BY AMANDA STOKER

ATTACK! ATTACK! Two large dive bombers approach the surface! They go in for a direct hit, crashing into the barrier exploding on contact! The ruthless pointed devices back away only to go in again and again! What sounds like an alien invasion is your nightly zit popping session if front of the bathroom mirror.

WAR WITH YOUR SKIN

With a magnifying mirror in front of you, you hover so close that your skin looks like the surface of a distant planet. Black dots scatter the surface like UFO domes. You reach up with unrelenting index fingers and squeeze away. Alien black dots worm their way out of your follicle with insistent pinching. Dragging your fingernail across your skin, you attempt to clear your ravaged pores of any debris. After going into a picking zone for a foggy amount of time, you step back from the mirror. Your skin is red, puffy, bloody, and angry. A Mars attack happened on your face and you were the invader.

Every esthetician, your mother, and Ghandi are waving white flags in the background pleading with you: “STOP! For the love of your skin, please, stop.”

There is a right way and a wrong way to extract blackheads. Using your fingernail and stress picking are both big DON’TS. This esthetician is here to teach you how to get rid of blackheads without creating a war zone on your skin.

HOW TO GET RID OF BLACKHEADS IN 5 EASY STEPS

STEP 1: CLEANSE

Use Active Pureness Gel facial cleanser to clear off dirt, oil, and bacteria off of the skin. This is an important initial step. When you skip cleansing, you are making your skin prone to infection after you extract the contents of your pores. With a dime size amount of cleanser in your fingertips, apply to cheeks, chin, and forehead. Add water to your fingertips and perform circular motions in an upwards motion for 1 minute. Work around nose and areas you will be extracting. Remove with warm water.

STEP 2: STEAM

Steam will soften the gunk that has solidified in your follicle. Blackheads are a mixture of sebum (oil) and cellular contents. It is not dark in color because of dirt. Your blackheads turn a dark color because of oxidation. No, they did not go clubbing at an oxygen bar, you went outside. Similarly to an apple turning brown when left on the counter, your blackheads turn black when exposed to oxygen. Warm a washcloth under hot water. Wring out excess and press to face for 10 – 15 seconds.

STEP 3: EXTRACT

Now that your skin has been properly prepped, you are ready for the extraction process. There are two kinds of extractions, manual extractions and extractions with a tool. No, you are not taking power tools to your delicate skin, An extractor tool is designed to carefully extract your pesky blackheads. When deciding what to extract and what not to extract, avoid any bumps that appear to be underneath the skin. These are best left to the professionals. Use a spot treatment instead to dissolve the oil under the skin.

Extractions with a comodone extractor. A comodone extractor is a tool used to remove blackheads. Extractor tools usually have a small loop at one end and a flat spatula on the other. Place the looped end of your sterilized tool around the blackhead then, press with medium constant pressure. Wiggle the tool around the blackhead until it pokes out. Then, take tweezers and extract the remainder of the blackhead. If you leave a mark on the skin or if you break through the skin, you have pressed too hard. Treat your skin kindly. Think that you are using a gentle voice to coax a kitten out from underneath a car instead of a fog horn to scare the bejezus out of the kitty as well as the entire neighborhood.
Manual Extractions. If performed properly, manual extractions are the safest way to remove blackheads without damage to the skin. Wash your hands then, take two tissues and fold them over your index fingers. Press down inward and up around blackhead. Don’t squeeze it so hard you wince. Use a medium, constant pressure at the base of the blackhead. Wiggle your fingers to encourage the blackhead out. Once it starts to poke out of your pore, take a pair of pointed tweezers and pull it our like a hair.

Pro tip: When extracting on your own skin, keep an eye on the time. Do not extract for more than 5 minutes. The tendency is to overdo it on our own skin. Remember, you want your skin to look better afterwards not worse. If you have a problem with picking, set a timer for yourself. Get the most prominent blackheads then move on to the next step.

STEP 4: CLEANSE & COOL

Cool the skin after your extraction process with a cold washcloth. Press the cool cloth to the skin as opposed to scrubbing. Apply the cloth as if you are icing an injury instead of sanding down a tree stump. Scrubbing your skin raw will only exacerbate inflammation which can lead to further breakouts. Swipe over your skin with Active Pureness Toner applied to damp cotton rounds. This will remove any bacteria unearthed by the extraction process and close up the pores. Use cool jade rollers to further soothe your skin and bring down redness. Begin at the midline of the forehead and roll outwards. Continue down the face until you reach the jawline. Repeat a phrase that rewrites any negative stories. “My skin is clean and clear.” Take in deep breaths into the belly as you say positive statements to yourself.

STEP 5: TREAT & MOISTURIZE

Complete your self care ritual by applying the Active Pureness Corrector on any remaining pimples. Dispense a small amount of product onto the side of your clean hand. Use your pinkie finger or a cotton swap to apply product to your skin. Then, press a half dime amount of Active Pureness Fluid onto the cheeks, chin, forehead and nose. Massage product with happy circles. Do not worry if the skin looks a bit pink. With the extraction process, circulation increases. Pink is normal. If it looks bright red, make a note to ease up a bit next time. Unless absolutely necessary -hot date and massive pimple- only extract once a week and perform extractions in the evening just prior to bed. In doing this you will give your skin a chance to heal and each morning you will wake with your best, most radiant skin.

PEACE TREATY

Next time you are planning on the attack on your defenseless skin, take a pause. Look in the mirror. Initially, you may only see the imperfections on your skin and the desire to be rid of them. Take in a deep breath of self-acceptance then, exhale anxiety and self-doubt. Cultivating love for yourself does not mean you have to love everything about your skin. As you observe your reflection say, “I love and accept myself completely even though I see imperfections.” With this attitude, you will naturally be kinder to your skin and treat it as if it is a beautiful landscape you are tending to instead of a territory you are trying to overtake. Self-love is not loving everything about yourself, self-love is recognizing that your true essence IS love and beauty. You ARE love. You ARE beauty. A few blackheads will never change that.

For professional care and expert advice on how to remove blackheads, book an Active Pureness Facial at YoMo Skincare. We care about you and we care about your skin.