Homemade Blemish Stick

We’re entering the teen years at my house, which means we’re dealing with things like zits for the first time. We’re lucky to have good skin in our family, but even the occasional zit can be cause for teen drama. And drama, it’s something I try to avoid. Time to find a solution.

Since I try to steer clear of harsh chemicals, that meant most commercial products were out. Burt’s Bees sells a blemish stick, and I’ve heard good things about it, but it sells for almost $8, and when I looked at the ingredients, it contained several essential oils that are considered unsafe for kids. As much as I love Burt’s Bees, that gave me pause.

So, I did what I often do: I invented my own solution. And now that I know how easy it is to make a blemish stick, I’m really glad I didn’t pay $8 for one. Here’s what you do.

How to Make a Homemade Blemish Stick

What You’ll Need:

Witch hazel
Tea tree essential oil
Orange essential oil
A 10 ml glass roll-on bottle

You’ll find witch hazel on the first aid aisle of any drug store or big-box store. I buy my oils and roll-on bottles online (usually from Amazon). Go with a dark-colored bottle. It’ll protect the oils from sunlight.

What You Do:

Fill the roll-on bottle with witch hazel. Then, add one drop of tea tree oil and one drop of orange oil. Shake to combine. This will give you a 1% dilution rate, which is what most essential oil books recommend for kids. If you’re making this for yourself, you can use two drops of each oil to create a 2% dilution.

Be sure to label your bottle, so you remember what’s in it.

To Use:

Just swipe the little roller ball over your blemish, and repeat daily, or a couple times a day, until it’s gone. I recommend shaking the bottle before each use, so the oils have a chance to distribute throughout the witch hazel.

Why This Works

Witch hazel is an extract made from the leaves and bark of the witch hazel shrub. It is often used as an astringent, a facial cleanser and to sooth skin irritations, like zits and bug bites.

Tea tree is an essential oil with anti-bacterial properties. It helps to kill the bacteria in clogged pores.

Orange oil is an antiseptic, and is also used to soothe inflammation.

A Word of Caution

Orange oil causes sun sensitivity, so it’s best to avoid direct sun exposure for 12 to 24 hours after application. Tea tree oil can be a skin irritant for people with sensitive skin. Test your reaction to any essential oil before applying it liberally.

And please do your own research about essential oils before trying anything knew. Essential oils are popular right now, so there’s lots of bad information on the web. I’ve done my best to share uses that I deem safe, but only you can decide what’s right for you and your family.

Other Oils to Try

Tea tree oil and orange oil work well for acne, but they’re far from the only options. Try eucalyptus, juniper, lavender, lemon, grapefruit or rose geranium oil instead. If you already have any of these in your essential oil collection, start there. There’s no need to buy something new.