Say “Bye” to Blackheads with Natural Remedies

A clear and beautiful skin free of blemishes is one of the prime elements that defines a person’s external beauty. While a robust daily skincare regime can take care of most beauty aspects, there are some common problems that are faced by almost everyone, irrespective of whether male or female.

One of the most common and particularly annoying skin issue faced by most is the occurrence of blackheads along the nose and on the face.

What are these “Blackheads”?

Blackheads are a mild kind of acne that form on the face and more often on and around the nose. These small bumps can be seen on the skin due to the clogging of the tiny skin pores with oil and dead skin cells.

But, what causes these pesky blackheads?

Let’s make one thing clear from the very onset: Blackheads are not caused by dirt!

Rather these occur because the skin pores get blocked with excess sebum (an oil secreted by the sebaceous glands in the skin) and dead skin cells. This plug of sebum and skin cells meets air and gets oxidized, turning black and resulting in blackheads.

As the nose has a high concentration of these oil glands than the rest of the body, clogging is more common and noticeable here. Certain hormones in the body like estrogen that cause acne breakouts also cause blackheads. In addition, lifestyle habits such as sleep patterns, water intake, etc. also affect the occurrence of blackheads.

So, how does one get rid of these nasty bad spots that mar our otherwise-beautiful faces?

Contrary to popular belief, scrubbing your face is not a good way to get rid of blackheads. Rather, it only goes on to make it worse by drying out the skin and stimulating the glands to secrete more oil. Here are some effective and natural remedies using natural ingredients to banish these blackheads quickly and easily.

Fenugreek

Eliminating blackheads using fenugreek is one of the simplest and easiest remedies.

To use fenugreek:

• Mix some fresh fenugreek leaves in water
• Apply the paste on the affected areas
• Leave it on for about 10-minutes before washing it off

Repeat daily for a blackheads-free face.

Clay or “Multani Mitti”

Clay is a naturally-absorbent and powerful healing substance known to contain over 60 natural minerals. It is particularly good at drawing out oil and other impurities that may block pores and finds use in treating blackheads.

To use clay:

• Mix 1 tbsp. of Multani Mitti with apple-cider vinegar or water to form a thick paste
• Apply a thin layer of the paste on the affected areas
• Allow to dry for about 10-25 minutes
• Rinse with lukewarm water and moisturize

For best results, use 2-3 times a week.

Egg White

Egg whites, besides numerous other skin benefits due to their protein- and albumin-rich content, can also tighten skin, minimizing pores. It thus, reduces the chances of future blackheads, while removing existing blackheads. It draws out the sebum and pulls out any plugs that could be stuck deep within the pores.

To use egg whites:

• Separate the yolk from the white
• Apply a thin layer of the egg white on the affected areas using a facial tissue
• Allow the top layer to dry before applying another 2-3 layers, letting each layer dry up between two applications
• Peel-off the mask once your skin tightens and wash your face
• Pat dry and moisturize.

Green Tea

Green tea comes loaded with vitamins and antioxidants that help to break up excess oil and protect future breakouts.

To use green team to clear blackheads:

• Boil 1 cup water and steep 2 bags of organic green tea for an hour
• Pour the concoction in a bowl and allow to cool
• Dab this onto the blackheads and allow to dry for about 10-minutes
• Rinse with cool water, pat dry and moisturize

Repeat daily for results.

Honey, Milk & Cinnamon

Honey is an excellent antibiotic, antibacterial and antiseptic that makes it a great choice for treating blackheads, especially when coupled with milk or cinnamon. While the adhesive in honey helps to clear blackheads by pulling out impurities that clog pores, the lactic acid in milk keeps the skin hydrated and supple. Cinnamon being an anti-bacterial spice makes an excellent combination with honey, eliminating blackheads and acting as a great scrub to remove flaky skin around the affected area, giving a smooth and healthy glow.

To remove blackheads with honey:

• Heat 1 tbsp. of raw honey with 1 tsp of milk until warm to touch or 1 part of cinnamon with 2 parts of honey
• Mix well and apply a thin layer over the blackheads
• Leave the paste to dry for about 15-20 minutes
• Rinse with cold water and moisturize

Repeat daily and for better results, leave the paste overnight, rinsing it off in the morning.

Turmeric Powder

Turmeric is one of the best anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antibiotic spices and offers effective remedy against blackheads.

To use turmeric for eliminating blackheads:

• Mix 1 tsp of turmeric with water or coconut oil and form a paste
• Apply the paste onto blackheads and allow it to absorb for 10-15 minutes
• Rinse with lukewarm water

Repeat daily to get rid of and prevent future breakouts.

Oatmeal

Our popular breakfast cereal -oatmeal- is effective on fighting blackheads too. Its gentle natural cleaning action helps it exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin cells, loosen clogged pores and soak up excess oil thus preventing blackheads.

To use oatmeal for eliminating blackheads:

• Cook some oatmeal in distilled water for a contaminants-free preparation
• Cool the preparation to room temperature and apply to the blackheads
• Allow the paste to sit for 10-20 minutes
• Rinse with lukewarm water

Repeat this at least once daily.

Baking Soda

A little baking soda goes a long way for blackheads. Its antiseptic quality coupled with its small, finely granular composition work as a natural exfoliant, removing impurities that clog the pores resulting in blackheads. Further, it also helps neutralize the skin’s pH, lowering oil production and thus preventing blackheads from reoccurring.

To use baking soda for blackheads:

• Mix 1 tbsp. baking soda with fresh water to form a thick paste.
• Apply the paste to blackheads in circular motion
• Allow to dry for 10-minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water.
• Moisturize

Repeat the remedy 1-2 times a week.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar mixed with mint makes a wonderful toner. The acetic acid in it is known to help breakdown the accumulation of dead skin-cells and balance the skin pH that prevents further occurrence of blackheads, while mint helps soothe and tighten the skin pores and tame inflammation.

To use Apple Cider Vinegar:

• Take 3 tbsp. each of apple cider vinegar and crushed mint leaves in a bowl and allow to it to sit for about a week
• Add 1 cup of water to this mixture and refrigerate for another week
• Rinse face and apply every night on affected area
• Leave overnight and rinse-off in the morning, followed by moisturizer.

Conclusively, these home remedies can effectively long-term results in eliminating and preventing blackheads when employed regularly.