8 best blackhead treatments for achieving smoother skin

This brand is well loved for its bright yellow star-shaped spot patches and its flavoured lip balms – I’d highly recommend both. Fresh off the production line is the new star wash cleanser and star cream moisturiser (£12.99, Starfaceworld.co.uk), made specifically to tackle breakout-prone and sensitive skin.

The cleanser, in particular, won me over with its thick, creamy gel texture that lathers into a lightweight foam before being easily rinsed off. The formula combines salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid and glycerin – three reliable ingredients for reducing breakouts and hydrating the skin. Anyone with oily skin will enjoy this. Despite being relatively affordable, it offers a simple yet effective way to kickstart a skincare routine for treating blackheads and other blemishes.

Budget beauty brand Simple is a good option if you want to spend less than £10 without compromising on quality skincare. The key ingredient here is dermatologist-recommended niacinamide, which works to reduce inflammation and help balance oil production.

It’s a sophisticated formula packed into a milky liquid that feels lovely when applied. If you prefer not to use a moisturiser (especially if you have very oily skin), this is a great bookend to any skincare routine and creates a nice smooth canvas for make-up in the mornings. It feels much more luxurious than its price tag would suggest.

With a creamy texture that feels akin to a moisturiser, it’s fast-absorbing and, most importantly, offers minimal irritation. A derivative of vitamin A, retinal acts 11 times faster than standard retinol, as it’s more potent, so you’ll need to consider the strength you’re using. Medik8 offers its crystal retinal product at plenty of strengths, spanning from one to 24 (which equates to a retinal strength of 0.01 per cent to 0.24 per cent). To avoid any issues with sensitivity, if you’re new to using retinal, you should start with a lower strength. Helpfully, the brand has a quiz on its website, so you can find the right option for you.

I’ve used this three times a week as part of my evening routine for years. I found that, occasionally, there was a tiny bit of dry skin on my nose after using this product, but overall, I found it to be fantastic at tackling hormonal acne, including recurring blackheads. I was also impressed by the brightening and smoothing qualities of this product, which is designed to help lessen pigmentation and increase cell turnover.

Beauty blogger turned brand founder and expert Caroline Hirons has long been an advocate for using exfoliating acids via toners as part of a balanced skincare routine, so it’s unsurprising she has developed her own under her brand Skin Rocks. The control acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA), meaning it’s oil-soluble and exfoliates skin to decongest and unclog pores, leaving you with fewer blackheads and a clearer complexion.

To apply, soak a cotton pad in the formula and sweep over a clean and dry face – I concentrated on my nose, chin and forehead, and found, after three weeks, my skin was smoother and clearer with fewer visible blackheads. It's a very easy product to incorporate into your routine, supported by a cleanser and hydrating moisturiser. Despite my skin being prone to rosacea, this exfoliating toner didn’t exacerbate it or lead to any sensitivity issues.

Read more: Best rosacea products for every step of your skincare routine

This serum has a clear gel texture that feels almost as light as water and absorbs in a matter of seconds. The pipette bottle makes for easy application – I preferred to concentrate on blackhead-dense areas, such as my nose and forehead.

The cocktail of ingredients includes a tri-ceramide complex, featuring ceramides and fatty acids, alongside lactic acid and zinc, which exfoliate gently, sloughing off dead skin cells and unclogging pores. In just a fortnight of using this formula four times a week, I found my skin felt smoother, and areas of congestion began to clear up.

This is a fantastic all-in-one serum that treats myriad concerns, including hyperpigmentation, acne scars, dullness and uneven skin tone.

The rich, creamy serum has a buttery soft texture, but it doesn’t leave skin with a greasy residue. The formula includes azelaic acid, niacinamide and kojic acid, which help to smooth texture, refine the appearance of pores, balance excess oil production and brighten. I also found it to be excellent at reducing post-acne marks, if that’s a concern. Just be sure to exercise caution and only use it once a week to avoid irritation.

In the short term, clay masks are effective at absorbing excess oil and sebum on the skin. This one from La Roche-Posay utilises argilla and kaolin clay to gently exfoliate and unblock clogged pores. Sitting within the brand’s effaclar range (which is designed for acne-prone skin), the mask has a thick, creamy texture that can easily be smoothed onto targeted areas or across your whole face. Because it's packaged in a tube, there’s very little mess compared with using some products that come in a pot you need to dip your hand into.

Once carefully applied, leave this mask to sit for as little as five minutes or until it has dried, then remove it with warm water and a flannel. I loved how quickly it gets to work and how easily it rinses off, making for a great weekly or monthly treatment that leaves skin looking and feeling less greasy, smoother and refreshed.

Clinique’s anti-blemish liquid foundation is one of the few complexion products that conceals and prevents breakouts. It’s lightweight, can be blended seamlessly with a few sweeps of your fingers, neutralises redness and keeps shine at bay.

The buildable matte finish has salicylic acid as the star ingredient, which is one of the best beta-hydroxy acids for tackling blackheads. I loved the blurring finish and how it left my skin looking clearer without being a heavy full-coverage option.