BLACKHEADS, BREAKOUTS, WTF?!?

[Anonymous]

Hey mamas! 

     So here it is... Growing up I ALWAYS had literally almost perfect skin!!! Super soft, hydrated, super clear (barley ever had any breakouts of any kind what so ever!), even tone, tanned easily and beautifully, I mean seriously i had the type of skin everyone only wished they could have! With that all said... I am now 29 years old and a full time stay at home mom of 3 wonderfully crazy kiddos ages 8 years, 7 years and 4 years old... Ever since my first born my skin has never been the same but it wasn't till after my last born that it really took a turn for the worst! I don't get your average breakouts either... I get loads of horrific DEEP BLACKHEADS! I get the random white head now and then but not very often, its mostly these damn BLACKHEADS that won't go away no matter what cleanser, moisturizer, makeup, etc i use! I generally get these nightmare blackheads on my nose of course but also around my mouth + on, under and around my chin + on and under my jaw line and acassionaly on my neck as well... :'( 

     I need any and all advice, opinions and whatever I can get to fix this problem instead of not so simply covering it up with the most expensive full coverage makeup i can find! I want to love my skin again like I once did. I know it will never be as almost perfect as it once was (hormones + aging and all) but id at least like to be able to feel good without any makeup on my face! 

    Other info about my current skin (besides its incredible nact for getting continuous blackheads lol)... it is always pretty dry but yet gets oily quickly as well! I seem to have also acquired some what sensitive skin, not extreme but enough to be conscious minded about what i put on it. I've also noticed that certain products (cleansers and makeup) irritate and make my eyes water uncontrollably! More so makeup then cleansers. 

    I know I'm most likely forgetting something I wanted to make sure I put in this post but "mom brain" and all hahaa especially in the current situation!  

     Please help! I'd greatly appreciate it! Stay safe! 

Sincerely,

    The blackhead queen 👸 

[MamaTJ]

Hi Mama! I’d also recommend BHA. I love Paula’s Choice. I use a BHA that is applied in the morning and then a higher concentration as an overnight serum. I also use DE’s Babyfacial once a week. My skin was uneven and I needed to smooth out my texture. But I feel that was a turning point in getting blackheads under control. Hydration is super key. I cleanse twice in the evenings when I wear makeup and use very hydrating serums/moisturizers at night.

[Azeebay]

First make sure you are drinking TONS of water and eating your fresh fruits when I'm doing those things it works WONDERS. To kind of cram my fruit and hydration sometimes I do smoothies frozen pineapple strawberries with aloe vera juice. and use the sonicare skin brush alternating murad skin clarifying cleanser (like twice a week) with a moisturizing cleanser.

[RGbrown]

@Anonymous 

Blackheads need BHA (salicylic acid). It's the only oil-soluble acid, meaning it can penetrate through and under the gunk to clean pores from the inside out. 

While there's nothing wrong with BHA in a well-formulated cleanser, cleansers don't stay on your skin long enough to provide much treatment...I'd advise looking at leave-on versions of BHA instead.

I highly recommend Paula's Choice for multiple formulations and strengths of BHA, but it is also a pretty popular ingredient and can be found in a variety of brands these days. If budget is an issue, look for Stridex pads at most any drugstore. Just watch for alcohol in whatever you settle on...it can make your skin worse over time, negating the benefits of the BHA (PC and Stridex are both alcohol-free).

Skin that starts off dry but gets oily quickly sounds dehydrated, and it sounds like your current cleanser is potentially stripping your skin. I'd recommend a gentle cleanser followed by BHA, a hydrating serum, and then your moisturizer. For pretty much all of these options, I'd recommend either First Aid Beauty or CeraVe; both make excellent products at reasonable price points, and both are well-tolerated by many.