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You pick your cosmetics carefully to avoid oily products, you wash your face day and night to remove buildup, and you diligently apply creams and toners in an effort to clear your skin. All this hard work goes right out the window when blackheads and redness rear their ugly heads. You could buy another costly cream to cover up the uglies, or you could reach for a lemon and wipe your way to clear, blemish-free skin.
What Are Blackheads?
Your skin is covered with thousands of tiny pores that release oil to the surface to soften and protect delicate facial skin. Blackheads crop up when these little holes back up, filling up with oil and dead skin cells. The oil darkens as the pore plugs up, leaving a hard little black plug inside the pore. Your skin gets irritated from the congestion and turns red as the circulation increases in an effort to kick the blackhead to the curb.
Why Lemons?
Lemons are jam-packed with volatile citric acid. This potent acid floods clogged pores and starts eating away the oil to loosen blackheads and clear pores. Citric acid is a powerful astringent and kills off offending bacteria before it invades your face. Lemon is also a natural bleaching solution and blasts away black discoloration and redness as your pores clear out.
Wipe it Up
Roll a fresh lemon on the counter to break down the flesh. Slice the lemon in half with a sharp knife and get start squeezing, juicing both sides of the lemon into a small bowl. Dip a cotton ball in the juice and rub it over inflamed skin, concentrating on your nose and chin. Leave the juice on your skin for at least 30 minutes, then rinse with cool water. If your blackheads are particularly stubborn, apply the juice just before bed. Wash your face after a few hours of beauty sleep for extra power in the battle against blackheads and redness. If you’re a sensitive girl and the juice burns your skin, dilute it with a bit of water.
Don't Dry Out
Lemon juice is a handy blackhead blaster, but it’s also very drying. A good, oil-free moisturizer is key to restoring plump skin and relieving irritation from the acidic juice. Rinse your face well after applying the juice and dry it on a soft towel. Dot a little moisturizer over your nose and chin, blending the cream out over the rest of your face.
