Thyme Tincture for Blemishes

I don't have clear, beautiful skin. I'm natural in most areas of my life & health but still my skin has blemishes. In the past I've gone the traditional dermatologist route of antibiotics and prescription cremes but I'm done with that now. I've been searching for more natural solutions* and so far thyme is one of my favorites.

A recent study found thyme is more effective on acne bacterium than prescription cremes containing benzoyl peroxide. I've tried those prescription cremes and they are expensive, very drying to to my skin and not very effective. When I read about making your own thyme treatments on Crunchy Betty I was ready to experiment.

I had organic thyme in my pantry that I recently got from my CSA and dried myself. I followed these simple steps using just witch hazel and dried thyme to make my own thyme tincture.

Thyme Tincture

Sterilize a small bottle by boiling it in water for 10 minutes. Dry well.

Add 1 Tbsp dried thyme to the bottle.

Pour 4 Tbsp witch hazel over the top. Shake well.

Within 20 minutes, the witch hazel will start to look like a light brown tea. I used it right away but continued to let the thyme steep in the witch hazel for a few days before straining the thyme out.

Pour your tincture onto a cotton ball or pad and rub over blemishes. I use it daily before bed.

Store it in a cool, dark place for up to a month.

My thyme tincture before I strained out the thyme leaves

Here's an interesting article explaining that it's still early days for thyme as an acne treatment. While it's too soon to know how effective it is for everyone I'm finding for myself that it's just as effective as the prescription stuff on me. I love the smell when I rub it on my face. It reminds me of Italy and fresh from the oven pizza. Yum!

I recommend making your own thyme treatment to try on yourself!

*For more natural acne treatments I highly recommend the e-book Crunchy Betty's Food on Your Face for Acne and Oily Skin.