Ask Cult Concierge: The Best Skin Care Routine for Blackheads & Whiteheads
You’d like to think that {blackheads & whiteheads} would become a thing of the past once you’ve left your teenage years behind you. But sadly (so, so sadly) that is rarely the case, and many of us will continue to battle them right through our twenties, thirties and beyond!
Blackheads and whiteheads are both caused by everyday grime and excess sebum - when oil, make up residue and general dirt combine, they can block the pores and lead to breakouts. Blackheads are typically genetic, and they’re the result of oxidisation (when the excess sebum mixes with oxygen it turns black). They’re usually found around the nose, forehead and chin (the oily T-zone). When spots aren’t oxidised, they become whiteheads instead.
HOW TO GET RID OF BLACKHEADS AND WHITEHEADS
Importantly, the solution is never squeezing them. While blackheads can be professionally extracted, the best thing you can do on a daily basis is keep your skin well cleansed and use the right products. Regular cleansing and {exfoliation}, and an all-round effective skin care routine, will help to remove dead skin cells, dirt and excess oil from the skin’s surface and from within the pores, keeping whiteheads and breakouts at bay and blackheads to a minimum.
In this guide, {Cult Concierge} expert {Natalie} has outlined her recommended morning and evening {skin care} routine to help battle breakouts, including the best products for blackheads & whiteheads at every step.
MORNING SKIN CARE ROUTINE FOR BLACKHEADS & WHITEHEADS
STEP ONE: CLEANSE
Start your morning with the {PreProbiotic Cleanser} from {Skingredients} - one of the best cleansers for blackheads and whiteheads. While the formula perfectly cleanses your skin, pre and probiotics work to balance your skin and keep your good and bad bacteria in a perfect balance, making sure your skin microbiome is healthy and happy. Polyhydroxy acid (PHA) then works to smooth and soften the skin.
Work onto wet skin for a minute before rinsing clean or removing with a clean facial cloth or mitt. In need of a little TLC? Leave this on for 20 minutes to soothe and hydrate the skin to help reduce inflammation.
STEP TWO: TONE
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Treatment products are super important for congested skin, but it’s important to keep your complexion hydrated and nourished too, and a toner will ensure that your pores are properly closed and clean post-cleansing. Mist {Jordan Samuel Skin’s} vegan {Hydrate The Mist} between your skincare steps to bathe your skin in moisture without causing congestion. Red seaweed infuses moisture deep into the skin while glycerin works to help your skin retain hydration all day long.
STEP THREE: SERUM
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Light layers of hydration will make sure you don’t clog your skin with anything too rich (this is a common cause of whiteheads), so apply {Medik8’s} {Hydr8 B5 Serum} to slightly damp skin after misting to give your skin the drink of water it needs without suffocating it. The addition of vitamin B5 also helps your skin retain moisture more effectively over time. Layer before your {moisturiser} in the morning and evening.
STEP FOUR: MOISTURISE
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{Versed’s} {Dew Point Moisturising Gel Cream} gives combination and easily congested skin hydration, without leading to breakouts. Sodium hyaluronate draws and retains moisture in the skin, aloe leaf further nourishes the skin and natural green tea extracts fight free radicals and prevent them from damaging the skin. A gorgeously lightweight moisturiser perfect for your daily routine!
STEP FOUR: SPF
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No routine is complete without a daily SPF, and this now infamous blue bottle of {Sun Project Water Sun Cream SPF50} by {Thank You Farmer} feels like a drink of water for your skin. A far cry from the thick and heavy SPFs you might be used to! Your skin is left with a naturally radiant finish, but never greasy, while getting broad-spectrum protection day in, day out.
If you’re on the oilier side, you might want to bypass the moisturiser stage and treat this as your two-in-one moisturiser and SPF, but those with a drier complexion will want to layer the moisturiser underneath. Apply two fingers of {SPF} to your face to get optimal protection on every application.
EVENING SKIN CARE ROUTINE FOR BLACKHEADS & WHITEHEADS
STEP ONE: FIRST CLEANSE
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Wash the day away with {MALIN & GOETZ’} {Facial Cleansing Oil}. Add this classic Cult cleansing oil to your evening routine to purify and cleanse with grapeseed, avocado and olive oils, which easily melt away all impurities from the day.
Lavender and eucalyptus work further to calm your complexion and help bring a balance to all skin types. Work into dry skin first, add water to turn it milky, then rinse completely clean.
STEP TWO: SECOND CLEANSE
For your second cleanse, use your {PreProbiotic Cleanser} from {Skingredients} again to keep your good and bad bacteria in perfect balance.
Two or three nights a week, mix it up and use {Skingredients’} {Sally Cleanse} instead. A real treatment cleanser, the Sally Cleanse uses 2% of salicylic acid (a hero ingredient for battling breakouts) to deeply decongest the pores and help reduce blackheads, whiteheads and excess oil. Use at night only, ideally every third night after going in with your oil cleanse. Massage in for a few minutes before rinsing clean.
STEP THREE: TONE
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Treat your skin to another spritz of your {Jordan Samuel Skin’s} {Hydrate The Mist} toner hydrate and nourish your skin.
STEP FOUR: SERUM
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Lock in even more moisture with another few drops of your {Medik8’s} {Hydr8 B5 Serum} serum across your face, neck and décolletage.
STEP FIVE: MOISTURISE
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Complete your evening skin care routine with another small amount of {Versed’s} {Dew Point Moisturising Gel Cream} moisturiser for lightweight, non-greasy hydration to see you through the night.
