One of the top properties of many essential oils happens to be that they are often a wonderful natural antiseptic and anti-bacterial agent. This makes them the perfect alternative to the often-toxic antibacterial agents we find in so many commercial personal care items.

Soaps, washes, hand sanitizers, and household cleaners are just some of the common products that advertise antibacterial capabilities. Especially in the new world we find ourselves in, antibacterial and antiviral products are at an all-time high demand.

Bacteria: One of the Primary Culprits of Acne

Let me preface this by saying I suffered all throughout my teens with acne, as well as many of the years between my twenties and thirties. So I was always looking for something that would clean my skin and kill acne-causing bacteria without drying it out or irritating it.

Too often I would begin using a new anti-acne face wash or soap, some even recommended by dermatologists, only to find irritation and dryness on the other end. My skin isn’t particularly sensitive, however I do have combination skin. It’s not an entirely oily skin type.

So I really needed to be careful with the products I was using. Excessive dryness and redness undermines any sort of progress a product makes against acne since it defeats the purpose of the improvement in the skins appearance. That's where these powerfully antibacterial essential oils come in. They kill acne-causing bacteria without the harsh drying effects that other topical chemicals can tend to have.

Now On to it : The Best Naturally Antibacterial Essential Oils

Lavender- Lavender may be an even more potent antibacterial agent than the more well known “acne killing oil” – tea tree oil. Lavender is more expensive typically, but it really does have some excellent properties for killing acne bacteria. In addition, lavender essential oil possesses calming properties since it is also anti-inflammatory.

This aids in the redness and irritation that often goes hand in hand with acne prone skin. Lavender is not only calming when used topically in properly diluted ratios. It also has incredibly calming effects on the mind and even can increase focus when inhaled.

Lavender is one of the most often duplicated scents in products because of its reputation for having this calming, peaceful effect on the mind. This is one of my favorite oils to use on my face in form of the Antibacterial Acne Soap we make here at Aura Sensory. It’s nondrying and really helps keep breakouts at bay.

Tea tree oil- This native Australian oil has a very pungent scent and is a very powerful bacteria fighting weapon. I’m actually personally not a huge fan of its scent, however its antibacterial properties more than make up for this shortcoming. We use this potent antibacterial oil in our Natural Deodorant Balm (we add clean smelling lemon oil to aid in odor protection as well as help make this a more pleasant “lemon tea” like scent) and in our Antibacterial Acne Soap. Tea tree oil is used most commonly as an antiseptic and astringent (which can also help to smooth the skin and seal the pores) as well.

Rosemary oil- Rosemary oil is just now being discovered as another option for helping to fight blemish causing bacteria. This oil also has a very pungent, earthy aroma which seems to be the case with most of the most potent antibacterial essential oils. Related: Can Rosemary Oil Help with Radiation Detoxification?

Rosemary is one of the most naturally plentiful “weed plants” in dry arid climates, but the oil itself is priced on the higher side. Probably due to the volume of raw material and effort required to produce the end product.

This suggests that it is these potent scent compounds that may also be responsible for giving the oils their properties. The clean woody smell goes really nicely with lemon oil or grapefruit oil, and the two make an awesome smelling, antibacterial powerhouse duo!  Related: Rosemary Oil for Concentration and Stress Relief