Enter, your trusty blackhead mask. The key? Naturally exfoliating ingredients to gently dissolve dead skin cells and lift debris from those pores: If you’re well-versed in chemical exfoliants (feel free to jog your memory here), you’ll likely know that they, too, vary in intensity. So feel free to play around with those as well: If you find citric acid a bit irritating, perhaps opt for lactic acid instead (a way gentler AHA). Or, Blankenship notes, you can always swap out sensitizing ingredients with water. No matter how you formulate your blackhead mask, you may want to keep it to a minimum of one to two AHAs. Less is more here: “Overusing AHAs can leave the skin with redness, photosensitivity, and, potentially, dryness,” Plescia says. Ease into them slowly, and find what works best for you. As always with DIY projects, you should do a patch test before slathering on. After your masking experience, be sure to seal in moisture with an occlusive agent (like a cream or oil) so you don’t unintentionally dry out your skin. Plus, there’s no better time to pile on some good-for-you formulas after all that exfoliating—those ingredients can better penetrate, and your skin will drink them right up.
