How to get rid of blackheads?

I wash my face regularly with an acne system, I use non-comedogenic foundations so it won’t clog my pores, my acne is starting to go away but I still have blackheads to deal with.

For starters, give yourself a break. I know it’s been said over, and over again ladies, but we truly are our own worst critics! Take a step back from the mirror, it’s not as bad as you think. How many people throughout the day are staring at our faces the way that we do? Most people we walk by don’t even see our faces because they are caught up in what they are doing, thinking, forgetting.

Take a minute and gain a new perspective.

I was overwhelmed with my acne in high school and the better part of my twenties. When I started my direct selling business three years ago, I was desperate for anything that would clear up my skin and shrink my pores. Getting the product at a discount was an added bonus! Plus I would have the opportunity to share my secret with hundreds of other women who can also love their skin. How could I say no? I had tried so many different products before but this one just felt different. This wasn’t a company that just sprung up and might not make it. They had a satisfaction guarantee, tons of scientific research on each product, and over 50 years in business under their belt. I took a leap of faith to better my skin, myself, and the lives of others, and it was totally worth it! The appearance of my skin has vastly improved and I no longer feel like I’m constantly covering it up. I didn’t always feel this confident though, I promise!

I still fret over my skin, but as I’m approaching thirty with an amazing boyfriend who fell into my life after divorce, an 8-year-old daughter I adopted in my previous marriage, and a baby on the way, I am realizing that there are more important things. All off the blessings in my life were mixed in with unpredictable challenges. Life changes constantly and there is always someone out there who is dealing with way more than I can even think of right now. Or as I often say, things could be worse. At least I have time to worry about my blackheads, but let’s not linger on it.

The good news is, a lot of the same things used to treat acne will also treat blackheads. I already explained in a previous article what causes acne so I won’t go into too much detail. However, it is the dead skin cells and bacteria getting stuck in hair follicle pores which cause the black heads to form. White heads are very similar, except an open pore appears black and a capped pore appears white.

Did you know that you cannot actually change the size of your pores? Seriously, pores are pores. There is hope though, because you can change the appearance of your pores. The reason that pores look larger at times is they are filled with oil, bacteria, dead skin which stretch out the walls of pores. Once those pores are cleaned out, the walls can recover back to their original size and appear smaller. There are some formulas that can tighten the walls of pores effectively and leave smoother looking skin. Even the best solutions for making pores appear smaller will not work if you don’t first clean them out. Our two favorite acne fighting friends, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, are responsible for cleaning out dead skin cells and removing bacteria from pores. What else can be done?

Exfoliation is extremely important, not only for aging skin, but also to remove dead skin cells to prevent pores from becoming clogged. One tool that I love, love, love to use is a spinbrush with my daily facewash. It has been shown in clinical studies that a spinbrush will remove 85% more residue from your face than just washing with your hands. Plus, I love it because it feels like a spa treatment rather than a chore to wash my face. It might also be a great tool to convince the teenagers in the household to attempt a skin care routine. The nice thing about the spinbrush is that it is safe to use on any skin type. Some chemical peels or gritty physical exfoliating creams are amazing to use but can irritate open acne sores. The spinbrush is a safe alternative that can be used daily even on acne prone and sensitive skin. 

My next biggest secret to controlling my oil and acne is an amazing mask infused with charcoal and soothing natural extracts. I’m sure we have all seen those thick black masks advertised that you putty on and the peel off your skin like slowly waxing your entire face. This is not what I am referring to. My best advice is to stay away from anything that pulls and tugs on your skin. Gravity does enough to pull skin down as we age, let’s not help it along. My favorite charcoal mask gently pulls out impurities in the pores and then is just washed away with warm water. For more details, submit your e-mail or comment below and we will be in touch.

So what’s so great about charcoal? 

Activated charcoal is like a sponge to soak up all the impurities in your pores. Its porous quality allows it to absorb double its weight, so it is pretty powerful in cleaning out pores and reducing blackheads. Once pores are unclogged, not only is your skin ready to receive the rest of the skin care but your pores can appear smaller instantly. My favorite charcoal mask also includes kaolin and bentonite clays for extra absorption of excess oils; and honeysuckle and navy bean extracts to soothe skin and correct discoloration in skin tone. This power-packed product feels amazing and is great for any skin type.

One of the biggest keys to clear skin is consistency. If you are struggling to keep acne or lines and wrinkles under control, first ask yourself if you are using the right skin care line. Then, be honest now, are you actually using it consistently? I know I often get frustrated with my skin but when I look back on the week leading up to my big breakout I realize I really hadn’t been washing daily. The only one I can blame is myself. It’s normal to fall out of a routine, but when the little consequences start popping up on my chin and forehead, I give myself a little kick in the pants and get back to a regular routine. As women, we have enough stressors in life. Don’t let your skin be one of them.

Sincerely, Katie Ann.

#blackheads #smallpores #sincerelykatieann