Skin is often easily irritated and once those angry red imperfections have set up camp, they are reluctant to leave. If you’re prone to redness and irritation, here are some home remedies that are worth trying before bringing in the big guns.

• Consistent, good skin care habits are a good place to start. Be sure to wash your face with a gentle cleanser before bed each night and exfoliate regularly to remove dead skin cells and irritating bacteria.

• Add a cup of oatmeal to a warm bath. Oatmeal has long been used to quiet a number of skin ailments including rashes, insect bites, eczema, sunburn, poison ivy and chicken pox. Although unflavored instant, quick-cooking or slow-cooking oats can all be used (they are equally effective), it’s best to grind the oats into a fine powder using a blender or food processor before adding them to your bath.

• Give yourself a milk facial. Milk moisturizes, soothes and helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Add equal parts milk and water (about a half cup each) and apply to your face and neck. Rinse with warm water. For best results, milk your face twice a week.

• Add a bit of honey to that facial. A minor twist on the milk facial, honey can provide additional benefits. It has natural anti-bacterial properties that help to relieve burning and irritation.

• Apply Vitamin E Oil to irritated areas. Vitamin E is the superstar of healers. It adds moisture to skin while calming and soothing, and a little bit goes a long way.

• Use baking soda. Baking soda can also be used to help reduce redness and irritation. Because of its fine, hard texture, baking soda is an excellent exfoliant. It also has the ability to neutralize other acidic substances, thereby helping to reduce irritation. Mix 1/8 cup of baking soda with one cup of water. Soak a washcloth with the mixture and then apply over your face for 10 to 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

• Mix lavender, chamomile or arnica essential oils in your favorite oil or water. These essential oils work well to reduce redness and irritation. They can be used on all skin types and are gentle enough to not cause further irritation. Please note, however, that most essential oils should not be applied to skin without prior dilution in a carrier such as vegetable oil or water. Normal dilution is approximately 15 drops of essential oil to one ounce of carrier substance.

• Use aloe vera gel on angry, irritated areas. Aloe vera is a mild anesthetic, as well as antibacterial and antifungal. It soothes immediately. Natural properties in aloe increase blood flow to wounded areas and stimulate cells responsible for healing. If you purchase aloe vera gel, be sure it’s at least 98% aloe. Alternatively, keep an aloe plant at home. When in need of its calming effects, simply break off a leaf at the base, discard the bottom portion and apply the clear gel where needed.

If you aren’t into at-home remedies, try some of the products for skin irritations and redness or write in to our Ask the Expert for advice. We will return your email within 24 hours.