clearing clogged pores: diy salicylic acid toner

A crucial ingredient in this regime is the salicylic acid toner (and masque, but that's for another post). Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid. It encourages the shedding of dead skin cells within the follicles, keeping them clear of debris that might cause sebum to clog. Sebum is an oily substance produced by the sebaceous gland within each hair follicle. It sort of slides out of each pore onto the skin, keeping it moisturized and healthy. It can easily become trapped with the pore, though, if there's some stuff going on (dead skin accumulation, pollutants, etc.), and can become riddled with bacteria, causing breakouts. If it can't find a way out, it will become an enlarged ugly cyst. If it gets big enough, it will rupture and push bacteria ridden yuckiness into the surrounding area underneath the skin. Salicylic acid helps keep the pore free and open, minimizing the clogged sebum horror.

Clearing clogged pores: Water only cleansing

soap and commercial cleansers can clog your pores. so how do you clean your face without clogging your pores?

Shall we start with the face? I developed closed-comedone acne when I was 27 years old. It was a rude awakening from the smug euphoria of having a perfect Irish complexion throughout my young life. Closed comedones are little plugs of sebum that collect in the pores. If they emerge on the surface, they oxidize, turn black, and become blackheads. If they stay trapped beneath the skin, they are whiteheads. They're the most difficult kind of acne to treat because it's difficult to get medicine down into a closed pore. I've used some things that have worked, like Retin-A and Obaji Nu-derm, but those things are really harsh. I was determined to come up with a home-made routine that would work just as well without the harshness.