Beauty Advice #5 Blackheads

Hey everyone! It's Ivy, and this topic was a request from a comment left on one of my journals, so I thought why not cover this! I used to have problems with blackheads, so if you have blackheads, I know where you're coming from. They're such a pain! So here's a bit of information and advice on blackheads!

What Causes Blackheads?

Black heads are really tiny dark spots on the skin, which are caused by a small plug, clogging the pore. What seperates blackheads from whiteheads is that the contents of a blackhead is actually a solid, while whiteheads consist of liquid. Blackheads come from hardened oils.

Like any other type of acne, you are going to want to take the same basic preventive measures like making sure you wash your face at least twice a day, using good moisturizer, and using a facial mask about once a week. For more information on basic acne, feel free to check out my acne journals in the links below.

Acne Part I

Acne Part II

Acne Part III

Blackheads are not the average acne, they are a lot harder to get rid of than whiteheads and other acne. Here are my solutions.

Solutions

*Exfoliate! exfoliation is key to getting rid of blackheads, and there are special face washes and scrubs that you can buy to exfoliate your skin. The brand of face wash I use for my skin is St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub this stuff is amazing, and they have it for almost any skin type! It's won awards from so many places such as Teen Vouge, allure, Glamour, and more. It treats blackheads EXTREMELY well.

* Read the Labels! when you're buying your skin products, check to make sure it says Blemish and Blackhead Control on the label. It's very important because most standard facial cleansers don't treat blackheads.

*Green Tea! a weak green tea rinse is great for treating blackheads, so rinse your face with it in the mornings! It also helps energize skin! BONUS! :D

*Peeling Masks! masks that dry on to your face are great because they pull out oils and dirt from your skin and then rinse away. Using a peel-off facial mask once a week will help both prevent and treat blackheads!

*Cold Water! rinsing with cold water after washing your face closes your pores so dirt and oil won't be able to find its way into your pores, therefore no clogging, and no blackeads!

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NOTE: while cold water closes pores, warm and hot water opens them. So when you are washing your face, use warm water when applying the cleanser, and cold water when you are rinsing it away!

I really hoped this helped you, and that you learned something on how to treat and prevent blackheads! Again, this journal was written upon request, so I am always open to requests from you guys about anything on health and beauty (just remember, I'm not a doctor so don't put my advice above anything your doctor says! Your doctor is number one!)

Also, I plan on making a journal about my Top 5 and Bottom 5 makeup brands and skin care brands, so stay tuned for that, because that should be up sometime in the very near future!

Thank you so much for reading, I love hearing your great feedback and I hope you have a happy and healthy day! :)
January 3rd, 2012 at 10:32pm