Learn About The Best Home Remedies For Blackheads & Acne

best blackhead remover

Acne and blackheads (besides being a big drag!) are both common skin problems that most of us suffer from at one point or another.

Both are caused by skin pores being clogged by oil and dead skin and are, at best, an embarrassing blemish we try to cover, or at worst, an issue big enough to result in medical treatment. This WebMD article dicusses when the right time is to seek that treatment. 

For those deciding to treat and/or prevent their blemishes themselves, and to avoid chemical products, I’ve compiled for you the best home remedies for blackheads and acne and listed them from most to least popular below.

These homemade acne treatments use easy-to-find ingredients, are inexpensive, and are readily available. Most of them even smell great! Best of all, you don’t need to be a chemist to mix these suckers up!

For the most part, open your spice cupboard doors or your fridge and voila! You’ll have all you need right at your fingertips. I love exfoliants, and most of these have the option to be combined into some form of facial or body scrub.

There are variations for every product, and you should feel free to experiment with them to find your own favorite. Read on for great ideas for your very own natural home remedy to set you on your road to clearer skin!


Cinnamon


Cinnamon

Cinnamon has a combination of antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, making it ideal for the treatment of skin problems such as acne, blackheads, eczema, and is a good cleanser even for your scalp!

It’s an easy home remedy as it’s widely available, cheap, and most people have it in their spice cupboards at any given time. As an added bonus, the smell of cinnamon will stay with you for the rest of the day, reminding you of home comforts and delicious homemade treats.

Cinnamon has a combination of antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, making it ideal for the treatment of skin problems such as acne, blackheads, eczema, and is a good cleanser even for your scalp!

It’s an easy home remedy as it’s widely available, cheap, and most people have it in their spice cupboards at any given time. As an added bonus, the smell of cinnamon will stay with you for the rest of the day, reminding you of home comforts and delicious homemade treats.

The first on my list of home remedies involves the following steps:

  • Mix a tablespoon of cinnamon powder, and some water and olive oil – just enough to make a paste.
  • Use this homemade acne treatment to cover pimples and blackheads and let it sit until it’s dry. (An alternative is to combine the cinnamon powder with lemon juice for the paste mixture.)
  • Once the paste has dried, rinse and pat your face to dry.

Sugar


Sugar

You might be trying to cut down the use of sugar in your diet, but if you’re looking for a home remedy for blackheads this is one product that does wonders. The best method I’ve found for sugar is to add it to some type of carrier oil.

Mixing with water just allows the sugar to dissolve, and that won’t add up to much in blemish relief. Mixing with some type of oil creates a fantastic exfoliant, which is very effective at cleaning out those clogged pores.

  • Add 1 cup of sugar (you can use brown or white) to 4 tsps of oil (try sweet almond, grapeseed, jojoba or simple olive oil)
  • Mix thoroughly.
  • Wet your face and massage this lovely mixture into your skin for a few minutes.
  • Rinse.

Due to the use of oil you may not even have to moisturize afterwards!


Lemon Juice


Lemon

Lemon juice is especially good as a natural blackhead remover, and works for most skin types due to the nutrients and vitamins present.

Citric acid works as an astringent which makes it perfect for unclogging pores as it removes all of that dead skin.

There are a couple of different ways to use this homemade blackhead removal method;

  • Place a few drops of honey on half of a freshly cut lemon. (If you’re looking to add a little exfoliation you could also add some sugar – another easy to find household item!)
  • Rub the lemon gently over the entire face, paying special attention to the problem areas.
  • Let sit for 10 minutes.
  • Rinse.

Another method is to first wash your face and then dab lemon juice onto any blackheads or blemishes. Leave it to dry at least 10 minutes and then rinse your face using cool water (to help close pores).

You could also leave the lemon juice on overnight for those bad problem areas, and then give your face a rinse the next morning. (Note: for sensitive skin, do not use soap for a few hours after using the lemon juice as it could cause irritation).


Honey


Honey

Honey contains both antibacterial and antiseptic properties, both of which make it a great addition to this list.

I love honey just for its flavour, smell, and for its healing properties, but as a blackhead and pimple remover it shines just as brightly.

Honey can help pull dirt from pores and help to tighten and hydrate, making for a cleaner complexion. 

​There are several methods in which this versatile home remedy can be used.

  • Rub a thin coat of honey onto your face.
  • Let it sit about 15 minutes.
  • Rinse.

I love to mix it with sugar to make a scrub – just massage it gently into your face and pay special attention to problem areas. Let it sit a few minutes and then rinse.

You could also make a paste with cinnamon (which makes it smell absolutely delicious!), apply to blemishes, let dry for about 10 minutes, and, as always, rinse away.


Baking Soda


Baking Soda

Although we normally think of baking soda as either a baking product or to absorb bad smells, it’s antiseptic quality bumps it to number five on the list of pimple remedies. It’s slightly abrasive, making it a good exfoliant as well, helping to scrub away dead skin.

  • Add a couple of teaspoons of baking soda to a little water, again making a nice paste.
  • Apply to your face just over problem areas, massage gently for a minute or two, and then leave it to dry for about 10 minutes.
  • Rinse.

If you find your skin gets irritated, you may have massaged too harshly, or perhaps left the paste on too long. Cut the drying time to 5 minutes and be very gentle when massaging.


Oatmeal


Oatmeal

Just a breakfast cereal? I think not! Oatmeal is gentle on skin, has a variety of nutrients, and exfoliates to boot!

As if that weren’t enough, oatmeal contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a great blackhead home remedy for those with extra sensitive skin or for those who have reacted badly to other home remedies.

Oatmeal can help soak up excess oil on the skin and is very soothing to skin not just on the face, but anywhere on your body that you have blemishes.

The method is straightforward;

  • Cook enough oatmeal to cover all of your pimples and blackheads, allow it to cool, and then apply to problem areas.
  • Let it sit for about 20 minutes.
  • Rinse!

Oatmeal is gentle enough to use like this every single day (even multiple times) for maximum benefit. You could multi-task by cooking not just enough for your homemade blackhead remover, but also for breakfast!


Green Tea


Green Tea

Did you know that a very popular hot drink can double as an acne and blackhead treatment?

We’ve all heard about the benefits of drinking green tea, but here’s another use you may not have heard about. There are a couple of methods I’ll go over.

  • Boil a cup of water and steep a couple of bags of green tea for about an hour.
  • Cool the liquid and then use cotton balls to dab it onto blackheads and pimples.
  • As with most of these home remedies, allow the tea to dry for about 10 minutes before rinsing and patting your face dry.

Another pretty cool way to use your tea leaves and mix up a great home remedy for blackheads, is to mix the leaves with a little water to form a paste. Use this as a facial scrub, rub into your skin for two or three minutes, and then rinse.

This paste will help unclog pores and neutralize oily skin. Green tea; does a body good, inside and out!!


Epsom Salt


Epsom salts

You’ve probably used Epsom salts to ease muscle pain or just as a relaxing soak, but have you tried it to reduce skin issues?

The salts contain anti-inflammatory properties, are a great exfoliant, and can absorb moisture from acne-causing bacteria.

Because the salts help absorb moisture, you may want to try them if you have skin that’s on the oily side. Epsom salts can actually clear pores by pulling out the clog, which you then just rinse away.

  • Mix a teaspoon of your salts into a 1/2C of hot water.
  • Dissolve the salts by stirring until you have a diluted mixture, and then let it cool until just warm.
  • Massage this onto your blemished areas and let dry.
  • Rinse and pat dry.

Epsom salts can also be combined with various other ingredients for use as a scrub to help treat and prevent breakouts. Honey and olive oil are common additions and are also wonderful for the skin.


Egg Whites


Egg whites

Egg whites aren’t just part of a healthy diet; they’re also great at tightening skin and reducing pore size, which helps to eliminate pesky blemishes.

They’re the original face mask, being used in this manner since ancient times.

Like oatmeal, this ingredient is especially good for those with oily skin, and is used not only in natural blackhead removal, but for use as a preventative against them.

The best method is as follows;

  • Apply a (fairly thin) layer of egg white on your face, topped with a piece of tissue.
  • Apply more egg on top of that with your fingertips.
  • Leave this “mask” to dry and then remove slowly, peeling away from top to bottom.

You should actually be able to see the blackheads and other debris pulled from your skin right on the tissue! Rinse away any remaining egg.


Fenugreek


Fenugreek

Fenugreek is a wonderful herb that contains antioxidants and can detoxify skin from impurities.

I’m sure there are variations in using this, but the best and easiest application is as follows;

  • Mix powdered fenugreek into a little water to make a nice thick paste.
  • Spread it onto pimples and blackheads and keep the paste even and on the thin side.
  • Leave for 20 minutes and rinse.

You can alternatively leave the paste on overnight and rinse in the am; just be careful that it’s dry before bed so you’re not leaving a mess on your pillow!

You can use fenugreek seeds too; just grind them into a powder before mixing into the paste. Or, if you’re lucky enough to grow the plant itself, you can also mix the fresh leaves with water to form a paste and use as outlined above.

Wrapping it all up…

Blackheads and acne are an unpleasant part of life. Hormonal changes, genetics, stress, diet, and exercise can all be a factor in the severity of our skin breakouts. 

These home remedies for blackheads and acne are some easy methods in which to help with the control and maintenance of healthy skin, and they won’t break the bank!

One thing to keep in mind is that, although I’ve listed all natural products, and most are even offered in organic form, there’s still a possibility that they’ll irritate sensitive skin.

If you’re allergic to any of these ingredients, don’t try them on your skin, and always start slow with new acne and blackhead remedies. If you’d like to use them on a daily basis, try once a week first and ensure that you’re not going to suffer a flare up.

Home remedies for blackheads and acne are a great way to take control of your blemish issues.

Just remember that sometimes results are slower than with chemical “fixes”, and must be used consistently to work well. Do a little experimenting with what works best for your budget, availability, and skin type. Your face will thank you!