Our body pores help us stay clean by throwing out all the waste elements including dead skin cells. The sebaceous glands under our skin secrets the oil called sebum which most often clings to dead skin cells. The dead skin cells then get excreted from body through pores. This keeps our skin healthy and glowing. However, certain build-up, sometimes due to dirt or some other things like makeup residue pollution, etc. lead to clogged pores.
The sebaceous gland anyway keeps on producing sebum oil but it doesn’t get released out of skin. This causes infection that we know as pimples, acne and blackheads. Sometimes hormonal changes also lead to extra oil production by sebaceous gland that may cause clogged pores on your face or other body parts. There are however, simple ways to get rid of clogged pores so that your skin remains free of any waste product and glow forever. Here are some home remedies for clogged pores that will help them stay open and clean.
The pores in your skin can get clogged with oil, dry or dead skin cells, and everyday dirt and debris. At times, the pores can clog when the skin is inflamed due to excess white blood cells.
It is very important to keep the pores free of clogs to prevent blackheads and acne. The best way to get rid of clogged pores is to follow a good daily skin care regimen. Regular exfoliation of your skin will remove dead skin cells, oil, dirt and other impurities that lead to clogged pores.
Many home remedies can help you get rid of clogged pores so you can enjoy smoother, younger-looking skin.
Here are the top ways to get rid of clogged pores.
1. Steam:
Steaming the face is an inexpensive and highly effective remedy for clogged pores. Steaming opens the clogged pores and allows all kinds of impurities trapped inside to be washed away.
Fill a pot with water, cover it with a lid and heat the water on the stove.
When the water is hot enough to produce steam, remove the pot from the heat.
Place a towel over your head and lean over the steaming water.
Allow the steam to soak into your face for 10 to 15 minutes.
Then pat dry your face and use a toner (to balance the skin’s pH) and mild moisturizer (to protect your skin from drying out).
Steam your face twice a week to keep your pores clean and rejuvenate your skin.
Note: Avoid splashing hot water that can burn your skin.
2. Sugar:
Sugar works as a natural exfoliating agent to help break up scar tissue and unclog skin pores.
Crush two tablespoons of sugar into powder form.
Mix in the juice from half a lemon and a little water to make a thick paste.
Apply the paste on the affected skin.
Gently massage for five minutes in a circular motion to exfoliate.
Rinse your skin with cool water and apply a moisturizer.
Do this once a week to clean out and prevent clogged pores.
3. Fuller’s Earth:
Fuller’s earth also helps to get rid of clogged pores. It acts like a sponge, drawing out the substances that clog pores. Plus, fuller’s earth is highly beneficial for oily skin as it can reduce excess oil secretion and leave your skin feeling incredibly clean and healthy.
Mix one tablespoon each of fuller’s earth, water, and oatmeal. Apply the mixture to your clean face and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Finally wash your face with water, pat it dry with a soft towel, and apply a mild moisturizer. Follow this remedy once a week.
Mix equal amounts of fuller’s earth, rose water and sandalwood powder together to form a thick paste. If needed, add a little water. Apply this pack to your clean face and rinse it off after it dries completely. Repeat the process once a week.
4. Honey:
Honey is equally good for preventing clogged pores. It can reduce excess oil on the skin and tighten the skin pores. Plus, honey will help keep the skin hydrated.
Apply raw honey on the affected skin area. Massage it into the skin and leave it there for a few minutes. Then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Do this two or three times a week to prevent clogged pores.
Mix together three tablespoons of honey and two teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Apply the mixture on the affected area. Leave it on your skin for 20 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy once or twice a week to remove oil and dirt from your pores.
Alternatively, you can make a face mask with two tablespoons of plain yogurt and one teaspoon each of honey and olive oil. Mix all the ingredients and then apply it on your face. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Use this face mask once a week to remove impurities and nourish your skin.
5. Lemon:
Lemons can also be used to keep the skin free from clogged pores. The citric acid present in lemons helps exfoliate the skin and clean out dirt and oil that clogs the pores.
Apply fresh-squeezed lemon juice on the affected skin and rub it gently for five to 10 minutes. Rinse it off with warm water, pat dry and then apply a mild moisturizer. Do this every other day.
Make a facial scrub by mixing one tablespoon of lemon juice with one teaspoon each of salt, yogurt and honey. Apply the mixture on the affected area and gently scrub for five minutes. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes, and then wash your face with lukewarm water. Do this twice weekly.
Lemon rind is also a good skin cleanser and softener. To prevent clogged pores, you can simply rub the rind over the skin and let it stand for five minutes. Then rinse with lukewarm water. Follow this simple remedy twice a week.
6. Baking Soda:
Baking soda is a gentle exfoliating agent that can unplug pores by removing dead skin cells, dirt and other impurities. Plus, baking soda helps regulate the pH balance of the skin to make it look young and smooth.
Make a deep facial cleanser with two teaspoons of baking soda and one teaspoon of water. Mix the ingredients together to make a smooth paste. Apply the paste on your face and gently massage in a circular motion for a few minutes. Leave it on for about five minutes, and then rinse it off with lukewarm water and pat dry. Use this homemade deep cleanser once a week.
Alternatively, you can make a mixture with two tablespoons of baking soda, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, the juice from half a lemon and five tablespoons of honey. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and then apply it on your face. After five minutes, wash it off. Follow this remedy once or twice a week.
7.Eggs:
To get rid of clogged pores, you can use the white portion of the egg. Egg whites have skin-toning and complexion-enhancing properties, including reducing the size of your pores and keeping your skin free from impurities.
Whip one egg white until you get a foamy texture. Chill it in the refrigerator for five minutes and then mix in the juice from half a lemon. Apply the mixture on your skin, let it dry for approximately 10 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water. Use this remedy one or two times a week.
Alternatively, prepare a homemade scrub with one tablespoon each of finely ground almonds and honey along with one egg white. Blend the ingredients together to make a thick paste. Apply it on your face and gently scrub in circular motions. Leave it on for until it dries completely and then wipe off the scrub with a wet washcloth. Use this facial scrub once or twice a week.
8. Oatmeal:
Oatmeal is another great ingredient that can help prevent clogged pores. It can cleanse your skin pores and absorb excess oil. Plus, oatmeal can exfoliate your skin in a very gentle manner.
Mix one-half cup of cooked oatmeal and one teaspoon of olive oil.
Apply it on your skin and let it sit for 15 minutes.
Wipe it off with a wet washcloth and then rinse thoroughly with cool or cold water.
Do this once or twice a week.
As a natural astringent, parsley can effectively pull toxins and other impurities contributing to clogged pores out of your skin.
Fill a bowl with parsley and wash it well.
Pour eight ounces of boiling water into the bowl.
Allow it to cool, then strain the liquid from the parsley leaves.
Soak a clean cloth in the solution.
Hold the soaked cloth on the affected skin for 10 to 15 minutes.
Follow this remedy once daily or every other day.
10. Raw Papaya:
The enzyme known as papain present in papaya has skin-cleansing properties that are a great help in getting rid of clogged pores. Plus, the exfoliating effect of papaya can remove dead skin cells to clear the way for healthy, unclogged pores to reveal softer, smoother skin.
Peel a suitable-size raw papaya and gently rub it on the affected skin for five to 10 minutes. Then wash it off with lukewarm water to remove deep skin impurities like dead cells, oils and dirt. Follow this remedy twice a week.
Grind one-half cup of raw papaya pieces to extract its juice. Apply the juice on the affected skin using a cotton ball. Leave it on for 10 minutes and then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy once or twice a week.
11. Exfoliating- Another Great Way to Open up Clogged Pores:
When you exfoliate your skin, you help slough off the impurities and dry skin cells. Exfoliating, like steaming, is one of the best ways to get rid of clogged pores. There are many options to exfoliate your skin. One of the oldest methods is dry brushing with a dry facial brush. However, the facial brush you use should have soft bristles made with natural fibers. Never ever use any other brush, not even body brush to exfoliate your facial skin. The skin on your face is fragile and sensitive and these body brushes are too harsh for it. Whenever buying face brush, ensure that it is made specifically to be used on face
Get this:
Facial brush (read the above mentioned specifications when buying facial brush)
Do this:
Clean your face using make up remover and then wash it.
Pat dry your face properly. Your face as well as the brush should be completely dry and this is the essential requirement for dry brushing.
Now hold the facial brush and gently brush in circular motions.
Focus more on such facial areas where the skin is more dry.
Exercise caution when brushing around eyes because this is very thin skin and you need to be extra careful while brushing here. Become some more gentler when brushing these areas.
After brushing, wash your face with cool water.
Moisturize your face finally.
If you are not comfortable with dry brushing, you may also use facial scrubs to exfoliate your skin and unclog pores. One of such scrubs is the sugar scrub, our next remedy.
12.Bentonite Clay Mask for Clogged Pores:
Clay masks are popular remedies for clogged pores and not so without a reason. Clay pulls out the toxins from the skin and unclogs the pores in natural and effective ways. Other than fuller’s earth, bentonite clay is also very effective for clogged pores. This clay is a volcanic ash and behaves like a sponge when you apply this to your skin. It just draws the impurities from your pores making them clean and clear.
Get this:
Bentonite clay- 1 tbsp
water- 1 tbsp
Oatmeal- 1 tbsp
Do this:
Combine the bentonite clay, oatmeal and water to make a paste.
Apply this clay mask to your face or affected skin.
Let it sit there for about 10 -15 minutes or till it gets completely dry.
Wash off with water and pat dry.
Moisturize your skin well.
Do this once a week to keep your clogged pores open.
You may even add some activated charcoal (a medicinal charcoal) with bentonite clay. It is also a great agent that absorbs skin impurities excellently.
13.Jojoba Oil for Clogged Pores:
Jojoba oil resembles your own sebum, the oil secreted by sebaceous gland under your skin. Sebum is composed mainly of gycerides, free fatty acids, wax esters and squalenes. Talking about jojoba oil, it is composed of wax esters and fatty acids and that’s why it closely resembles human sebum. Due to its almost same composition, it may actually help reduce sebum production. For the same reason, jojoba oil also mixes with hardened sebum plug and dissolves it to unclog pores. However, it is not a quick fix remedy, jojoba oil takes some time to unclog pores but that is sure to last for long. You may not see any improvement in first couple of weeks but then your skin will become smooth and without clogged pores.
How to use jojoba oil for clogged pores?
Just apply some of this oil to your affected skin daily. That’s it; you need not mix it with anything or make a mask out of it. Simply apply a thin layer of jojoba oil where you face the problem of clogged pores.
14. Hemp Seed Oil for Clogged Pores:
Hemp seed oil is a very good cleanser and moisturizer, natural one. Some of you with acne prone skin might be scared of using oil on skin but this oil is safe to use even on acne prone skin and it never clogs your skin pores. It actually helps balance excess sebum produced by your sebaceous gland thus helping you get rid of clogged pores. Hemp seed oil has just the right amount of essential fatty acids that also gives your skin the linoleic acid. When there is a lack of linoleic acid, your sebaceous glands produce sebum containing oleic acid. This oleic acid is drier and harder than the actual sebum. It can thus plug your pores and give rise to blackheads and whiteheads. Good ratio of linoleic acid in hemp seed oil helps your gland make healthy sebum that won’t clog pores.
How to use hemp seed oil for clogged pores?
Do this:
Wash your face with lukewarm water.
Take a good amount of hemp seed oil onto your palm.
Apply this to your face.
Gently rub the oil into your skin for just a minute.
Now wash off with lukewarm water. All the oil will not go off though and that’s all right.
Pat your face with a towel. It will take off most of the oil that has been left there.
However, if you feel too dry after doing this, apply a little hemp seed oil again on your face.
This oil will be soon absorbed by your skin to leave your skin hydrated and soft.
Repeat 1-2 times a week.
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