Eating better is one way to clear up skin problems. Drinking Kombucha can help with that. But there’s another way Kombucha is good for your skin, and that’s topically. In fact, you can use Kombucha skin care right on your face, or even a SCOBY!
Can Kombucha help acne?
As with most Kombucha Benefits, a combination of anecdotal evidence and newly emerging research is all that is available right now. But there are good reasons to believe that Kombucha is good for your face or any skin on your body.
The low pH of Kombucha and especially Kombucha Vinegar makes it a natural astringent. This can act like a mild Kombucha face peel, removing dead skin cells and leaving the skin softer.
And biofilms like the Kombucha SCOBY are used for medical applications where substitute skin or a suitable healing layer is needed, such as for burns or after surgery.
If it’s good enough to heal those kinds of injuries, it’s no wonder the cosmetic industry is responding.
But rather than pay top dollar for commercial Kombucha skin care products, make your own at home and have a Kombucha Spa Day with family, friends, or just to spoil yourself!
Here are 5 easy recipes you can try at home.
**Note: If you have sensitive skin, test on a small section of skin before applying to your face.
Kombucha Skin Care Recipes
Simple SCOBY Face Mask
- 1 SCOBY culture
- some fermented Kombucha tea (KT)
Place SCOBY and just enough KT to create a paste (about 1/4 – 1/2 cup depending on the size of your culture) in the blender and pulse until smooth. A raw egg or almond oil may be added to act as a binder.
Apply to face – it will have a chunky, applesauce type texture to it so it may not go on evenly – that’s OK. Allow it to remain on the face 5-15 minutes. Then wash off. I find its best when I can lay down and relax for these few minutes while the masque is on my face.
If you like, you may also add Aloe Vera (THRIVE, AMZ), Vitamin E oil (AMZ) and essential oil (THRIVE, AMZ) (just a few drops for fragrance) for added benefits. Experiment until you find your perfect recipe.
Taking time to relax while doing your face mask rejuvenates the mind & the body.
Kombucha Clay Masque
- 1 tablespoon kaolin clay (AMZ)
- 2 teaspoons Kombucha Vinegar (KV)
- *variation 1 teaspoon KV, 1 teaspoon rosewater (THRIVE, AMZ)
Mix together the clay and KV until you’ve formed a paste. Apply to the face and allow to dry. Rinse & pat dry. *Substitute 1 teaspoon of KV for rosewater if additional anti-aging benefits are desired
Whole SCOBY
Place an entire culture directly on your face (no it will not suck your brains out!). It will pull circulation to the face which regenerates skin cells.
The pH will create a mild acid peel which sloughs away dead skin and the cellulose structure creates nano-structures which help to fill in fine lines and wrinkles.
Keep a towel handy to catch the drips. Laying prone will prevent the culture from slipping off.
You could store this same culture in a separate jar just for your facial regimen, otherwise compost after use – do NOT use cultures that have been on your face to brew Kombucha.
Facial Toner
- 2oz Kombucha Vinegar (KV)
- 2-4 drops essential oils*
Combine fermented KT & a few drops of essential oil in a glass jar. Apply with a cotton ball. Store in a cool, dark location.
For best results, make small batches. Tightens skin and shrinks pores.
*suggested oils for beauty – lavender, geranium (THRIVE, AMZ), frankincense (THRIVE, AMZ), ylang ylang (THRIVE, AMZ), clary sage, chamomile, neroli
Adding a cup or two of KT to your bath not only softens the skin, but removes soap scum from the tub.
Hair Tonic
- 8 oz Kombucha Vinegar (KV)
- 1 handful fresh herbs – rosemary (THRIVE, AMZ), mint (AMZ), lavender (see chart on this page for options – or see the chart in The Big Book of Kombucha on page 318 for more suggestions)
*OPTIONAL To help control dandruff, add 1- 2 drops of tea tree oil (THRIVE, AMZ)
Add fresh herbs to a bottle (THRIVE, AMZ) or jar. Cover with well fermented KT (don’t want any sugar residue in your hair). Allow to sit for 3-5 days. Strain out herbs and store tightly capped in cool, dark location.
Use as the last rinse before leaving the shower. Squeeze excess from hair but allow it to remain in the hair.
The smell will quickly fade when it dries. Comb hair through to remove tangles. Leaves hair soft and shiny and prevents excess oil.
My Daily Kombucha Skin Care Routine: Kombucha Soap
Ever since I found out about Kombucha soap, I’ve been hooked. Check out this post about it plus a Kombucha Soap Recipe here.
It is the only soap that I use because it gets me squeaky clean with no soap scum.
Plus it contains active Kombucha culture which leaves my skin soft and smooth without drying it out.
We don’t actually make the soap as it is a bit complex. But we have a great partner that does, so we get to use it all the time! 🙂
You can get your own Kombucha soap in a Single Bar or Discounted 3-Pack. Made with eco-friendly, organic ingredients.
Patricia Garcia
April 18, 2020 at 9:04 amOk,I tried it. I put scoby directly on my closed eyelids because my eczema had flared up around my eyes and nothing else helped. It did tingle, I wouldn’t call it burning because I know what burning feels like from all the eye creams I’d try that I had to quickly remove again. This was a different, tolerable sensation. I kept it on for 20 minutes. Of course, I couldn’t just open my eyes after I took them off because I didn’t want the kombucha in my eyes so I walked with my eyes closed to the sink, luckily I’m good at that. Washed my face. At first, my eyelids and under eye felt rough. I put on my eye cream that I made (shea butter, beeswax, coconut oil, almond oil) like I always did. But this time, I could see and feel a difference. I just repeated it a few days later and I love this spa at home! This next time I actually put a large piece on my neck because I have an eczema breakout there as well. I can see and feel a difference.
If you are going to try on your eyes, definitely be careful as I feel the kombucha in your eye could burn. I’m not a doctor, so proceed at your own risk.
Susan Morgan
October 8, 2019 at 2:52 pmI just made the Kombucha soap – can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Hannah Crum
November 4, 2019 at 8:55 amLet us know how it turns out!
Ariel
August 18, 2019 at 4:04 pmHi! So I did the whole Scoby face mask. Put 3 small scobys on my face (one on forehead, one one each cheek). Burned a little so I took off after 6 minutes. Rinsed face, toned with witch hazel, and moisturized with green pastures beauty balm. Face was barely red and skin felt lovely.
Then for a VERY unpleasant reaction…I got a headache, nausea, sweats, lightheaded, thought I was gonna vomit, and then did get diarrhea…wow! Has this happened to anyone else? It happened within minutes. Lasted about 45mins and still feel a lil funny now a couple hours later. I felt perfectly fine beforehand…I’m thinking I had a very strong detox reaction. I’m gonna try the scoby face mask again because as far as my skin goes I really liked the effect, but I want to see if it was a coincidence or what is going on. Will do it at a more convenient time just in case though (I had friends arrive at my house right as I was feeling the worst).
Am really curious if anyone else has experienced something similar.
Hannah Crum
August 22, 2019 at 3:15 pmEvery BODY is different. This is the first we’ve heard of a topical application leading to such a reaction. Seems unlikely but anything is possible. Trust YOUR gut – let us know if it happens again or if it was just a coincidence.
Amber
November 25, 2018 at 7:11 pmHey! I made the simple scoby cream (4-6 oz scoby 1/4 cup KT and some jojoba oil).
It’s working wonders on my skin! But once I rinse it off my face is red and warm to touch for about 10-15 minuets. Is this due to the acidity in the kombucha? Or a negative reaction?
**It also stings when I put it on my sons ezcema (it’s healing his skin!) and I hate for him to be uncomfortable. How can I mask the sting??? Thought about trying the clay recipe so maybe the clay will help soothe
Thanks so much. Love all y’all do!
Amber
Hannah Crum
December 1, 2018 at 1:03 pmHi Amber – what you are experiencing is normal – as the culture pulls circulation to the surface of the skin, it will feel warm and be a little red – as you’ve probably noticed, it does dissipate fairly quickly. I think your idea of adding clay to the cream will help soothe the sting a little but remember, medicine isn’t always “sweet” or easy to tolerate – iodine, rubbing alcohol, etc always have a little burn before they soothe. Let us know how it helps your son’s eczema.
Stacey
January 24, 2019 at 7:46 pmI use KT daily for my eczema. It has made a huge difference. When I brew my KT I set aside a bottle in the refridgator just for my eczema. I put it on a dry wash cloth and pat the area. The coldness from the KT being refridgerated is soothing.
Laura McNeill
September 28, 2017 at 7:57 amHi
This looks great does KT mean kombucha tea?
Hannah Crum
June 27, 2018 at 8:35 amYes – here is a glossary of Kombucha terms –> https://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombucha-glossary-definitions-terms
Rosita Chua
June 23, 2017 at 5:17 amHello Hannah, I tried using KT as a hair tonic for the first time. As instructed, I used it as a final rinse and left it on. It left my hair so tangled, I can’t even pass thru with a comb nor a hair brush without hurting. Do I use a hair conditioner first and rinse it out and only then will I use the KT and leave it on?
Also, when using a whole scoby for a facial mask, do you rinse it out with tap water after use before returning it to its jar?
Hannah Crum
May 17, 2018 at 10:02 amThanks for your feedback. Everyone’s hair is different so finding the routine that works best for you may take some tweaking. You could use the hair tonic first and then end with conditioner. The Kombucha Hair Tonic will remove any buildup from your hair gently without washing out all of your natural oils. Then condition the ends so its easy to manage. When I’m done with the SCOBY for my face mask, I usually just drop it right back in its own jar with Kombucha vinegar – if it looks low, I’ll top off with some fresh Kombucha and let it sit about a week.
Marlen
May 7, 2017 at 12:22 pmSo, if you use the whole scoby on your face as a mask, do you avoid the eyes area or not?
Hannah Crum
May 3, 2018 at 5:34 pmThe SCOBY doesn’t press against every part of your face unless you do so with your fingers. You may either cut eye holes or let it be present more loosely over the eyes. The Kombucha could sting the eyes if any gets into them but won’t damage them in any way. In all the many face masks I’ve enjoyed, I just keep my eyes closed and then rinse with cool water to avoid stinging.
Adrienne
April 19, 2017 at 10:15 amThe feeling of this SCOBY mask is nice: the acidity makes it tingle and the culture itself is cool to the touch. It also has a nice fermented sweet tea smell (kambucha). I have one on right now. Once I’m done, I plan to store it in a glass holding jar with enough tea to keep it hydrated! Thanks to the tips on this page, I’ll also be storing some in my bathroom for a daily toner and pouring a bit in the bath to clean scum. This is the most fun I’ve had on a creative adventure, bc of how many uses there are for Kambucha and it’s lovely little cultures 🙂 Thanks to all who contribute to this community.
Laura
August 2, 2015 at 4:44 pmCan you please explain the benefits of the Kombucha mask? I’m looking for facial fat recovery. Would it help with that?
Thank you!
Hannah Crum
August 3, 2015 at 12:14 pmKombucha applied topically benefits the skin and speeds healing of wounds while reducing inflammation. Might be nice and soothing while recovering from surgery. Let us know how it works for you!
Sky
April 24, 2015 at 9:41 amHi
After using a Kombucha SCOBY on your face, would you keep it in a 1inch brew to use for next time, or keep it as is in no liquid? Does it need to be rinsed off before storing?
“You could store this same culture in a separate jar just for your facial regimen, otherwise compost after use “
Hannah Crum
May 1, 2015 at 9:23 amWe always want to store the cultures in enough liquid to prevent total evaporation for the starter liquid is important for maintaining the integrity of the brew. The most important thing to remember is that you don’t want to use a face culture for brewing for sanitary reasons.
Susan
March 14, 2012 at 10:04 amThanks for such great ideas…silly me read it “Kombucha SOUP”…hmmmm