"How to get rid of blackheads?" is a common question that is asked by millions of people every year. The occurrence of annoying blackheads is usually the result of an excess accumulation of sebum and dead skin cells. Known as an oil that is produced by the sebaceous glands, sebum is primarily responsible for keeping skin healthy, but an overproduction of this oil can cause blackheads.
Despite common belief, blackheads are not caused by dirt. When the excess of sebum and dead skin react to oxygen, these impurities turn black, giving blackheads their color. Before the impurities are exposed to air for long periods of time, blackheads are originally white or yellow in color.
Another misconception about the skin is that you can shrink your pores. Since pores are not actually muscles, they cannot technically open and close. Home remedies like lemon juice can encourage your skin to contract so that your pores appear smaller.
The best way to prevent your pores from enlarging is to prevent impurities from remaining on your face. In addition to home remedies, one item that may reduce the appearance of blackheads is a pore strip. A pore strip is composed of adhesive and gauze. Similar to a waxing strip, a pore strip can be placed on your face and then removed after a few minutes.
The purpose of the pore strip is to pull out dead skin cells and sebum from your pores. Although this beauty tool does not necessarily prevent blackheads from occurring, the strip will remove them once they have appeared. In the long run, pore strips save you time and money. These effective homemade beauty tools will also protect your face because you won't be applying harmful commercial adhesives on your skin.
Below is detailed information that describes how to remove blackheads.
Face Masks
Egg White Mask
Most people are aware that the popular masks that are usually found in spas can make your skin look and feel beautiful. One simple home remedy to reduce the appearance of blackheads can be made with egg whites. When applied as a mask, egg whites have been shown to temporarily tighten pores. Because of the egg whites' rich moisture, this mask can hydrate the skin better than other home remedies for blackheads.
Materials:
- Eggs
- Towel
- Small bowl
- Facial tissue
Directions: Mix the egg whites in a small bowl. Upon rinsing and drying your face, apply the egg whites remedy to your skin. Afterward, place a strip of facial tissue on the area and wait until the skin dries. Then apply another layer of remedy over the tissues.
Applying the third layer is recommended but not required. When your face begins to tighten, slowly start to peel the strips of facial tissue from your skin. Rinse your face and then apply moisturizer.
One tip to keep in mind when using this remedy is that the egg whites must dry completely before removal.
Bentonite Clay Mask
Another homemade remedy that is often considered a mask is bentonite clay. For many years, bentonite clay has been acclaimed for its healing properties. In fact, this common home remedy is frequently used to treat many skin conditions.
The uniqueness of the clay lies in its electrically-charged molecules. When these molecules are wet, they can successfully remove impurities that do not belong in your pores. The remedy may also play a role in improving circulation and promoting a beautiful skin tone.
Materials:
- Bentonite Clay
- Water
Directions: Pour the bentonite clay in the bowl and then add water to the container. The remedy should form a thick paste. Apply the bentonite clay to your entire face using clean hands.
Let the clay stay on your face for at least 15 minutes. Finally, remove the clay with warm water and dry your face. Don't forget to apply moisturizer.
Green Tea Face Mask
Since green tea contains powerful antioxidants and phytonutrients, the leaves will make a great mask. The ingredients in the tea will work together to deep-clean and rejuvenate pores, which ultimately removes blackheads from your skin.
Ingredients:
- Brown sugar
- Lemon juice
- Green tea
Directions: In order to make successfully this effective home remedy, begin by brewing the green tea with many loose leaves. Following the brewing, let the tea cool to room temperature.
Finish creating the remedy by mixing the tea with brown sugar and lemon juice. The best green tea mixture will have 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and 1/2 a teaspoon of lemon juice. The mask should remain on your face for a minimum of 15 minutes after application.
Rinse the mask off your face with warm water, and splash cold water on your skin to close your pores.
Almond Face Mask
One of the best-kept secrets regarding homemade skin care remedies is that crushed almonds can make an excellent face mask. Known as gentle exfoliators, almonds have demonstrated great success in removing germs, oil, and dead skin cells from pores.
On the other hand, probiotic yogurt may play an important role in tightening large pores and eliminating free radicals. The combination of probiotic yogurt and crushed almonds will make a potent face mask that can destroy the germs that are causing blackheads.
Ingredients:
- Almonds
- Probiotic yogurt
Scrubs and Exfoliants
Sugar Scrub
A luxurious scrub is also commonly found in an upscale spa. Fortunately, you can make this remedy for blackheads in the comfort of your own home. A homemade sugar scrub can be used to remove the dead skin cells that could be enlarging your pores and causing prevalent skin ailments like acne, whiteheads, and blackheads.
Materials:
- Sugar
- Jojoba oil
- Essential oils
- Glass jar
Directions: Start making this homemade remedy by combining four tablespoons of oil with 1 cup of sugar. Although jojoba oil is recommended, good substitutes are grapeseed, olive, or sweet almond oil.
If you would like your scrub to have a light fragrance, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. After wetting your face, use your fingertips to rub the scrub on your skin in a circular manner. When you are finished, rinse your face with warm water and then apply moisturizer.
This sugar scrub can be used two to three times a week. The remedy can be stored in a cool and dark location in your home.
Baking Soda Exfoliant
A home remedy created with baking soda as the main ingredient can also be used as a gentle scrub or exfoliant. The ingredient's super fine granules are perfect for removing any impurities that may be clogging your pores.
Ingredients:
- Baking soda
- Water
Oatmeal Scrub
Oatmeal is another gentle exfoliant that can relieve a number of skin problems including blackheads and irritated skin. The nutrient-rich grains contain great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can loosen pores, reduce irritation, eliminate dead skin cells, and remove excess oil.
When you use this home remedy regularly, your complexion may be clear in no time.
Ingredients:
- Oatmeal
- Distilled water
Directions: Prepare the oatmeal by following the directions on the back of the packet. The oatmeal should be made with distilled water to ensure that there aren't any contaminants in the mixture.
Once the oatmeal is cooked, apply the remedy to the blackheads after the oatmeal cools to room temperature. Allow the remedy to remain on your face for twenty minutes. Rinse your face with lukewarm water. This simple oatmeal remedy can be applied to your face once a day.
Strawberry Face Scrub
A homemade strawberry face scrub is one of the best-smelling skin care products for your face. This remedy is made with strawberries and lemon juice, which are ingredients that contain alpha hydroxyl and salicylic acids. These acids are known to manage oil production, remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and prevent blackheads. The strawberries' leaves can be added to the remedy as well because their abrasive nature enhances their exfoliant properties.
Ingredients:
- Strawberry
- Honey
- Lemon juice
Directions: The strawberry face scrub is best created by first grinding the strawberries. The next step is to mix the strawberries with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of honey.
For about two to three minutes, apply the strawberry mixture to your face in a circular motion. Complete the skin care routine by rinsing your face with lukewarm water.
Orange Peel Face Scrub
The Orange Peel Face Scrub contains powdered orange peel, which is an ingredient rich in vitamin C, citric acid, and calcium. These powerful nutrients are perfect for controlling oil, extracting dead skin cells, and removing impurities trapped deep inside pores.
Ingredients:
- Orange peel powder
- Olive oil
Cornmeal Exfoliant
Often referred to as a gentle abrasive agent, cornmeal has been known to remove blackheads from the nose and chin. The remedy works by exfoliating dead skin cells and removing dirt from clogged pores.
Ingredients:
- Cornmeal
- Lemon juice
- Tomato pulp
- Honey
- Rose water
Natural Pore Strips
Cinnamon & Honey Strips
As a long-term home remedy for preventing the formation of the bacteria that cause acne, cinnamon and honey is the perfect pair for removing any substances that may be clogging your pores. In addition, cinnamon has been known to stimulate blood flow and promote optimal circulation to encourage glowing and healthy skin.
Materials:
- Cinnamon powder
- Organic honey
- A few cotton strips
Directions: Mix together enough honey and cinnamon powder to cover the area of your face that has blackheads. Once you apply a thin layer of the paste on the targeted areas, apply a cotton strip over the paste.
After three to five minutes, remove the cotton strip and then rinse the paste from your face. Apply moisturizer to your clean face.
Honey and Milk Pore Strips
The unusual homemade skin care remedy of honey and milk pore strips is great for removing blackheads. While honey has many antibacterial properties, the main beneficial ingredient in milk is lactic acid. These two essential ingredients work successfully together to create healthy skin. The ultimate goal of a honey and milk remedy is to create an adhesive solution.
Materials:
- Organic honey
- Milk
- A few cotton strips
Directions: Prepare this simple home remedy by combining one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of milk. The next step is to warm the mixture in the microwave for five to ten seconds. Make sure that the ingredients are mixed thoroughly when you remove the remedy from the microwave.
When the mixture cools, gently apply the remedy to the problem areas. Next, firmly place a couple of cotton strips on the blackheads. After twenty minutes, peel away the cotton strips and rinse your face with water. Lastly, moisturize your face.
Facial Toners
Apple Cider Vinegar & Mint Toner
A toner made with apple cider vinegar and mint is a great solution for avoiding blackheads on your face. The mint has properties that will cool and tighten the skin, while the apple cider vinegar will work to remove the substances that are causing the blackheads.
Since an inflamed blackhead is usually associated with clogged pores, the menthol in the toner has been shown to control the inflammation of the area near the blackhead that is swollen and irritated.
Materials:
- A few cotton balls
- Water
- Apple cider vinegar
- Mint leaves
Directions: The first step to creating an apple cider vinegar and mint toner to get rid of blackheads is to crush and/or chop the mint leaves. After you have chopped about three tablespoons of mint leaves, place the vinegar and the mint in a small bottle. Store the bottle in a cool and dark location for one week.
Once the solution has been stored for seven days, strain and add a cup of water to the toner. The toner can be applied with clean cotton balls after rinsing your face with water. The solution can remain on your face for a few hours or even overnight.
Just remember to use the toner only at night, and to apply a moisturizer afterward. The apple cider vinegar and mint toner can be kept in the refrigerator for about six days.
Lemon Juice
Along with an apple cider vinegar and mint toner, another great home remedy for unclogging pores is lemon juice. The regular application of lemon juice will substantially decrease the size of your pores since the solution contains astringent substances.
In addition to minimizing pore size, lemon juice has the potential to lighten skin temporarily. Knowing this effect of the toner, make sure that you wear sunscreen when using this home remedy in the summertime.
Materials:
- A lemon
- A few cotton balls
- A small bottle
Directions: A lemon juice toner is probably one of the easiest home remedies to make to get rid of blackheads. Simply squeeze the juice into a small bottle. Place a few drops of lemon juice on a cotton ball and then apply to affected areas after rinsing and drying your face. In order to receive the most rewarding results, use a lemon juice toner 3 to 4 times a week at bedtime.
Following your night’s rest, apply moisturizer to your face. The lemon juice toner can be placed in the refrigerator for about six days.
Lifestyle Changes
Exercise
According to research, participating in regular physical activity can help reduce the appearance of blackheads, as the liquid from the sweat will naturally flush any particles that are clogging your pores. A few examples of excellent physical activities include going for a run, walking around the neighborhood, or attending a hot yoga class. Although exercising is a great way to produce sweat, relaxing in a steam or sauna room has been shown to produce similar results.
Materials:
- Water
- Exercise equipment
- A clean towel
Directions: Before beginning your exercise routine, make sure that you thoroughly rinse your face. If you leave on any cosmetics, like foundation or blush, the sweat is likely to carry the ingredients from the makeup into your pores.
The next step is to engage in physical activity for at least thirty minutes. After you have produced enough sweat, don’t forget to rinse your face with water again.
Facial Steaming
This effective blackhead removal technique enables trapped sebum and dead skin cells to be removed from the skin's pores more easily. After engaging in this skin care routine regularly, you will never have to wonder how to get rid of blackheads again.
Materials:
- Water
- A big bowl
- A soft towel
Directions: After pouring boiling water into the bowl, place a soft towel over your face and lean over the container for 10 to 15 minutes. As the steam from the water touches your face, your pores will slowly begin to loosen.
The steaming process can be completed by rinsing your face with warm water to remove the blackheads. When your face feels clean, proceed to dry the area gently with a towel and then moisturize as usual. This effective steaming process can be repeated often throughout the week.
Water
One of the best and easiest ways to prevent blackheads is by simply rinsing your face with water often throughout the week. The purpose of this daily blackhead removal cleansing is to reduce the size of your pores by removing excess sebum and dead skin.
Materials:
- Water
- A soft towel
- Moisturizer
Conclusion
After reading this comprehensive guide, you will never have to wonder how to remove blackheads again. Most blackheads are found on the nose and cheeks, but many people have them on other parts of their body, including their back, chest, arms, shoulders, and neck.
Along with the build-up of sebum and dead skin cells, blackheads can also be the result of improper skin care, stress, hormonal changes, genetics, birth control pills, certain cosmetics, and propionic bacteria. In addition to regularly using some of these home remedies, you can also manage blackheads by drinking plenty of water and green tea, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, changing pills regularly, applying water-based cosmetic products, and washing your hair and face frequently.
Although these are great ways to reduce the onset of blackheads, factors like sun exposure, genes, and age may influence the size of your pores and the occurrence of excess sebum and dead skin cells. In order to combat these factors, consider using the home remedies for blackheads listed above. Instant results are not promised, but you should notice a change in your skin's complexion with frequent usage.
