A SKINCARE fan has reached the grand age of 44 and is finally blackhead-free.
It’s taken her half a lifetime to learn what keeps her complexion clear of pimples.
She wishes she had known her tips for getting rid of them at 19.
But there is one skincare step she swears she will never skip.
On TikTok, Jennifer Latch (@jenniferlatch) describes the aging process as “cool.”
But a bad complexion is not and she’s honed a skincare regime to keep pimples at bay.
It’s better late than never, but she wishes a good skincare routine had been explained to her at 19.
It would have saved her a lot of trial and error and anxiety about her skin.
“If someone had sat me down and explained to me the cause and treatment for blackheads, it would have saved me a lot of stress,” she said.
Sometimes it can take months to see a big difference.
Jennifer Latch
She distilled her list of skin tips to several easy-to-follow steps.
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BLACKHEADS – WHAT CAUSES THEM?
Blackheads form when a hair follicle in the skin becomes clogged or plugged.
Dead skin cells and excess oil collect in the follicle’s opening, which produces a bump.
If the skin over the bump opens, the air exposure oxidizes and causes the plug to look black, forming a blackhead.
WASH YOUR FACE
Never skip washing your face, no matter how tired you are.
She uses micellar water to remove her makeup and then washes with a gentle cream cleanser.
PILLOWCASE ALERT
This might be new for some beauty fans, but she stressed the need to wash your pillowcase regularly.
At least once a week. Just once a month is not often enough.
DITCH THE HAND TOWEL
Do not, she stressed, dry your face with a hand towel.
It’s a breeding ground for bacteria and they will only transfer to your face.
Instead, she suggested investing in some inexpensive packets of cotton washcloths from Target and Amazon.
TO SQUEEZE OR NOT TO SQUEEZE
The temptation is great, but do not squeeze blackheads.
You might leave a scar and it does not fix the problem.
Dermatologist-approved anti-aging tips
Dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp shared his dermatologist-approved tips with The U.S. Sun.
- Stop using tanning beds.
- Don’t use sunscreen to contour your face.
- Wear driving gloves to protect your hands from the sun. He likes Coolibar Gannett UV Gloves UPF 50+, $15.99 to $39.
- Exercise, stick to a healthy diet, and get enough sleep.
- Don’t drink excessively or smoke.
DEEP SCRUB
Exfoliation, both chemical and physical, was advised by Jennifer.
Start twice a week with a chemical exfoliation and once a week with a physical, super fine exfoliation.
Jennifer urged viewers to be patient. “Sometimes it can take months to see a big difference,” she said.
“For the first time ever I went to my aesthetican I did not have any blackheads.
“But it took a year and a half of consistent skincare to get me there,” she added.
Many commenters admitted they had missed the face-washing routine.
“Was literally about to skip washing my face,” said one person.
“As much as I hate to use it and I know it’s bad for the skin, for the days I don’t have the energy for my skincare, I have a pack of cleansing wipes on my nightstand. It’s better than nothing,” admitted another.
“Good advice, especially on the pillowcase,” wrote a third person.