Sometimes no matter how diligent you are about washing your face every day, blackheads can rear their ugly heads, especially on and around the nose. Clogged pores are often to blame. Pores are openings to oil glands, which are concentrated on the nose, chin, and forehead (often called the T zone). When the oil, or sebum, gets trapped inside the pores and then comes into contact with the air, it turns dark, creating blackheads. Dead skin cells also get trapped in the pores and build up, eventually stretching out the pores and making them look huge. While it’s difficult to shrink pores permanently, here is what you can do to help minimize blackheads:
1. Be sure to exfoliate to help keep pores from getting clogged. If your skin is very oily, tryNeutrogena Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub, which contains salicylic acid to unclog pores. If you have sensitive skin, try Alba Hawaiian Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub or Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub, which contain natural fruit enzymes to gently loosen dead skin cells. Avoid scrubbing if your skin is irritated or sunburned.
2. Try Bioré Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips to temporarily remove surface oil and dirt from your pores. Wet your skin and place a strip on your nose until it dries (about 15 minutes), then peel it off. You'll be able to see tiny plugs of dead skin that have come off on the tape. While these can help temporarily, don’t use them more than once or twice a week or if you’re using a retinoid or have sensitive skin, because overuse can lead to irritated skin.
3. A primer (either under makeup or on its own) can help blackheads look smaller by smoothing out the surface of your skin and soaking up oil. Try Philosophy's On a Clear Day Acne Clarifying Primer, which also contains salicylic acid.
0 comments:
Post a Comment