Can’t help but crank up the beauty mode of your cell phone’s front facing camera each time you take a selfie because of those unsightly blackheads? Then read on. Below you will come across some smart tips on how to keep those blackheads from showing up on your face, thus keeping you from relying heavily on your cell phone’s beauty mode.

Before we take a look at those tips, let’s first briefly discuss why blackheads appear.

According to skin experts, blackheads can appear just about anywhere on the body, but they can usually be found on the face, most especially on your nose. Blackheads form when the pores of your skin become clogged with dirt and excess dead skin cells, keeping the oils produced by the sebaceous glands from coming to the surface of your skin.

Naturally, the best way to keep those ugly blackheads from showing up is by making sure that your pores are free of anything that can prevent those oils from escaping.

Here are some of the things that you may do to prevent blackheads from forming:

Exfoliate on a Regular Basis

Because one of the reasons why blackheads appear is excessive amounts of dead skin cells sitting on the topmost layer of your skin, it’s a good idea to exfoliate on a regular basis.

You can always count on an exfoliating product, the kind that comes with very fine beads or granules. Or you can simply make up your own at home to save yourself from shelling out lots of cash. All you have to do is add a few drops of water to a little baking soda or brown sugar, and then gently massage the mixture on your face.

However, make sure that you exfoliate your face no more than twice a week. If you exfoliate more often than that, there’s a huge possibility for your skin to become irritated.

Refrain From Washing Your Face a Lot

If you are prone to developing blackheads, make sure that you keep face washing to a minimum. That’s because it will only prompt your sebaceous glands to produce more oils, thus increasing your risk of having blackheads.

Wash your face in the morning and before bedtime. If you think that your face could use some cleansing because it already looks and feels grimy, opt for the mildest facial wash you can find. And speaking of facial wash, use something that is exclusively formulated for your skin type to avoid unnecessary skin issues.

Don’t Forget to Moisturize

No matter if you have dry or oily skin, it’s very important for you to regularly moisturize your face. This is effective not only against fine lines and wrinkles, but also blackheads.

When you apply enough moisturizer on your face, then your sebaceous glands will no longer produce excessive amounts of oils just to keep dryness at bay. With less oils produced, it’s less likely for blackheads to appear. Consider using a moisturizer that is perfect for your skin type — dry, oily, combination or normal — for best results.

Remove Make Up Before Hitting the Sack

Last but not least, make sure that you get rid of any make up before having your nightly trip to dreamland if you want to keep those blackheads at bay.

Sleeping with your makeup on could leave your pores clogged up, and that’s how those blackheads form. So no matter how sleepy you already are, make sure that you thoroughly remove your make up. Invest in a high quality make up remover if you want to make sure that there is no trace of make up on your face before you get some Z’s.