Get Rid of Blackheads on the Cheeks With Fuller's Earth vs Almond Oil and Dried Lemon Peel vs Fenugreek ... and 7 more
Edited by Donna, Eng
It is less common to get blackheads on your cheeks then it is your nose or chin, but when people do get them, the problem often escalates to a full out breakout of blackheads, whiteheads and also acne. That is because the skin of the cheek is very delicate and ruptures easily. This can cause inflammation that is easily spread from skin pore to skin pore.
Other causes of blackheads on the cheeks include:
- Wearing oil-based makeup when you already have oily skin
- Not removing your makeup before you go to bed
- Using a toner or makeup remover with a lot of alcohol in it, which in turn dries out the pores and causes them to produce more sebum; the sebum gathers and dries in pores and causes blackheads
- Cleansing your face with a soap that is too dry for your complexion type, thus triggering your skin produce more oils to compensate
- Poor hygiene, as in failing to wash your face
- Exposure to pollution and chemicals that are hormone disruptors
- Experiencing a natural hormonal change that affects skin pores such as puberty, menopause, peri-menopause, your period or pregnancy
- Exercising with your makeup on so that makeup mixes with your sweat causing a fertile place for bacteria to grow
- Touching your cheeks often while gesturing and talking or leaning your cheeks on the palm of your hand when tired
- Using borrowed or dirty towels
- Not changing your pillow case often, causing your skin to pick up oils from your linens and get infected
- Using bacteria laden cosmetic tools or older cosmetics that are infested with fungus or dirt
Method 1: With Fuller's Earth
Fuller's Earth (sometimes also sold as Fuller's Clay) is a type of cosmetic grade earthy clay that is used as a pack on the face to remove blackheads. It is distinguished by its ability to cool inflamed skin down and calm down some of the redness and swelling to do with the dermal irritation of having blackheads in the first place. The apple cider vinegar in this recipe is astringent and helps tighten and tone the skin. Both the Fuller's earth and the apple cider vinegar are anti-ungal, antibacterial and have a pH that restores the alkaline balance to the skin. Fuller's earth is very fine and gentle and perfect for use on the fragile skin tissues of the cheeks because it discourages scarring.
- 1The texture and volume of the Fuller's Earth might vary from batch to batch so you might have to estimate the amounts needed to create a thick mask. The clay must have enough body to it to allow it to cling to your face.Mix two tablespoons of Fuller's Earth with a teaspoon or so of apple cider vinegar to make a paste.
- 2Rub the clay in small concentric circles to make sure that it reaches deep into the pores of your skin. Keep in mind that the thicker you apply the mask on your cheeks, the longer it will take to dry.Apply the clay to your face with your fingers.
- 3It will feel crumbly and dry when it is ready to remove.Wear the mask for at least fifteen minutes.
Let the Fuller's Earth mask dry until it feels crumbly. - 4There is no need to wash or moisturize your face after this mask as Fuller's clay has a way of helping the skin pull moisture towards it so it stays soft and supple. The clay should also rinse off cleanly from the skin and leave no residue.Rinse the mask off with lukewarm water and then pat it gently dry.
Rinse any debris from the clay mask off with lukewarm water. - 5The mask can be made with plain water as well, if you find you do not want to endure the scent of apple cider vinegar as it dries.You can use this gentle mask on your cheeks every day if you like.
Method 2: With Almond Oil and Dried Lemon Peel
This potent scrub and mask combo can help dissolve remove those extremely tiny and hard blackheads that can form on the cheeks. However, this scrub can also be used anywhere on the face, neck, back and body. The almond oil in the scrub helps soften and loosen the stiff comedones in the pores. Almond oil is rich in Vitamin E, which is of great support to traumatized skin because it contains essential fatty acids that accelerate healing. Dried lemon peels are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K and the mineral zinc. All three help heal damaged skin cells and fortify the complexion in general. The citric acid in lemon peel is concentrated and acts as a liquid exfoliator to dissolve the top layers of cells in the skin and free up clogged pores. This mask and scrub combination is also naturally antibacterial and antifungal and helps prevent further breakouts due to the spread of a bacterial infection.
- 1Alternatively you can dry the lemon peel out in a dehydrator or by roasting the peels overnight on a baking sheet in an oven set to 100 degrees F.Dried lemon peel is hard to find unless it is candied so you will have to make your own by peeling a lemon and then leaving it to dry in the direct sun for three to four days.
Lemon peel drying out on a rack. - 2This should leave you with a half cup to a full cup of dried lemon peel to use in the mask.Use a coffee grinder, hand blender or food processor to grind up two cups worth of dried lemon peels into a fine powder.
Dried lemon powder is made from ground lemon peels. - 3Rub it vigorously all over your cheeks before you let the almond oil and lemon peel mixture set on your face until it is dry.Mix equal parts of almond oil with the dried lemon peel powder to make a fine paste and leave it on for about twenty minutes or longer.
Almond oil softens hardened oil deposits on the skin. - 4Pat your face dry and let the acids and antioxidants in the lemon peel and almond oil do it's work of softening the skin and clarifying the face. There is no need to wash your face or moisturize it after this treatment because almond oil that you have already applied is deeply moisturizing.Rinse the lemon peel powder mixture off of your chin with cool water.
- 5This is a small metal tool with a loop at the end that was designed to encircle the blackhead with a loop. When it is pressed on, the pore ejects its contents and you can wipe the squiggle of grease from the pore away with a tissue. If you go through with this optional step it is also a good idea to disinfect your face with a cotton ball or pad that has been dabbed with Witch Hazel. Applying Witch Hazel will also help close your pores so that they are more resistant to bacteria infection.If necessary, remove stubborn blackhead plugs with a cosmetic blackhead removal tool.
Witch Hazel can help disinfect pores from which blackheads have been extracted. - 6If your skin becomes itchy or then consider using it three times or twice a week as that might mean that the essential oil of lemon in the ground up peel is too irritating to your skin to use all of the time.You can use this scrub every second day to help dissolve tough blackheads from your cheeks.
Method 3: With Fenugreek
Using the mashed up leaves of the Fenugreek plant releases potent antibacterial essential oils that help dissolve excess skin oil and dead skin cells as well as disinfect the area affected by blackheads without drying it out. This prevents the skin from entering into a vicious cycle of becoming too dry and then producing too much oil to compensate for that, thus producing blackheads. Fenugreek is also a natural regulator of skin that has been hormonally disrupted by exposure to toxins and pollutants.
- 1Add water if the mixture seems to dry. The idea is to blend the plant leaves well enough to make a mushy mixture that clings to the skin.Add one cup of fresh fenugreek leaves to ¼ of spring water in a blender and mix it into a thick paste.
Method 4: With Raw Pureed Potato
Freshly pureed potato is an age-old remedy for blackheads. There are starches in the raw potato that help draw the oils up and out of your pores. Potato juice is also a gentle astringent that automatically resurfaces and tightens the skin follicles. If your cheeks are red and inflamed from chronic breakouts of blackheads and other blemishes, potatoes can help reduce inflammation and swelling. Potato juice is also a mild natural bleacher of skin cells, which helps to reduce the angry red look of infected or scarred skin pores. After applying this raw potato puree mask to your inflamed cheeks, your skin will look and feel smoother.
- 1You want to create a paste that is thin enough to apply evenly to your skin. If the paste seems too thick to cling to your face then you can add a little water to get the texture right.Puree two large clean organic potatoes in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Raw potato naturally becomes a paste when it is put through a food processor. - 2It is easiest to apply this mask to your face using your fingers.Apply the potato mask to your cheeks and leave it on for fifteen to twenty minutes.
Leave the potato mask on your face for fifteen to twenty minutes. - 3This mask can be a bit messy so you might want to have some kind of catch in your drain to catch any of the vegetable matter that is rinsed off of your face.Rinse the potato puree debris off of your face in the shower or while leaning over a basin.
A drain with a sieve can help catch any potato matter that may fall from your face. - 4There is no need to use a moisturizer after using this mask as potato puree is a natural humectant that draws water from the air to the skin.Pat your skin gently dry with a towel.
Pat your skin gently dry after treating your blackheads with the potato mask. - 5However, this very simple treatment can get rid of all of your blackheads with just one treatment so it may not be necessary.This mask is gentle enough to use every day.
Method 5: Parsley Oil, Lemon Juice and Olive OiI
If the delicate skin of your cheeks is badly infected with blackheads, pimples or acne, then this powerful cleansing solution made with essential oil of parsley can help banish all of the bacteria, fungus and yeast that could possibly be causing the issue. However, be aware that as effective as it is, parsley oil should never be applied directly to the face, as it can cause severe inflammation of the skin. This is because it contains eugonel, which is the active ingredient that kills off all microbes. The carrier oil in this solution is olive oil, which is a moisturizer that is rich in skin-friendly essential fatty acids. The small amount of lemon juice in this scrub adds an astringent quality to the recipe, which helps heal and shrink pores. Both parsley and lemon juice also help bleach out redness and also black spots, making the complexion appeal more even in tone. As you wipe your skin with a cotton pad or ball soaked with this combination of oil and lemon juice, you will see your blackheads seem to melt away.
- 1Although both parsley oil and lemon juice can remove grease from the skin, they will not work well on skin that is too dirty, sweaty or covered in powder or foundation.Make sure your face is clean and dry before you dab your skin with the essential oil of parsley, lemon and olive oil solution.
- 2Whisk it all together until well blended.Mix ¼ of a cup of olive oil with fifteen drops of parsley oil and a tablespoon of lemon juice in a small bowl.
Mix the oils and lemon together in a small bowl. - 3As you cleanse your face with the cotton, you should see some of blackheads that you are removing appearing on bottom side of it. Keep doing this over and over until you have used up all of the solution in the bowl.Dip a cotton ball or cotton pad in the solution and apply it to the area of your skin that needs treatment for blackheads.
- 4You are done when the cotton ball or pad you are using no longer shows the yellowness of the oil on its underside.Take a clean cotton pad or cotton ball and repeatedly wipe your face with it until it is dry and free of all oil.
- 5Don't shave your face or apply any creams and cosmetics afterwards and don't apply sunscreen or you risk clogging your pores. You should also resist the urge to squeeze any blackheads as this could inflame the skin further and cause a new crop of blackheads to break out.Do not cleanse your cheeks after this treatment and then allow your skin to absorb the nutrients from the olive oil and parsley oil for about three hours afterwards.
- 6However, if your skin becomes red or irritated it is a good idea to skip a day or two of this treatment. Some people may be allergic to the eugonel in parsley oil, but this is rare. If you experience dermatitis due to the use of essential oil of parsley, then stop using this treatment from the blackheads on your cheeks.You can do this parsley and olive oil treatment for blackheads every second day.
Method 6: With Chickpea Flour and Rosewater
Chickpea flour, also sold as garbanzo bean powder or besan flour is an excellent hyperallergenic exfoliant for the face that is loaded with B vitamins and protein. It is also very rich in calcium, magnesium and zinc, which are minerals that naturally cool down the face and reduce swelling and chronic inflammation. When moistened with the rosewater, the chickpea flour is also a natural humectant, helping the skin to retain moisture and stay healthy.
Rosewater is a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory solution that is perfect for individuals who have very sensitive skin or a lot of redness on their cheeks. Rosewater is also high in Vitamin A and C, which helps heal the skin and it is also high in antioxidants that help fight skin infections. Rosewater is also a natural aromatherapeutic anti-depressant that can help with cases of skin breakouts that are caused by anxiety, by calming you down.
- 1It must be of a spreadable consistency and a bit sticky so it can be cling to your face as a mask. If the mixture seems a bit too drippy then add a bit of more chickpea flour. If the mixture seems too dry, then add more rosewater. If you would like a bit of astringency to the mask, then add a touch of lemon juice, which will help shrink and tone up your pores.In a small bowl, mix one half of a cup of rosewater with one cup chickpea powder until mixed well into a smooth paste.
- 2This mask will not work as well on skin that is greasy or that is covered with cosmetics, powders or creams.Make sure your face is clean and dry before you apply this chickpea and rosewater mask from the cheeks.
- 3This helps open your pores and prepares them to receive the nutritional and healing benefits of the mask.Steam the skin pores of your cheeks open with a home facial steamer unit or by holding a very hot wet towel on your face for four or five minutes.
- 4This gives the rose water scent a chance to work on your mood receptors, relaxing your nervous system and relieving anxiety. It also allows the moisturizers and nutrients in the rosewater to clean and calm your irritated skin.Apply the rosewater and chickpea flour mixture to your cheeks and leave it on for at least fifteen minutes.
- 5This last minute massage will help remove any blackheads from our skin. The more you manually exfoliate the skin, the more blackheads will be removed and the less greasy and prone to breakouts your skin will be.Before removing the mask from your face, add a bit of water and work it into the drying mask in circular motion.
- 6The very fine chickpea powder should rinse easily down the drain as you remove it. There is also no need to wash your face after the application of this mask as it will naturally be very clean and smell quite pleasant.Rinse the mask off of your face using a washcloth soaked in hot water and then follow up by rinsing your skin in cold water.
- 7Don't wear make-up for at least three hours after you apply the mask. This gives the rosewater in the scrub a chance to penetrate into your skin to nourish it and heal it.Dry your skin with dry, clean towel.
- 8You can keep any leftover scrub in the refrigerator if you want to use it twice a day.This is a very gentle scrub that you can do as often as two times a day if you like.
Method 7: With Cornflower Water and Blue Clay
This mask is excellent for very sensitive, hormonal skin that keeps breaking out, even though it is, at the same time, a powerful remedy for blackheads and other blemishes. Blue clay is an astringent mud that is especially efficient at removing oils and impurities from the skin. It also helps remove dead outer skin cells so new ones can grow, which in turn stimulates the development of collagen. It also removes fungus and yeast from the surface of the skin.
Cornflower water, sometimes sold as Blue Cornflower water (referring to the brilliant blue color of the blossoms) are very rich in anthocyanins with strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that reduce swelling and help get rid of any redness. Cornflower water also cools and tones skin pores, helping the complexion to look brighter and cleaner in general.
- 1You will need at last one cup of the clay to make enough to cover both cheeks.Buy both the blue clay powder and cornflower clay at a health food store or drug store.
- 2Your goal here is to make a smooth paste than can easily be spread on your face.Mix one cup of water with ¾ cup of blue clay power and ¼ of cups of cornflower water in a bowl and blend the ingredients well.
- 3Note that the mask would be very beneficial for the health of the skin on your hands. However, if you are concerned about ruining your manicure you can always wear cosmetic gloves.You can apply the mask to your cheeks with a cosmetic spatula or with your hands.
- 4You should be able to feel the blue clay tightening on your face and pulling the blackheads away from the surface of your pores.Leave this healing mixture on your face for at least fifteen minutes or for as long as an hour.
- 5This way the clay in the mask also acts as a mild exfoliant, helping to remove any remaining comedones from your skin.Before removing the mask, massage it deeply into the pores of your skin.
- 6There is no need to wash your face after this treatment as the idea is to let the antioxidants in the clay and the nutrients in the rosewater continue to do their work of nourishing and repairing the skin for hours afterwards.Rinse any debris from the mask off with cold water and then dry yourself with a very clean towel.
- 7It is rare but some people are allergic to cornflower water. If your cheeks start burning or itching, turn beet red or develop dermatitis, do not use this blackhead removal mask again.You can do this blackhead removal mask twice times a week if you like.
Method 8: With Blackberries, Coconut Milk and a Cotton Ball
This is a very gentle solution that can help clean and calm a complexion that is infected with blackheads. Coconut milk is very rich in essential fatty acids that help nourish the skin, keep it balanced hormonally and moisturize it. The calcium, iron and lactic acid in coconut milk helps resurface the skin and boost the growth of new skin cells. The blackberries in this scrub for the cheeks contain tiny gritty seeds that exfoliate the skin. Blackberries are also rich in polyphenols, which prevent infection, speed up healing time and prevent future scarring. These berries are also very high in Vitamin C, which also help your pores recover quickly from the tissue damage caused by blackhead breakouts.
- 1This should make a smooth paste. If you are covering a large area of your skin with the blackberry and coconut milk solution, then double the recipe. It is best to use the freshest coconut milk that you can find, but if it is not available, then use bottled or packaged coconut milk.Puree one cup of blackberries and two tablespoons of coconut milk in a bowl until smooth.
- 2Be sure to pay special care to the areas of your cheeks that are most afflicted with the blackheads.Apply the mixture to your cheeks and scrub the skin hard, polishing the blemishes away.
- 3The longer you leave the blackberry mask on, the more effective it will be at delivering vitamins and antioxidants topically into the surface of your skin.Leave the blackberry mixture on your face for about ten minutes and then use more scrubbing motions to remove it.
- 1At this point you should also see that all of your blackheads have been removed and mostly collected on the underside of the cotton ball or pad. It is not necessary to wash your cheeks after this treatment as the raspberries will have done a fine job of removing the mask for you.Clean and dry your face with a hot wash cloth and then follow up with a rinse of cool water.
- 2If your breaks out in lumps, turns red or darkens in patches when exposed to the sun (a condition called photosensitivity), then consider using this scrub less frequently or using a different treatment. The blackberry puree mixture also stores well in the refrigerator and if you freeze it and reblend it, it will be especially efficient at relieving the pain and swelling that can be part of experiencing severe breakouts of blackheads on the cheeks.You can do this effective treatment for removing blackheads once a day.
Method 9: With Red Wine, Honey and Kelp Powder
This is a mask for the delicate skin of the cheeks that that uses the power of warmed honey and wine to pull greasy comedones out of skin pores. Honey is a potent antimicrobial agent that cleans your pores of all grease and dirt. The red wine in this mask contains a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol, which helps nourish the skin and boost it's immunity. Red wine also contains alcohol, which helps disinfect, tighten and clean up oily skin. Kelp powder is made from seaweed and is sold in pouches or jars. The fine grains of kelp serve as an exfoliator in this recipe for cleaning up blackheads from the cheeks. Kelp is also very rich in Vitamin A and C, which helps boost the immunity of the skin and helps keeps it from scarring. It also contains several minerals that are very calming and essential for efficient skin cell metabolism, including calcium, magnesium, zinc and manganese. The kelp powder also contains a substance called alginate. which helps thicken the red wine so that it sticks to skin pores and helps pull out blackheads.
- 1You want the honey to be hot but not so hot that it could burn your skin. It is best to use liquid honey for this. Try to use raw organic honey if it is available in your area.Warm the honey in the microwave in a small bowl for two seconds.
- 2The resulting mixture should resemble a smooth, sticky paste.Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in 1 heaping tablespoon of kelp powder and one heaping tablespoon of red wine.
- 3You can use your fingers but it is most hygienic and more efficient to use a popsicle stick or cosmetic spatula to apply the mask. Be sure to keep the mixture clear of the area of your eyes.After ten minutes have passed and the mixture has cooled down, apply the warm honey and wine mask to your cheeks.
- 4You will feel the warm honey tightening and pulling at your skin as it cools and then contracts on our skin. The longer you leave this mask on your cheeks, the more effective it will be at delivering nutrients and antioxidants to your skin.Leave the mask on your face for at least fifteen minutes.
- 5Keep wiping your face again and again with the warm cloth until all of the honey is gone and your face no longer covered with comedones.Take a wrung-out hot damp washcloth and scrub the mixture off of your face, using concentric motions.
- 6Do not apply any creamy products, powders or sunscreen for a few hours afterwards to give the ingredients in the mask a chance to work.Rinse your skin with very cold water and then pat it dry with a clean towel.
- 7However, most people find the mask to be so effective that they do not need it more than once or twice to see all of their blemishes disappear.You can do this mask every second day to remove blackheads from your cheeks.
Method 10: With Petitgrain Essential Oil and Rice Water
This solution of essential oil of Petitgrain is especially effective on cheeks that are chronically broken in out in blackheads and acne. The oil, made from a small exotic citrus fruit, is a very strong antiseptic that clears troubled skin of all grime, grease and dead skin cells. It also helps to restore the hormonal balance and pH balance of the skin. Rice Water, also sometimes called rice milk, is the water that is left over when you cook rice. This nourishing cooking water contains an antioxidant called squalene, as well as Vitamin E, both of which assist with skin cell repair. Rice water is also a mild bleach, which helps minimize the red look or dark patches that is characteristic of skin afflicted with blackheads.
- 1The rice will be done when it is soft and fluffy and you can always reserve it for eating later. However, because you used too much water for the rice, there will be about ¼ of a cup of milky water at the bottom of the pot. The starchier and whiter the rice, the better it will turn out, so plan on using a short grain rice if it is available.Bring to a boil any type of white rice in the proportion of one cup rice to two cups water and cook for forty minutes or until the rice is done.
- 2You should have more than enough rice water to apply a solution to both of your cheeks.Strain the rice water from the boiled rice and pour it into a bowl.
- 3You can do this easily by whipping the mixture together with a fork or by using a very small whisk. It is recommended that you forgo using a blender for this task as the starch in the rice milk might turn the blackhead removal mixture into a custard.Add fifteen drops of petite grain essential oil to the rice milk and stir it well.
- 4Be sure to scrub the skin in places where blackheads are more of a problem.Soak a cotton pad into the rice water and petitgrain essential oil solution and rub it over both of your cheeks.
- 5Do this until the bottom of the cotton pad does not show any more dirt.Continue to dip the pad into the solution and wipe your face with it, swabbing and cleaning in circular motions.
- 6By the time you are done swabbing your skin, it should feel clean, soft and plumper and your complexion should look much clearer when you look in the mirror. There is no need to wash or rinse your cheeks after using this treatment. You want the good ingredients in the mixture to have some time to bestow their benefits on your skin.Take a dry cotton pad and use it to wipe the solution off of your face until it is clean and dry.
- 7If you experience swelling, redness, itchiness or burning or if you experience photosensitivity (discoloration of the skin after being in the sun), then do not use blackhead treatments that contain petitgrain oil.You can use this DIY blackhead removal solution once a day.
Tips and Tricks
- If you wish to speed up the process of a mask drying on your cheeks then you can blow-dry your skin with a blow dryer set on low heat, being careful not to hold it to close to your cheeks so that you risk burning your skin
- Another way of speeding up the drying of a mask on your cheeks is to go outside and sit in the sun; this works particularly well with clay facial masks as they easily bake in the sun
- For a cool mask or scrub that helps treat inflammation, try chilling mask or scrub ingredients in the freezer for fifteen minutes before you use them on cheeks
- You can also use ground up Fenugreek seeds, instead of leaves, to make a Fenugreek blackhead removal mask
- If the potato mask is too thin you could also add a bit of buttermilk, milk, yogurt or apple cider vinegar to help make it into more of a clingy paste
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
