Acne is one of the banes of existence that you can never really get away from, no matter what. Most of us usually get it during adolescent years, when hormones are raging, bodies are changing, and peer pressure and stress are becoming part of daily life. It’s tough when you have to handle project deadlines and deal with acne at the same time.

It’s something we’d rather get rid of as soon as possible rather than wait for the adolescent years to pass and see if it disappears on its own. Thankfully, there are a lot of remedies available that can clear your acne or at least prevent more from showing up. And the best thing is that you don’t always have to run to the nearest drugstore for these; you can simply raid your kitchen cupboards to get great homemade acne remedies such as these:

Get a honey mask. Honey has been known to possess antibacterial properties and is an effective acne remedy on its own. Simply slather it on the affected areas or on your whole face like a mask, let sit for ten minutes, and rinse. Just be careful since the honey might drip after some time. You might also want to try mixing in some nutmeg, cinnamon powder or lemon juice for a more effective treatment.

Use baking soda. Make a thick paste using baking soda and some warm water, then apply the mixture on your face. Using your fingers, scrub gently to remove dead skin cells and clear up pores. Rinse immediately after scrubbing.

Another great remedy that has gained popularity is toothpaste. It works well on pimples and can make them disappear in a matter of days. Simply take some toothpaste (the paste kind, not the gel) and apply it on the zits. If your acne is only very light, let it sit for about half an hour only. If not, you can leave it on overnight. Remember to wash it off afterward. Take note, though, that this will definitely sting but that’s how you can feel it’s working.

Oatmeal is not just for cookies or a healthy breakfast. It’s also a good way to treat acne because of its absorbent property that can help remove excess oil. Just cook some oatmeal according to package instructions and let cool. Apply on the acne-infected area and wait until it becomes dry and crusty, then wash off thoroughly with lukewarm water.

Lemon juice is another great way to remove those zits. The citric acid it contains scrubs off dead skin cells and kills bacteria, greatly reducing acne and preventing more from flaring up. To apply the lemon juice, dip a cotton ball in the lemon juice and dab on acne spots. Pure juice might sting too much, though, so try diluting with water until the sting is bearable. Leaving it on overnight will produce the best results but if it hurts too much to keep it on that long, just rinse it off with cold water before going to bed.

If there are no lemons lying around the house, check if there’s vinegar. Any vinegar will do well as a substitute for lemon juice, although many prefer the apple cider kind. Just apply the vinegar in the same way as lemon juice. Diluting it is also recommended if the acid burns too much.

Been wondering what to do with those egg whites left over from a recipe that called for egg yolks only? Don’t throw them away just yet! Egg whites are protein-rich and make a good face mask that helps heal the skin, and can also be used as a great alternative to store-bought pore strips to remove those nasty blackheads. To use as a mask, simply beat the egg whites and apply in all areas of your face like you would with a mask. Leave it on for 15 minutes, and then rinse off. To use as pore strips, cut up some toilet paper or paper table napkins into your desired size and dip them in the egg whites. Make sure the egg whites are enough so they will stick properly. Apply the strips to your nose and other areas affected with blackheads and let them sit until they have dried up. Then, slowly pull the strips away from your skin to gently remove the blackheads. Rinse with cold water to close your pores and prevent other irritants from getting in.

In order to make these treatments really effective, keep in mind to always cleanse your face before every application. Warm water does a great job at opening your pores and making it easier for blackheads, oil and dead skin cells to be removed. Another important thing to remember is that different skins react to treatments in different ways.

What removes some people’s acne might not have results on others’ or might even aggravate the acne. If this happens, the treatment should be discontinued. It might take a little bit of experimentation to find out which of these homemade acne remedies are right for you, but a little more perseverance is always an affordable price to pay for better-looking, acne-free skin.

Here’s a video with 12 remedies you can do at home that might work for you: