If you've ever dealt with blackheads, you know just how tricky it can be to get rid of them. Treating blackheads requires patience, a consistent skincare routine, and (most importantly) the right products.
Thankfully, face masks can play a huge role in not just clearing those pesky blackheads, but also preventing them from coming back in the future.
Below, we've compiled a list of the absolute best face masks for blackheads that are currently available on the market.
These top-tier products are formulated with potent ingredients that have been proven to tackle blackheads and other forms of blemishes.
If you're ready to get rid of blackheads once and for all, add one of these highly-rated masks to your skincare routine.
Blu Atlas formulates science-
backed personal care products that feature clean and natural ingredients and are free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.
1.The all-natural Blu Atlas Purifying Face Mask features kaolin clay (also known as white or China clay), an anti-inflammatory clay that is gentle on the skin, yet incredibly effective.
This powerhouse ingredient absorbs excess sebum (AKA your skin's natural oils) and draws out impurities, toxins, and other contaminants from the pores. It also contains charcoal powder, which further helps remove debris from the skin.
Both of these ingredients help treat and prevent blackheads and other forms of acne.
Additionally, this clay mask contains nutrient-packed goji berry extract, which helps reduce acne and even out skin tone while also promoting collagen production for anti-aging benefits.
Micro algae extract – which is rich in antioxidants and beta-carotene – further protects and supports the skin. The combination of the kaolin clay and charcoal powder with these effective skincare ingredients makes the Blu Atlas mask one of the best face masks for blackheads and supporting overall skin health.
2. Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask
Clean beauty company Origins uses sustainable ingredients derived from the earth and sea to craft high performing skincare products powered by nature.
The company's top-selling Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask contains potent ingredients that work to draw out toxins, dirt, and debris from the skin to support a clear, refreshed, and healthy complexion.
The mask features purifying bamboo charcoal, which is made by charring Moso bamboo.
This fine, highly porous powder removes excess oil and other impurities from the skin, helping to treat and prevent clogged pores, blackheads, and other blemishes.
Kaolin clay further helps absorb excess oil and draw out debris from the pores, while lecithin dissolves impurities.
The charcoal mask is free of parabens, phthalates, SLS, and mineral oil.
3. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay
Aztec Secret has become incredibly popular in the skincare world over the last few years, thanks to the company's star product: the Indian Healing Clay. It contains 100% natural calcium bentonite clay, which is sourced from Death Valley, California, and sun-dried in super high temperatures for up to six months.Bentonite clay works by drawing out impurities from the skin, which helps treat and prevent blackheads while also clearing breakouts, reducing shine due to excess oil, and refining the appearance of pores.
This clay comes in the form of a powder, which is meant to be mixed with water (or another liquid – some people use apple cider vinegar) to create a face mask.
The simple one-ingredient mask contains no additional fragrances, dyes, or other additives, and is also vegan and cruelty-free.
4. The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Mask
The Ordinary is known for creating effective, science-backed personal care products for skincare enthusiasts on a budget, and offers a great range of products that tackle acne.
The Salicylic Acid 2% Masque is one of the best face masks for blackheads – especially for those looking for a super affordable option.
It features a 2% concentration of salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid (or BHA). This oil-soluble chemical exfoliator works deep in the pores to unclog excess sebum and debris.
Exfoliating salicylic acid also improves dullness and skin texture.
The mask also contains charcoal and kaolin clay, which both help draw out sebum and debris from the pores, further fighting blackheads and other blemishes. As these powerful ingredients get to work, squalane helps to keep the skin hydrated without further contributing to clogged pores.
5. Herbivore Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Over the past few years, Herbivore has become one of the most popular clean and natural beauty companies on the market. The skincare company focuses on using high-quality, nature-derived ingredients, and doesn't include any ingredients that may be harmful to human health (including dyes, fragrances, parabens, and phthalates).
The company's Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask is particularly well-suited for skin that is prone to blackheads and breakouts.
It contains naturally occurring beta hydroxy acids (AKA BHAs) derived from white willow bark.
These BHAs work deep in the pores to exfoliate and unclog debris that can lead to blackheads and other forms of acne. Papaya and pineapple enzymes gently dissolve dead skin cells to smooth and refine the complexion.
The clarifying mask also contains blue tansy oil and aloe, which both soothe irritation.
6. Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask 2X with Super Volcanic Clusters
Innisfree is a well-loved budget-friendly skincare brand based out of South Korea.
The company responsibly sources high-quality pure and potent natural ingredients from Korea's Jeju Island to craft innovative and effective skincare products. One of the company's bestsellers is the Pore Clearing Clay Mask 2X with Super Volcanic Clusters, a creamy clay mask that exfoliates and clears pores to fight texture, blemishes, and large pores without drying out or stripping the skin.
The ingredients that make this mask particularly unique are the Jeju Island volcanic clusters, which are created by finely grinding hardened volcanic lava. The volcanic clusters absorb excess sebum and impurities to unclog pores and minimize shine. It also contains lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that works on the surface of the skin to exfoliate dead skin cells, minimize the appearance of pores, and improve skin texture. Kaolin and bentonite clays further draw out impurities from the skin, while glycerin helps maintain hydration levels.
7. Paula's Choice Clear Purifying Clay Mask
Popular skincare brand Paula's Choice offers a wide range of products formulated to tackle all skin concerns, including blackheads. The company's Clear line contains products specifically created for blemish-prone skin, and includes the Purifying Clay Mask.
This mask is crafted to mattify the skin, reduce the appearance of large pores, and prevent breakouts.
It contains three types of clays (kaolin, bentonite, and illite), which absorb excess oil and draw out impurities to prevent breakouts. A low concentration (0.5%) of salicylic acid helps decongest pores and gently exfoliate.
This mask also contains tapioca and cornstarch, which help mattify the skin and further control shine, making it a particularly great formula for oily skin types.
Plant-derived ingredients (including green tea, chamomile, and willowherb) help soothe the skin and calm redness for a more even complexion.
8. Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Babyfacial
Drunk Elephant's popularity has skyrocketed over the past few years, thanks to the clean beauty skincare company's expertly formulated products. One of the most popular products is the cult-favorite multi-purpose TLC Sukari Babyfacial, a powerful exfoliating mask that improves skin texture, evens skin tone, and unclogs pores.
For battling blackheads, clogged pores, and breakouts, this mask has a 2% concentration of the beta hydroxy acid salicylic acid. This BHA works to unclog por
res while also soothing redness and improving texture.
The mask also contains a potent 25% concentration of an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) blend, which includes glycolic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, and citric acid.
These AHAs work on the surface of the skin to exfoliate dead skin cells and improve cell turnover, helping to brighten, smooth, and fight signs of aging.
While these powerful exfoliants get to work, chickpea flour further brightens the skin to fight dullness, while antioxidant-rich ingredients (like matcha, milk thistle, apple, and pumpkin ferment extracts) further promote skin health.
9. Burt's Bees Detoxifying Charcoal Sheet Mask with Honey
While traditional masks are incredibly effective, if sheet masks are more your speed, the Burt's Bees Detoxifying Charcoal Sheet Mask with Honey is a great blackhead-fighting option to check out.
The personal care company uses effective ingredients sourced from nature, with an emphasis on nutrient-rich ingredients derived from bees (like honey and royal jelly).
This sheet mask (which uses 99% natural ingredients) contains embedded charcoal, which works to detoxify the skin, drawing out impurities to fight blackheads and other blemishes.
Willow bark extract – which contains natural beta hydroxy acids – further decongests pores and exfoliates the skin.
As the charcoal and willow bark extract work their magic, honey naturally moisturizes and soothes the skin, leaving it feeling soft and supple.
The non-comedogenic sheet mask contains no additional fragrances, and is also free of parabens, SLS, petrolatum, and phthalates.
10. Dr. Dennis Gross DRx Blemish Solutions Clarifying Mask with Colloidal Sulfur
Dermatologist-founded Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare was launched in order to formulate research-backed, innovative products that deliver professional level results at home. The DRx Blemish Solutions Clarifying Mask with Colloidal Sulfur is a clinical strength mask that is formulated to fight breakouts, treat blackheads, minimize the appearance of large pores, and reduce shine from excess oil.
One of the key ingredients in this mask is colloidal sulfur. This ingredient works to fight acne-causing bacteria while also controlling the production of sebum to prevent excess oil from clogging pores.
It also decongests pores and exfoliates dead skin cells for a clearer complexion.
Bentonite and kaolin clays draw out excess oil and debris from the pores to fight blemishes, while willow bark extract further exfoliates and decongests.
As these powerful ingredients help clear pores and fight blemishes, prickly pear, licorice root extract, and aloe minimize redness, soothe irritation, and promote a calm complexion. While you can use this product as a traditional wash off mask, you can also leave it on overnight to help tackle blackheads as you sleep.
11. Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask
Neutrogena is one of the most recognizable drugstore personal care brands on the market.
The company offers a variety of effective and affordable products that can help you keep blackheads and other forms of acne at bay.
This includes the multi-purpose Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask, which is both a face wash and mask in one.
The dermatologist-tested Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask contains a 3.5% concentration of benzoyl peroxide, a science-backed skincare ingredient that kills acne-causing bacteria while unclogging pores to both treat current breakouts and prevent new blemishes from forming.
It also contains both bentonite and kaolin clays, which absorb excess oil and draw out impurities from the pores.
This product can be used as a mask two to three times per week to help fight breakouts, including blackheads.
It can also be used as a cleanser on a daily basis.
12. First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Purifying Mask with Red Clay
Popular beauty brand First Aid Beauty was created with the intention of formulating clean skincare products that are suitable for sensitive skin.
All First Aid Beauty products are tested by dermatologists, and are free of over 1300 banned ingredients that may be harmful to human health (including parabens, artificial fragrances, sulfates, and mineral oil).
The company's line of clean beauty products includes the blemish-fighting Skin Rescue Purifying Mask with Red Clay.
This 20-minute peel-off mask is excellent for normal to oily skin, and contains ingredients that work to fight breakouts, minimize the appearance of large pores, and control oil production while revealing a softer, smoother complexion.
The star ingredient in this mask is red clay, which draws out impurities in the skin to unclog pores, control excess sebum, and tackle acne.
The formula also contains rosemary leaf oil, which tones to skin while further helping to unclog pores.
Glycerin ensures the skin stays hydrated and smooth, while the company's antioxidant booster (which contains licorice root extract, white tea extract, and feverfew extract) helps protect the skin against environmental aggressors.
13. Cetaphil Pro DermaControl Purifying Clay Mask
Cetaphil is an excellent drugstore skincare brand offering a range of products at affordable prices. Cetaphil products are formulated with sensitive skin in mind, and target a variety of skin concerns. A popular product in the Cetaphil lineup is the Pro DermaControl Purifying Clay Mask, which is particularly great for combination, oily, and sensitive skin.
This mask contains both kaolin and bentonite clays, which work as magnets to draw out pore-clogging impurities from the skin to minimize the appearance of pores, reduce shine, and decongest.
Apple fruit extract and shea butter also help support skin hydration to prevent the skin from feeling tight or dry, while cucumber seed extract works to brighten the complexion.
This fragrance-free mask has been dermatologist tested and proven to be gentle enough for sensitive skin.
14. GlamGlow
The Supermud Clearing Treatment Mask is specifically formulated to clear pores and refine their appearance while improving the overall complexion of normal to oily and acne-prone skin, leaving it looking and feeling soft, smooth, and poreless.
This clarifying mask contains a blend of six acids: lactic, salicylic, glycolic, mandelic, tartaric, and pyruvic acids.
These alpha and beta hydroxy acids exfoliate the skin and fight dead skin cell buildup while tackling acne and unclogging pores to make them appear smaller.
Kaolin clay and activated charcoal both work to attract and draw out dirt, impurities, and excess debris from the pores, while eucalyptus leaf extracts excess oils that can clog the pores for a clearer and more matte complexion.
15. REN Skincare Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask
REN Skincare is an industry leader in the world of clean beauty.
The vegan and cruelty-free company focuses on creating effective products with high-performing natural ingredients, and makes all of its formulas with sensitive skin in mind – meaning they won't aggravate irritable skin.
For blackheads and general pore congestion, one of the best REN Skincare products is the Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask.
This product is formulated for combination and oily skin types, and works to purify, tone, and clean while smoothing and mattifying the skin.
This clay mask features kaolin clay, which absorbs excess oil and draws out impurities from the skin to fight congestion and refine the appearance of large pores.
It also contains antioxidant-rich spirulina extract, which nourishes the skin, as well as lavender oil, which refreshes.
16. Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask
Natural luxury skincare company Tata Harper creates highly effective formulas packed with potent ingredients sourced from nature, and avoids diluting powerful actives with unnecessary filler ingredients. One of the brand's nature-powered products is the Resurfacing Mask, am ulti-purpose mask that is formulated to not only decongest pores and fight blackheads, but also boost radiance and improve dull, rough skin.
The Resurfacing Mask features white willow bark extract, which contains natural beta hydroxy acids.
These BHAs exfoliate the skin to clear any pore-clogging debris that can lead to blackheads and other forms of acne while reducing the appearance of pores.
Pomegranate enzymes work on the surface of the skin to smooth and slough off dead skin cells, while pink clay absorbs excess oil and impurities in the skin. Ingredients like olive oil, elderberry, and barley further smooth and soften the skin, while calendula, arnica, and rose otto boost skin radiance for a glowing complexion.
FAQs: Treating & Preventing Blackheads
Want to know more about treating blackheads and keeping them at bay?
Here are a few of the most common questions that come up about tackling blackheads.
What are blackheads, and what causes them?
Blackheads (also known as open comedones) are a mild form of acne that appear as small, slightly raised dark bumps on the skin. While there's a common misconception that the gray or black color comes from dirt, the color actually develops when the debris in the pore is exposed to oxygen.
Blackheads are formed when hair follicles become clogged with debris, such as dead skin cells, excess oil, bacteria, and dirt. There are a variety of different factors that can cause this form of acne to develop.
This includes the body overproducing sebum, hormonal fluctuations (such as during puberty or pregnancy), certain medications, a presence of acne-causing bacteria on the skin, a build-up of dead skin cells, or using products that contain pore-clogging ingredients .
How often should you use a mask to treat blackheads?
This largely depends on the specific mask you've chosen. Some masks are gentle enough to use a few times a week, while others are best suited for once weekly use (or less often).Refer to the instruction label on your product, and also pay attention to how your skin reacts to itinform how often you should use it. Consistency is key, so ensure you continue to use it regularly for the best results.
What other skincare products treat blackheads?
In addition to using a face mask, there are a variety of skincare products you can use to work towards a blackhead-free complexion.Leave-on chemical exfoliants containing beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) are incredibly effective, as this type of skincare ingredient is oil-soluble and works deep in the pores, unclogging debris that leads to blackheads. Look for ingredients like salicylic acid, willow bark extract, and betaine salicylate.
Skincare products (like treatments, serums, and cleansers) containing retinoids (prescription or non-prescription strength), sulfur, or benzoyl peroxide are also excellent for treating and preventing blackheads.
How do you get rid of blackheads for good?
Of course, once you've finally cleared your blackheads, you'll want to do everything in your power to stop more blackheads from forming in the future.The key to preventing new blackheads from developing is being consistent with your acne-fighting skincare routine.
This means cleansing daily, avoiding any pore-clogging products, applying your face mask regularly, and using targeted skincare products (like one/a few of the options mentioned in the previous question) on a regular basis.
Your skincare products will only work properly if you're using them consistently, so once you've found the products that work for you, stay on top of your routine for the best results.