Acne problems

1. Your acne treatment is for the acne- not for your entire face. It will help the problem subside, but you still have to cleanse you face from all the impurities that get built up in the pores during the day. This way you enable the skin to breathe and regenerate and help it battle acne more effectively. Cleaning the irritated face is something you must do a few times during the day to prevent more clogged pores and more acne problems.

2. Since your skin is damaged you have to avoid using harsh and abrasive skin cleansers. Don’t irritate an already irritated skin because you can only make the problem become worse. Use mild cleansers, like cream or gel based ones. If you don’t have big acne problems you can even use a gentle scrub- you just have to be very careful and apply it gently. Using non comedogenic oils like castor, olive or jojoba oil , to flush pores is also good. Non comedogenic means that it doesn’t stay in the pores and doesn’t clog them.

3. Get a pore cleanser designed specifically for people with acne problems. These cleansers contain  benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or even both, and help to suppress acne very effectively. Some even say that this is the most effective addition to the prescribed  medical acne treatment. It’s also important to know that your skin may develop the resistance to a specific product after some time so it’s best to use a few different ones to prevent that.

Natural homemade masks are ideal for removing impurities from the skin and they are pretty easy to make. I mean, even since we were kids our moms made us eat fruit and vegetables because they are healthy, right? Well, what’s good for your body inside- it’s good for your body outside. That is quite logical. Cleansing and nourishing face masks are an ideal solution because they are extremely cheap and equally effective as very expensive ones. All the stuff you need can be found in every supermarket so it’s definitely worth trying out. Try these two recipes, for example, I’m sure you will love them.

Tomato facial mask:

Tomato is ideal for shrinking those large pores that are so typical for oily skin. This gentle mask will clean and refresh your skin making it more radiant. The preparation itself is very easy and you need just one tomato and one lemon. First, mash one medium tomato. Add a little bit of grinded lemon peel  and one teaspoon of lemon juice. Wash your face with a regular face cleaner you use every day. Apply the mixture and leave it on for 10-15 minutes and then rinse off with lukewarm water.

Oatmeal, apple and honey mask:

These ingredients are nature’s top three when it comes to solving oily skin problems. Oatmeal absorbs the excess oil without over drying the skin, apple contains fruit acids that clean and unclog the pores and honey’s antibacterial properties prevent breakouts and acne. Boil one half of an apple and squish it. Add two teaspoons of raw grinded oatmeal and one teaspoon of honey. Mix until you get an even mixture you can apply on the face. Apply the mask on the clean face and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

Contrary to many beliefs, a good scrub doesn’t have to cost a fortune! In the matter of fact, some of the best skin care products can be made at home from scratch and they don’t cost the half of what you would have to pay for your average bottle of face scrub. Oatmeal, salt or even pineapple are great exfoliates and you can get them in every supermarket! Here is a few recipes for making natural and cheap face scrubs your skin will absolutely love.

Salt facial scrub:

Wash your face to remove superficial impurities. Mix one teaspoon of your washing cream with two teaspoons of salt to get a gritty mass. Apply the mixture to the face in circular gentle moves. Be careful not to scrub too hard- the goal is to remove dead skin cells, not the healthy ones! Also avoid the sensitive skin around the eyes. Then take a wet towel or cosmetic pad and slowly remove the paste. Rinse again with lukewarm water and apply a good moisturizer. You will be amazed how softer and nicer looking you skin will be after this.

Oatmeal facial scrub:

Grind 1-2 tablespoons of raw oatmeal and mix with honey. Add honey until you get a smooth sticky mass. Apply it on the face in gentle circular massage-like movements and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Repeat the massage one more time before rinsing the face with warm water. After this you won’t need a moisturizing cream because honey will leave you skin satin soft.

Pineapple facial scrub:

Pineapple is a natural exfoliant that can do wonders for everybody with dull and dry skin. You will need a piece of pineapple plus the ingredients for the oatmeal scrub. You need to crush the pineapple and mix it with the oatmeal and honey. Wash your face and apply the mixture in a way I described above. Leave it on the face for 5 minutes and then rinse.

Strips-Blackhead removal strips are a very practical choice if you are not very skilful or you don’t have too much time. You wet the strip and place it to the area from which you want to remove blackheads, wait for 10-15 minutes and then pull the strip off. The strips have glue that extracts impurities from the pores. Be careful not to pull the strip too harshly because it may leave a bruise.

Extractors-You can choose between the spoon or loop shaped extractors. They are made from metal and although there are for professional use you can get them in every cosmetic shop. If you use this tool for blackhead extraction you must be very careful because they can damage the skin and cause bleeding and even scars. You use the extractor by applying it on the blackhead and gently pressing until the blackhead goes out of the pore.

Fingers- Believe it or not your fingers are a really good tool for removing blackheads. Use your fingers and tissues and gently press the skin around the blackhead to force it out of the pore. When you’re cleaning the pores this way be ware not to damage your skin by pressing too hard and do not use your nails by any means.

Before the treatment you need to open the pores. If you don’t have the expensive gadgets like a steamer, for example, some how towels will do just fine. Put the hot towel on your face and leave it like that for a few minutes, or hold your face over a dish of hot water. This procedure will open your pores and you will get the blackheads out easier. When you are finished with the treatment apply some moisturizer to soothe your face because it will be a little bit red and irritated.

First- When you are choosing a pore cleanser read costumer reviews. Pick the one that has positive comments about reducing pore size. Suction based pore cleansers and strips are proven to be the best way for people that have large pores. You see, lathers can be a good choice for people that have a blackhead here and there but if you have oily skin with a lot of blackheads you want to make sure to pick the pore cleanser that will clean your pores completely so they can reduce.

Second- When you get a pore cleanser it’s important not to forget to use it 2-3 times a week. If you leave your pores clogged the dirt and the oil will keep piling in an already clogged pore and the pore will keep expanding.

Third- After you finish your treatment use some of the well known techniques for shrinking pores. Rinse your face first with warm water to get all of the leftover impurities off your face and then soak your face into cold water. Cold water will shrink your pores. You can also use lemon juice or a homemade lemon juice and egg white mask as they have the same effect.

The most important thing is to have in mind that you can’t reduce the size of your pores if you don’t clean them good first. When a pore is clean you can use homemade remedies for shrinking and that way your pore will accumulate less dirt the next time.