This article has been syndicated to Her Campus from Fashion Food Fotos, an InfluenceHer Collective member. Read the full post here.
Blackheads have been an issue for me for as long as I can remember. As soon as I was old enough to know that faces had pores, and that sometimes pores had dirt, I became borderline obsessed with fighting the oxidized sebum buildup known as blackheads. For me, draining a pore is as satisfying as popping bubble wrap. Sorry if that depiction grosses you out, but it’s true. Figuring out how to get rid of blackheads was my mission every night after brushing my teeth. My extractor was my friend, and the constant redness on my T zone let everyone know it. Eventually, I was lucky enough to develop even more skin issues (dry, sensitive skin, hormonal acne, you name it) and knew I needed a skin care makeover. After months of reading, research, and talking to professionals, I’ve finally admitted that I needed to throw out my extractor and deal with my clogged pores in a more delicate way. Below, I’ve compiled a list of the best 7 tips I have on how to get rid of blackheads.
Oil cleanse first
Using an oil cleanser isn’t just great for removing makeup, it can also help loosen the dried out sebum in your pores (AKA blackheads). I know it seems counter intuitive to rub oil all over your face when that’s the very thing you’re trying to get rid of, but remember that oil and water don’t mix! How can you get that oil out of your pores when it naturally repels the water you’re washing your face with? Exactly. I use pure Jojoba Oil as my first cleansing step, since it is chemically very similar to the sebum your pores, and therefore is better at “mixing” with the blackheads and cleaning them out. Be sure to do your research when buying an oil cleanser, there are a lot of brands that have “oil cleansers” that “rinse clean” that are actually not made of oils at all, but synthetic ingredients that are meant to feel like an oil before you add water to it. While these cleansers are great for breaking up makeup, they don’t serve the purpose we are looking for here.
Steam
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