If you’re still trying to figure out how to get rid of blackheads, and haven’t found much success, then you may be surprised that the best blackhead removal products may already be sitting in your refrigerator.
Take a tomato, for example. If you think that big juicy tomato in your fridge is only good for a garden salad or club sandwich, then think again! Packed full of nutrients like calcium, potassium, and magnesium, tomatoes have powerful ingredients that are good for your skin and overall health. Tomatoes are particularly beneficial for normalizing oily skin, helping to to prevent and clear blackhead and acne breakouts.
If the thought of eating tomatoes make you cringe, don’t fret! You don’t neccessarily have to ingest tomatoes to reap the wondrous benefits, as you can just apply it directly to the skin. The tomato is a natural astrigent, great for both cooling the skin and tightening pores. Rich in vitamins A and C, tomatoes brighten dull skin and encourages healthy skin production. Here a few blackheads home remedy recipes that you can start using right now to reap the benefits of healther skin:
Basic Tomato Facial
This recipe is especially good if you’re short on time. You will need one small tomato, cut in half. Rub the half on your face, and let the juice sit on your face for at least 5 minutes. Follow up with a cool water rinse.
Basic Tomato Cleansing Mask for Oily Skin
Extract the pulp from a ripe tomato. Liberally apply the pulp to your face and neck, allowing the to skin soak in the juice for 15-20 minutes. Immediately rinse with cold water to seal in the moisture and close the pores. You can also add honey to the tomato juice for additional moisturizing and anti-bacterial properties.
Tomato and Avocado Cleansing Mask
The combination of avocado and tomato is good for reducing oil, soothing and softening the skin. This recipe is recommended for those with combination or oily skin. Smash and mix a small ripe tomato and avocado. Once mixed, apply the mixture to your face, and let is sit for 20-30 minutes. Follow up with a tepid water rinse.
Tomato and Lime Pore Reducing Mask
Squeeze a tablespoon of tomato juice from a fresh ripe tomato, and mix this with 2-4 drops of fresh lime juice. Apply to the skin and let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with cold water to further shrink pores.
***Here’s another tip: If you’re out of tomatoes, but happen to have a can of tomato paste in your pantry, you can use the paste as a mask for removing blackheads as well.****
Now you know how to get rid of blackheads naturally as all of these treatments above are effective for cutting through the oil in your skin, which will help to prevent blackheads. Tomato treatments are natural and mild, so you can use any of these methods to remove blackheads as much as you like. So the next time you go to buy a tomato for your salad, pick up an extra one to give your skin a treat!
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You’re doing everything you can to get rid of those pesky blackheads but they always seem to come back with a vengeance! You do all the steps for removing blackheads: steam, exfoliate, cleanse, and even avoid popping them with your fingers to no avail. Nothing you do seems to help.
The problem could be in your pillowcase. Every night, oil is absorbed by your pillow as you are sleeping. If you’re not changing your pillowcase regularly, you may be “reinfecting” your pores with oil. Try changing your pillowcase every day to avoid reintroducing oil to your skin. If this isn’t possible, make sure that you don’t sleep on the same pillow case for more than three nights in a row. This should help alleviate some of your blackhead woes.
Technorati Tags: blackhead removal, prevent blackheads
Have you ever used a “blackhead treatment” product that seemed to have made your condition even worse ? Ever been puzzled why that “oil-free” cleanser makes you break out even more? Well the culprit just may be in the ingredients. The term “oil-free” can often be misleading. Oil free commonly refers to the absence of mineral oil in a product. But there may be some synthetic derivatives of oil or other irritants that may be harmful to acne prone skin. Below are four ingredients you should look out for in your blackhead treatment products.
1. Lanolin
Lanolin is one of the most common ingredients in cosmetic products, used for skin moisturization. Lanolin, in its natural form, is the oil from sheep skin extracted from wool. Pure lanolin in this form may or may not be harmful to those with acne. Some argue that pure lanolin will not cause breakouts; others claim that the fatty acids of lanolin share similarities to the fatty acids of sebum, which can trigger acne in those who are predisposed to the condition.
Most cosmetics on the market do not use pure lanolin, but synthetic derivatives. Synthetic lanolins, such as acetylated and etoxylated lanolins, are definitely oily, comedogenic and should be avoided at all costs. These lanolins actually penetrate the pores better than natural lanolin. If you decide to use lanolin, only use pure natural lanolin oil, and test a small patch of skin to check for adverse effects.
2. SD Alcohol
SD Alcohol is a denatured alcohol used as a solvent. SD alcohol used as a main ingredient, can be irritating and overly drying the skin, causing overproduction of oil to compensate for dryness. Small amounts of SD Alcohol may not be a cause for concern, and is sometimes used in conjunction with salicylic acid.
3. Isopropyl Myristate
Isopropyl Myristate is often used as a thickening agent to help a smoother application of a product. This penetrating oil is known to clog pores, aggravate acne and can cause some allergic reactions to the skin. There are also other chemical compounds that act similar to isopropy myristate that should be avoided. The most commonly used are: isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl isothermal, putty sterate, isostearyl neopentonate, myristyl myristate, decyl oleate, octyl sterate, octyl palmitate and isocetyl stearate and PPG myristyl propionate. You will definitely want to put any product with these ingredients back on the shelf!
4. D & C Pigments
D & C pigments are dyes that give some products red coloring. Some of these dyes are derived from coal tars known to be comedogenic. Some of these dyes including D & C Red #9 and D & C Red #40, have been tested for comedogenicity; these were found to be the most problematic of the various red pigments.
***A note on mineral oil (Paraffinum Liquidum)...****
I myself have been guilty of advising anyone with acne or blackheads to stay away from this ingredient. Mineral oil has gotten a bad rep for clogging pores, exacerbating acne problems. However,a 2005 study published the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, states this is a myth - finding that cosmetic grade mineral oil is not comedogenic at all. Though some may experience sensitivity to mineral oil, it is not generally a cause of concern. |
It’s important to note that everyone is different, and your skin may or may not react adversely to the above ingredients. If you notice any of these ingredients in your products that seems to work well, keep using it. On the other hand, if you are using products with these ingredients that don’t seem to be working for you, stop using them immediately. When shopping for a blackhead removal treatment, opt for labeling that states it is “non-comodegenic” instead of “oil-free”.
Technorati Tags: blackhead removal, Blackhead Treatment, prevent blackheads, rid of blackheads
