From cute dates to special pictures to important interviews, there are many reasons to want to get rid of blackheads fast so we can look and feel our best. Stubborn blackheads are caused when natural oil production from the skin combines with skin debris or keratin, and pores are left open to the environment. The open pore causes oxidation to occur, which is why it looks black! Whatever you do, don’t pick at it: you could damage your skin or introduce further infection into your pores.
Since blackheads are caused by skin debris and excess oil, it’s best to begin the process of getting rid of your blackheads fast with some light exfoliation. Products such as microbead exfoliating cleansers are often packed with harsh chemicals that could further irritate your skin. On the other hand, a natural sugar scrub generally contains a lot of oils, however natural those oils may be. Both irritation and added oil could make the situation worse, so best to steer clear. I recommend some gentle dry brushing, which is a safe and natural way to exfoliate your skin. Just remember that being too rough with your dry brushing can damage and irritate your skin, so keep your brushing on the soothing side.
After exfoliating, you will need to rinse away all of the dead skin that you just brought up from your dry brushing. As I just mentioned, oil is one of the two things that is clogging your pores, so using a mild soap or oil-free cleanser will be your best bet here so as not to add to the problem. Just remember to use warm water to gently rinse and cleanse during this step. Water that is too hot can damage and dry out your skin, while cold water can cause your pores to contract due to constricting blood vessels, neither of which would help to get rid of your blackheads!
Now that you have exfoliated and cleansed your skin, you are prepared to open up your pores. If you want to get deep into those pores in order to extract whatever it is that’s clogging them up, it is really important not to skip this step. If you’re in a pinch, just stand in a steamy shower for a few minutes to take advantage of the steam. As long as you don’t stand in the direct stream of super hot water, which could dry out and damage your skin, a few minutes of steam will do you good. If you feel like putting a little more effort in, try doing an herbal steam over the stove or a bowl of steamy water with a lavender, orange, lemon, or eucalyptus infusion. An herbal steam will help you to feel pampered and relaxed, as well as help to relax your pores.
Now that your pores are open, you’re ready to apply your mask so you can actually get rid of those blackheads. A simple clay mask will have very few ingredients, one of them probably being bentonite clay. You want a clay mask for this step because it will draw the debris out of your skin as it dries and hardens, which is the only way to get rid of blackheads safely. Remember, choose oil-free and uncomplicated products. If you are able to find a package of dried clay powder intended for external use, you can just mix it with water until it becomes a paste and then spread it all over the area you want to cleanse. Feel free to do your whole face, neck etc. It’s natural! You can remove the mask with warm water once the clay has dried and you can’t move your face anymore. This should take 20 minutes or so.
After you remove the clay mask with a rinse of warm water, it’s important to seal your pores up a little, especially since you did all that work to open them up and clean them out. No one wants to get rid of blackheads only to create more. Remember, when you use cold water it will constrict your blood vessels, which will close your pores. To take advantage of this, rinse you face with cold water a few times so your skin is protected again. This step is important because it should help to make sure your pores are closed, that way you won’t have to get rid of blackheads again.
You can skip this step if solution, tonic, or toner isn’t part of your normal routine, but many people include a solution or tonic in their skincare routine because they find it helps them. Plus, it’s fun to have a few lotions and potions! I recommend you try to find something labeled as soothing as opposed to a product engineered for clearing. Products marked soothing will generally be less harsh, and you don’t want to over care for you skin. A skin tonic or toner works great here, too, or a combination of solution, tonic, and toner, as long as they’re gentle.
A gentle moisturizer will help the skin to absorb the tonic, as well as restore the moisture to your skin’s biome after the clay mask removed all of your natural oils. Don’t skip moisturizer because you’re afraid of oils now after this article. The skin will naturally produce oils, and it is your job to support and monitor that process. Plus, moisturizers create a barrier between your skin and your environment, which is beneficial after this little get rid of blackheads skincare routine. Just remember to go gentle and natural whenever possible.
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