Men and women of all ages can experience blackhead breakouts, so don’t feel like you’re the only one to encounter flare ups. If you do get them, don’t worry. But don't just jump right in - it’s important learn about blackheads and then be careful about what you put on your skin.

What are blackheads?

Blackheads are a mild form of acne. They’re a waxy plug in a pore that’s become blocked by bacteria, dead skin cells and oil. When the plug is pushed to the surface of your skin, it oxidises and turns black.

Here’s 4 ways to help get rid of them

1. Apply baking soda paste to the affected area

Baking soda can help clear skin of blackheads and stops them from being formed by neutralising the pH in your skin. Simply make a paste from a tablespoon of baking soda and a few drops of water, apply it to your blackheads, leave on your skin for roughly 10 minutes before rinsing off. For the best results do this two or three times a week.

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2. Use green tea in a few different ways

Whichever way you choose to consume green tea, your skin will benefit. Try adding a teaspoon of green tea leaves to some water to create a paste. You can then apply it to your blackheads and after a couple of minutes you’ll be able to wash it off, giving you unclogged pores. Alternatively, you can drink green tea as normal, allow the green tea to cool and then use as a face wash or combine it with sugar and lemon to create a facial scrub.

3. Cinnamon and honey face mask

Cinnamon stimulates circulation and honey is antibacterial, so when you combine them, they form a super tag team, leaving blackheads nowhere to hide. To make a cinnamon and honey face mask you simply need to mix one tablespoon of ground cinnamon with two tablespoons of honey and apply it to your face, avoiding your sensitive eye area.You need to leave it to do its magic for twenty minutes, Once you wash it off, you should notice a difference in your skin straight away. If you don’t fancy making a face mask, you can mix them together, apply a thin layer over your blackheads and cover with a clean cotton strip. Once it is dry, carefully peel the strip away. Make sure you wash your face and moisturise afterwards.

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4. Use an oatmeal face mask for 20 minutes

A gentle, natural exfoliant and anti-inflammatory, oatmeal is good to use, even if you have sensitive skin. You need to cook the oatmeal as you would to eat it, allow it to cool then cover your blackheads with it, avoiding your delicate eye area. After twenty minutes, you can wash it off with lukewarm water. To keep your skin free of blackheads, it’s best to give yourself an oatmeal face mask every day.