Tea tree oil is extracted from the Australian tea tree, and many users say that they like the airy, natural smell (it certainly smells nicer than a tube of Oxy). Tea tree oil can be applied straight to a blemish as topical medicine, but pay attention to how your skin feels: while tea tree oil may be easier on skin than lemon juice, it may still cause irritation.

As with any natural acne medicine, if the tingling turns to burning, rinse your face with cool water, and pat dry.[relatedarticles}

Garlic

This delicious, if stinky, bulb may be one of the best acne fighters around, but the jury’s still out on how best to use it. What’s more, there are no formal studies to support most garlic enthusiasts’ claims.

Still, we know that garlic contains allicin, which is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals, which are unstable atoms or molecules that take electrons from other atoms or molecules. This may cause damage to cells and other structures.

A study published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Vereology suggests a possible link between free radicals and skin inflammation. Though evidence of any direct link between acne and free radicals is not available, some speculate that antioxidants, like those found in garlic, may play a role in acne control.