The Best Creams to Tackle Blackheads

Blackheads can be a pain for many. The annoying little dark dots are often picked at and can cause inflammation and pimples. They are a common skin concern which means that there are also loads of solutions for getting rid of blackheads, you just need the right skincare products! Read on to find how to best tackle blackheads and what creams offer help for getting rid of blackheads.

What are blackheads?

Pores can become clogged because of dead skin cells, bacteria, and excess oil. When this happens, blackheads and whiteheads, also known as comedones, can appear. Blackheads are a type of open comedones that show up on your skin’s surface as a small dark or black dot. Whiteheads however are closed comedones, and show up as a white or skin-colored bump. Whiteheads appear when oil and dead skin cells are trapped underneath the surface of the skin, fully blocking the pore.

How to get rid of blackheads?

There are some tried and true ingredients that help to unclog pores, and balance the skin in order to deter blackheads. 

Salicylic acid is one of those well researched ingredients that goes beyond the skin’s surface, getting rid of blockages deep within the skin. It exfoliates dead skin cells and breaks down any excess oils within the pores to unclog them. By clearing the skin from blackheads, future breakouts and acne can also be prevented.  

Niacinamide is also a great ingredient to balance the skin in order to reduce blackheads. Niacinamide is a great sebum regulator and helps to reduce inflammations in this skin. It’s a great preventative ingredient, by using skin balancing ingredients you work to minimize the chance for blackheads to appear while also improving your skin texture. 

Retinol and retinal are also great at achieving smooth skin. By speeding up the cell turnover comedones such as black- and whiteheads can be prevented because the clogging of pores is also prevented. This is also why retinoids are not just used for anti-aging purposes but also work great at fighting acne. 

What not to do when you have blackheads

Whether you have blackheads, whiteheads or pimples, the rule of thumb is always to avoid the temptation of picking at your skin. When you try to squeeze blackheads out or use harsh scrubs to try to get rid of them you could make inflammation worse, cause scarring and spread bacteria. Keep the picking at your skin to professionals and avoid using harsh physical scrubs or over-exfoliation with chemical peelings since this can disrupt the skin’s sebum production and disrupt the skin barrier leading to both irritation and potentially worsening the blackheads.

The best creams to tackle blackheads

1. TIA’M Pore Minimizing 21 Cream Do you suffer from blackheads and does your face get shiny after a few hours? This might be your savior. The mix of niacinamide, salicylic acid derived from willow bark and panthenol keep the sebum production under control while keeping the skin calm.

2. Aromatica Tea Tree Pore Purifying Gel Cream This Aromatica gel cream is lightweight, and is amazing for acne-prone skin that suffers from both blackheads and breakouts. The formula boasts anti-inflammatory tea tree, sebum regulating naicinamide, and exfoliating PHA to effectively clear the skin.

3. COSRX Refresh AHA BHA Vitamin C Daily Cream Normally we'd advise against using an AHA, BHA and Vitamin C at the same time but the three ingredients have been combined to work together in harmony in this daily cream! The dynamic trio improves both skin texture and dark spots.

4. Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Cream One of the bestsellers to tackle acne and calm the skin. The Some By Mi Miracle Cream is also great at fighting blackheads because of its infusion with three chemical exfoliants. The addition of a high percentage of Centella Asiatica makes sure to sooth the skin while the exfoliants work their magic.

5. By Wishtrend Vitamin A-mazing Bakuchiol Night Cream This night cream mixes Bakuchiol with retinal to effectively tackle signs of aging, however it also works great on acne-prone skin and those suffering from blackheads. It's also great for beginners, so no need to worry if you're new to retinoids. Just make sure to not use the cream at the same time as chemical exfoliants.

Banish blackheads with the right skincare products in your routine. These are some of the best creams to get rid of blackheads and prevent them in the future. Trying to find more products that will fit into your routine? Check out our full assortment of Korean beauty that will help you tackle blackheads and say hello to smooth and clear skin!