How to remove blackheads and tighten the pores of the face?
Many of you ask us for advice to get rid of blackheads and large pores, so we have concocted this beauty file to explain the why and how to share our tips to fight against these unwanted and our most effective organic skincare!
In this folder you will find:
Blackheads and dilated pores: what are they?
3 traps to avoid getting rid of blackheads
The anti blackheads & enlarged pores routine in 5 steps
Click on the part you are interested in to access it directly.
Pore, blackhead: what is it?
What are pores for?
Pores are small holes on the surface of the skin that allow it to breathe and evacuate sebum, sweat, etc.
They are essential for the proper functioning of the skin and everyone has them, it is when they become too noticeable that they cause us problems.
Large pores, sebum excess, and blackheads
The skin naturally secretes sebum, an oily film (lipid) that allows it to maintain good hydration and protect it from external aggressions.
When the sebaceous glands get carried away and secrete an excess of sebum, the pores become congested and dilate, favoring the appearance of blackheads and imperfections.
The accumulation of sebum forms a small plug that oxidizes on contact with the air and becomes gray/black: the famous blackheads.
These plugs clog pores that tend to enlarge. You will understand, blackheads and large pores often go hand in hand!
If bacteria get involved, the blackhead can become infected and develop into a pimple.
The enlarged blackheads and pores are generally located on the T zone (nose and wing of the nose, chin, forehead) because this is where there are the most sebaceous glands. In the case of oily skin, they are present all over the face. They are often accompanied by the shine and give the skin an irregular and grainy appearance.
Blackheads and large pores: why me?
So, whose fault is this? Several factors come into play:
Environment: the sun and the heat that open the pores and thicken the skin, but also the pollution
Poor healthy lifestyle: stress, tobacco, unbalanced diet ... all of which disturb the skin and our sebaceous glands
Unsuitable cosmetics: the use of comedogenic products that clog pores or overly aggressive treatments that unbalance the skin, a sloppy cleaning/make-up routine, neglected hydration ...
Hormonal fluctuations (menstrual cycle, puberty, menopause, change of contraception…)
Large pores = oily skin?
Contrary to popular belief, blackheads and large pores are not just for oily skin!
They can also be a sign of dehydrated skin which produces sebum to defend itself.
On the other hand, pores tend to be more visible with age. As the skin loses elasticity and tone, the pores are naturally less tight.
So this is ultimately a fairly universal problem :)
Blackheads : 3 traps to avoid
Stripping your skin: The most common mistake is to bet on ultra-aggressive and drying purifying treatments which instead of rebalancing the skin will encourage it to produce more sebum to defend itself ... a real vicious circle!
Use "blur" effect products, pore blurring: Beware of false friends! Stuffed with silicones and other questionable ingredients, they make the pores disappear at the moment but risk clogging them and accentuate the problem in the long term.
Touching your blackheads: Do not try to pierce your blackheads yourself, at the risk of infecting them and creating pimples and scars, or even dilating them over the long term by dint of fiddling with them! If you want to extract them at any cost, trust a beautician instead.
5 tips to tighten pores and remove blackheads
1. Double cleansing
Thoroughly cleaning your skin is the basis of any routine! At MonCornerB we are adept of double cleaning, inspired by the method of layering, for clean skin without attacking or drying it.
We start with an organic make-up removing oil or a make-up remover balm that will dissolve all the impurities and excess sebum on the surface, then we use a mild foaming cleanser that eliminates the last dirt and pollution residues.
After rinsing, we end with a pschitt of organic tonic lotion which rebalances the pH of the skin and prepares it to receive care.
We can choose one with astringent properties in order to put the odds on our side to tighten pores, like the peppermint hydrosol Make It Beauty or Leahlani citrus citrine mist, rich in citrus.
Our tip: We keep it in the fridge to boost its effect on the skin texture ;)
This double cleaning should be done only in the evening, in the morning we can just pass a cotton pad (reusable of course) soaked in thermal water, hydrosol, or tonic lotion, to purify gently, or use only the second evening cleanser.
The extra thing:
The SOS Pureté Naturience cleaning brush, combined with your favorite cleanser to unclog impurities and blackheads thanks to its ultra-fine fibers. It is so soft that it is suitable for all types of skin, even sensitive, you just have to adjust the frequency of use.
2. Hydratation
All skin types need hydration so there is no question of skipping this step on the pretext that we have enlarged pores!
We always choose our moisturizing treatment according to our skin type, by being careful to select non-comedogenic formulas.
Combination to oily skin? Opt for a not too rich gel or moisturizer as Antipodes' Baptise water gel, or even a rebalancing organic face oil as the Harmony oil from Lena Wild.
Mature skin? Good news: it is possible to treat both signs of aging and large pores! Bet on bakuchiol, an alternative to retinol, and AHA, with smoothing and resurfacing action.
Dehydrated skin? We combine our cream or our care oil with an aqueous moisturizing serum based on hyaluronic acid for example it will quench the skin without any oily effect.
3. Exfoliation to tighten the pores of the face
We don't neglect exfoliation, 1 to 2 times a week. This step is essential to promote the penetration and effectiveness of care, but also to smooth the skin texture and tighten pores.
The must? Enzymatic scrubs based on AHA and BHA for a peeling effect: lactic acid, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid.
You can also opt for an exfoliating serum lotion with fruit acids such as the elixir of clarity Okoko, it has to be applied every evening or every other evening for more sensitive skin.
4. Anti blackheads charcoal mask
Our best anti-blackhead allies are clay masks or charcoal masks which extract all the impurities from the pores and decongest the skin.
Ideally, do this once a week to give yourself a deep skin cleansing.
Be careful not to let your clay mask dry on the skin, as this can dry it out and irritate it. To fully enjoy its benefits it must remain "wet" so we keep a sprayer on hand;)
The little extra :
Make a steam bath before your mask to unclog the pores and optimize the benefits of the treatment.
The method? We boil water, which we pour into a large bowl or salad bowl, and we tilt our face above (but not too close) for 5 to 10 minutes, placing a towel on our head.
You can even add a few drops of tea tree essential oil or dried flowers.
5. Care to tighten pores and remove blackheads
If necessary, you can complete your routine with a local serum or treatment to apply to areas prone to imperfections, especially to prevent blackheads from degenerating into pimples.
Our favorite asset is salicylic acid, a precious ally against blackheads, large pores, and pimples. Naturally present in the willow bark, it has antibacterial and exfoliating properties and helps unclog pores.
More beauty tips:
Organic cosmetics for oily skin
Combination skin: how to take care of it?
I have dehydrated skin: what can I do?
Taking care of my mature skin
Dry skin: how to pamper it?
MonCornerb beauty ritual
I do my expressdiagnosis by email
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