What are blackheads?

Blackheads are an insecurity that bother many people every day. They are also one of our guilty pleasures, when we pop them and see the built up gunk stream out of our pores. Even though dermatologists and estheticians tell us not to squeeze or pick at them, we still do because we like to see immediate and instant results.

Here is a scientific description of blackheads:

Blackheads are small bumps that appear on your skin due to clogged hair follicles. They are considered a mild type of acne that usually form on the face, but they can also appear on the following body parts where active sebum production is observed: back, chest, neck, arms, shoulders.

How to get rid of blackheads?

If you follow the right skincare routine you won’t have problems with blackheads. For more on an appropriate and efficient skincare routine learn about our 611 Skincare Routine.

Ultimate Solution

Here are the steps and the products that make a big difference and will accelerate your blackhead removal process. The most important steps in your skincare routine to prevent and clear up blackheads are: Cleansing & Protecting

CLEANSING

We all know that without this step no routine, no magic product will work.

In order to clear up blackheads you need to have clean skin. For this, you will need a cleanser suitable for your skin and skin type. We highly suggest using our universal, gentle foaming cleanser: Sunday Morning Refreshing Cleansing Foam as it is suitable for any skin type, including even sensitive skin!

Now to the key part of the cleansing step: deep cleansing.

This step is quite tricky. What we want to do is to clean the pores that have blackheads. Since blackheads are considered open comedones, our target is not deep inside, it is on top of the epidermis layer. That is why it is important to be able to clean up the target area without being too harsh and leaving the skin dry.

For this, we highly recommend using a mild chemical exfoliator that will contain an appropriate concentration of BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid). With the right concentration of Salicylic Acid (BHA) you will be able to reach the pore and melt down that oxidized sebum and remove it from within the pores.

Our favorite product with BHA is our AXIS-Y Daily Purifying Treatment Toner. It contains the right concentration for sensitive skin and blackheads, which is 0.5% of Salicylic Acid.

TIP: According to your skin type, use this toner 2-3 times per week on your whole face. However, to achieve faster and visible results, we recommend applying this toner on the blackhead area specifically every day.

Using a BHA toner every 2 days will not only unclog your pores, but will also balance out oil production that is the main component of blackhead production.

PROTECTING

Let’s talk about this underrated skincare step. After cleansing, protection is the most important step in your whole routine. Just like without a proper cleansing foundation no holy grail product can hope to work, without a layer of protection all the effort you have put into your skincare will vanish into thin air. Protection locks in everything you worked hard to pack into your skin.

In addition to that, the right protection will help you to avoid the oxidization chemical reaction that turns your sebum dark, resulting in visible blackheads.

You may have guessed in talking about “protection”, yes, we are talking about sunscreen! One of the benefits that a sunscreen provides your skin is preventing oxidative stress. Apart from darkening your sebum, oxidation is also the main cause of free radicals that cause wrinkles and other skin problems.

For the reasons mentioned above, sunscreen should be the most crucial part of your skincare routine.

Research conducted by the AXIS-Y team showed a significant decrease in blackheads after consistent (daily) sunscreen use. You can try it for yourself and let us know of your results in the comments!

Our favorite sunscreen is our Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen, a mugwort based sunscreen that protects skin from UVA and UVB damage while providing the healing properties of skin-loving ingredients for an every day, no-stress life. This is a community favorite and is high in demand!

Make sure to join our waitlist on the product page to be notified when it is back in stock!

This is the easiest, most uncomplicated solution for blackheads you will ever be able to find on the internet. Make sure to try it out and let us know about your process and results down below.