting rid of acne scars. For best results you should use those that are known to help with skin repair, skin cell regeneration and skin healing. Most of these essential oils will have powerful anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties.
As long as you use them properly essential oils are generally safe even for sensitive skin. But it’s always a good idea to do a patch test to test for sensitivity to certain oils. If it doesn’t cause any reaction you can go ahead and use it.
Best essential oils for acne scars
After comparing different essential oils, their proven benefits and user reviews here are some of the best essential oils for acne scars on the UK market.
1. 100% Pure Rosehip Oil, 120ml
Rosehip oil is one of the most popular essential oils for anti-aging. Its ability to smooth over fine wrinkles, plump up crepey skin and get rid of age spots is unmatched.
This 120ml bottle of pure Rosehip oil is 100% organic and cold-pressed to preserve its quality. Just apply a drop or two on the acne scars every day.
After a few days the scarring will be less noticeable. Your skin will also feel smoother and softer because the oil is also an excellent natural moisturiser.
As it moisturises it also deploys various other natural ingredients to protect your skin while erasing the scars.
These include carotenoids to boost skin regeneration, omega-6 to tackle skin inflammation, pro vitamin A to boost collagen production to increase skin elasticity, vitamin E to act as a protective anti-oxidant and vitamin D for all-round protection especially against skin conditions like acne.
What we like about it:
- Great natural moisturiser.
- Effective at clearing acne scars.
- Powerful natural anti-aging treatment.
- Ideal for all skin types.
2. Pure Neroli Essential Oil, 30ml
This is an essential oil derived from the bitter orange tree native to Southeast Asia (the same tree used to make marmalade).
While it does have a few allergens, Neroli oil is mostly non-irritant and does not cause sensitivity. This makes it great for all skin types.
This 30ml bottle contains pure 100% organic Neroli essential oil that has been harvested and prepared with great care to preserve its quality and healing power.
The oil is best known for its antioxidants which work to heal acne scars and promote collagen production. With more collagen your skin’s elasticity increases and fine wrinkles and scars disappear or become less noticeable.
Just apply a couple of drops on a damp cotton ball and rub it onto the affected areas. You can also use it in a facial steamer by adding 1 or 2 drops to the water.
What we like about it:
- Potent skin-healing and anti-aging treatment.
- Good for all skin types.
- 100% pure Neroli oil from a trustworthy company.
3. Lavender Essential Oil, Therapeutic Grade, 118ml
One reason lavender essential oil is so popular is because it’s potent yet so gentle on your skin. It is also one of the most versatile essential oils used for everything from aromatherapy to treating high stress levels and even insomnia.
When applied on the skin, lavender oil uses its antibacterial and antiseptic properties to treat acne and acne scars. It can also help with sun burns, age spots, eczema and many other skin conditions.
Basically, if there is one essential oil you’d want to be stuck in a desert island with, it’s lavender.
This 118ml bottle by Majestic Pure contains pure Bulgarian lavender essential oil with no additives at all. Remember to do a patch test to make sure you are not sensitive to it before applying it on your face.
What we like about it:
- Pure premium-quality lavender essential oil.
- Wide range of skin benefits – not just for acne scars.
- Gentle on different skin types.
4. 100% Organic Carrot Oil, 15ml
Like the carrots it is derived from, carrot oil is rich in beta carotenes as well as vitamins A and E. These are powerful ingredients in skin healing and rejuvenation. They help reverse damage caused by acne, aging and sun exposure.
Through its powerful moisturizing and rejuvenating action, carrot oil leaves your skin smoother and without any trace of scarring. It can also help reduce appearance of fine lines and age spots.
It’s especially great for dry skin but is gentle enough for use on all skin types.
Because it’s very light and gets absorbed quickly, this 15ml bottle will last quite a while. You can massage it directly onto your face or mix it with your skin care products.
What we like about it:
- Non-greasy and light – leaves skin feeling silky smooth rather than oily.
- Excellent moisturiser especially for dry skin.
- Effective at treating acne scars and other skin conditions.
5. Sandalwood Essential Oil, 10ml
You might be more familiar with sandalwood as a common ingredient in perfumes thanks to its musky, woodsy aroma.
But it’s also great for the skin. It boosts skin healing, treats skin inflammation and soothes dry patched skin.
This small bottle is 100% pure and organic. Make sure you dilute it first with a carrier oil (1:15 mixing ratio) before applying on your skin to avoid irritation. You can also add 4-5 drops in your bath or 1-2 drops in your facial steamer or diffuser.
What we like about it:
- Smells great.
- Good for all skin types but is especially helpful for dry skin.
- Clears away acne scars, sun burns and other signs of skin damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is essential oil safe for face?
Essential oils are naturally made, using various different plants to create concentrated oils that are used for health purposes, cleaning, and for making your home smell nice. But are they safe to slather all over your face? Well, yes and no.
It IS safe to use essential oils for your face, but you have to take care with the concentration, and what types you use. You can choose the right essential oil for your face, and dilute it with a carrier oil or a little water.
Some oils, notably Thyme, Oregano, Cinnamon and Clove oils can be irritating to the skin even in small doses, so you need to pay extra care to dilution when you are using these oils.
It is always sensible to do a patch test when using any product on your face for the first time, to check that it doesn’t react with your skin, before you spread it all over your skin.
2. How do you mix essential oils for skin?
For use on the skin, it is recommended that essential oils are diluted till they are between 3-5%. The only exception to this is Lavender, which can be used undiluted on the skin as it is such a gentle oil.
You can use either water or a carrier oil for your dilution (if you are using water then you will need to shake the final mixture well to combine the two liquids). Suitable carrier oils include Apricot, Sweet Almond, Jojoba, Avocado or Grapeseed.
These oils are gentle, and do not have much of their own smell, so you can use them to dilute your essential oil. If you are wanting to use an essential oil on your face, then you should dilute it to 3%.
You can do this by taking 1 teaspoon of carrier oil, and add three drops of essential oil. If you are making a larger batch then simply scale up the amounts so that you still have a 3% solution.
3. What essential oil is best for acne?
There are a few different oils that are useful for acne, both the active spots and to deal with the scarring that can be left.
- Tea Tree. This is your go-to acne treatment; tea tree is antiseptic and cleansing, and it can fight against all kinds of bacteria, including those on the face that cause outbreaks.
- Grapefruit. This oil is rich in vitamin C, which is good for the skin and for removing blemishes. This oil is also anti inflammatory and antibacterial, which makes it perfect for the types of skin conditions that cause acne.
- Rosemary. This oil is excellent for the skin, as it tones and boosts circulation. It is also very good for combating inflammation, which is excellent for skin which is prone to acne.
- Lavender. This gentle essential oil is one of the only ones that can be used undiluted on the skin. It is anti inflammatory, and can really help the appearance of acne scars.
- Patchouli. This oil is ideal for the scars left behind by acne break outs. It is very good at regenerating damaged tissue and for stimulating cell regrowth. It is also antibacterial and anti inflammatory, and is very suitable for skin that is over the age of 35.
