Buying guide for Best blackhead masks
Blackheads are the worst. Everyone knows it. Not only do they look unsightly but they can also be painful and difficult to get rid of. If washing your face isn’t doing enough for you, you might want to consider adding a good blackhead mask to your beauty routine.
These hardworking facials go deep below your skin’s surface to clean out and reduce the appearance of pores, so you’re left with clearer, smoother skin. But there are several different kinds of blackhead remover masks, and they’re not all the same. Choose the wrong one and you might not notice much of an improvement at all, or worse, end up with dry, irritated skin.
Blackhead mask benefits
There are all types of facial masks on the market that claim to give you healthy, glowing skin, but not all of them do the same job. When choosing any type of facial mask, it’s important to think about your primary goal. If you regularly suffer from breakouts, that goal is going to be getting rid of blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Blackheads form when dirt and dead skin cells clog your pores, so you want to choose a product that penetrates deeply into your skin to extract the debris that’s causing the blackheads in the first place. If you have especially oily skin, you might also want to look for a mask that’s a little drying, so your pores don’t immediately begin to clog again.
A good blackhead mask can go a long way toward helping you achieve clearer skin, and it could also give you a smoother, more even complexion. Depending on the type of mask you choose, it can have additional benefits as well.
Blackhead mask effectiveness
While all blackhead masks claim to be effective at removing blackheads, some are better at it than others. A good mask should give you noticeable results after a treatment or two, but some might take several weeks before you see significant improvement.
You can get a sense of how quickly a blackhead mask works by reading customer reviews online. Choose a mask that best fits your needs and schedule, but keep in mind that a mask that works more quickly could be a little harsher on your skin.
Less important but still worth considering is the smell. Some masks have a strong, unpleasant smell that users don’t like. It might be worth toughing it out if the mask delivers good results, but if you’re sensitive to odors, you might want to choose an unscented or lightly scented one. Again, read customer reviews before you buy.
Types of blackhead masks
Blackhead masks come in two types: clay and peel-off.
Clay
Clay masks, also known as mud masks, usually employ bentonite clay or something similar. You apply these compounds wet to your face and leave them on for a few minutes. As the mask dries, it draws impurities from deep within your pores and traps them in the mask. When you wash off mask, the debris is carried away. The result is clearer skin.
Clay masks are known to be very effective. They’re also gentler on skin than peel-off masks and so better for individuals with sensitive skin. However, clay masks tend to be messier to apply and remove than peel-off masks. Clay masks also can be more drying than peel-off masks, so they might not be a good choice if your skin is already dry. But if breakouts are a chronic problem for you, chances are good that you have naturally oily skin, so this might not be an issue. You’ll need to balance effectiveness, gentleness, and ease of use when choosing a blackhead mask.
Peel-off
Peel-off blackhead masks go on like a gel and form a thin layer on the surface of your skin. Once the mask is dry, you peel it off and it pulls up the blackheads with it. Many people who use these masks report an immediate improvement in the appearance of their skin. However, some say that these masks don’t reach as deeply into the pores and instead only grab the debris that is nearest the surface. While a peel-off mask might get rid of the blackheads for a little while, they could come back.
These masks can also be a little painful to remove, so it’s not a good choice if you have sensitive skin. It could leave your skin red and irritated for a while afterward and might cause your skin to dry out over time. However, if you don’t want to spend your time cleaning a clay mask off your face, out of your hair, and off the bathroom counter, a peel-off mask could be a better fit.
Blackhead mask prices
Blackhead masks usually cost from $5 to $35, depending on the brand and the size of the container. Many of these masks use the same ingredients, including bentonite clay or activated charcoal, so paying more won’t necessarily net you a higher-quality product. It’s more important to focus on the product’s effectiveness than its price tag.
You also want to consider the number of uses you’ll get per container in addition to the overall cost. One product might cost twice as much as another, but it could actually be the better deal if you get three times as many uses out of it.
Tips
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Apply the blackhead mask with a brush. It’s less messy than using your hands.
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Don’t scoop the blackhead mask out of the container with your fingers. You could contaminate the product with bacteria from your skin.
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Don’t leave the mask on longer than the recommended time. Always read the directions on the packaging, and don’t leave the blackhead mask on too long or you could dry out or irritate your skin.
- Always wash your face after using the mask. This includes peel-off masks, too.
FAQ
Q. How long should I leave the blackhead mask on my skin?
A. The time varies slightly from mask to mask. Usually, you should keep it on for about 20 to 30 minutes in order for it to dry fully before you peel or wash it off. Read the package directions for the specific duration for your particular blackhead mask.
Q. How often should I use a blackhead mask?
A. This will depend on the mask. You might be able to use some clay masks several times per week. Peel-off masks shouldn’t be used more than once per week because they can cause skin irritation if used too often. You should always read the manufacturer’s instructions for recommendations on how often to use the mask for best results.
Q. What should I do if I have combination skin?
A. Blackhead masks could dry out the already dry parts of your skin, so you might want to only apply the mask to the oily parts of your face. Otherwise, apply moisturizer to the dry parts of your face after you use the mask to give your skin the nourishment it needs.
