Honey and Lemon for Blackhead Removal

0 Posted by - August 15, 2012 - Hair & Beauty

I have to admit: I’m never thrilled about pins that require me to take pictures of my blackheads. But I do them anyway because I love you, and I want you to know that blackheads will always be there, no matter what you try to do to them.

Image from StyleBees.com

This pin got pretty popular, I imagine because there’s no microwaving, no weird ingredients, no tearing of skin and facial hair. All you do is squirt some honey on a lemon and then rub it on your face. It’s a lazy fuck’s dream! Despite the English-as-a-second-language instructional value of the post, it seems really, really easy.

I have used the vast majority of this bottle of honey on Pinterest beauty regimens. I’m not sure why honey is such a staple of home-made face masks, leg sugaring, and the like, but I don’t mind because at least if it doesn’t make me more beautiful, I can eat it.

The moment of truth when I was to smear this stuff all over my face was a little more traumatic than I expected. I had some PTSD involving flashbacks of the miracle mask and leg sugaring.

I was not wrong.

It is less than pleasant to leave lemon juice and honey on your face for five minutes, turns out. There are drippage problems, and I’m pretty sure I got a lemon seed up my nose. Also globs of honey in some spots, absolutely no honey in other spots. (Too bad lemon and honey can’t cure cow licks. Lord God, I think I just need to shave my head.)

You know my before-and-after shots are a little lacking, but I did the best I could for you guys.

Before you say anything mean about my pores, let me just preemptively make the joke for you. My pores are so big I could store my car keys in them. Hahaha, so funny. Ok, moving on.

I know it looks like the after picture might be slightly better. If you want to think that, you go right ahead, but in person, it was pretty hard for me to see any difference at all, besides that my face was wetter and there were pieces of lemon in my hair.

But it didn’t sting or pull out my facial hair and it hasn’t made me break out yet, so I hesitate to call this an all-out fail. No harm done, really, except that I wasted half a lemon I could have used in a Tom Collins.

  • traceyg1000

    Any good Scot would tell you to add whiskey and hot water to the lemon and honey.  Fuck the blackheads, have a good time.

    • brigidkeely

      traceyg1000  You’ll still have the blackheads, you just won’t care, right? I can live with that.

      • Alanasalona

        I saw this pin all over the place. It blew up my pinterest account last week.As an aesthetician, I can promise you that lemon won’t lighten or otherwise affect blackheads. The reason blackheads are black is not dirt. When a pore fills with a combination of dead skin (pores exfoliate themselves like you other skin because they’re lined with skin :-) ) and oil to he point where it is full enough to be exposed to oxygen, it changes color where the oxygen touches it. The lemon juice is very acidic and will change the ph of your skin temporarily making it vulnerable to bacteria and breakouts. Honey is probably added to this recipe to re-moisturize the dryness caused by the acid, but it wont fix the ph issue. Honey is a great moisturizer, albeit a messy one. Hope this helps someone.P.S. I just found this site and am thoroughly enjoying reading about your adventures! Also, i love your writing style!

  • ginad129

    Honey is anti-bacterial, thus its use in so many cleansing “products”But, come on, who do people tink they’re kidding with this stuff? Rub anti bacterial stuff n your face and all your problems will disappear?!?

    • chalbs

      ginad129 honey really does work at clearly up acne and softening skin. I’ve seen a vast improvement in my complexion since adding honey masks to my regime 2-3 times a week. Don’t bash it til you try it! 

    • chalbs

      ginad129 honey really does work at clearly up acne and softening skin. I’ve seen a vast improvement in my complexion since adding honey masks to my regime 2-3 times a week. Don’t bash it til you try it! 

    • Tekaran_Lady

      ginad129 Honey has some mild anti-bacterial properties, yes, but it’s also anti-oxidant rich and moisturizing. It’s those three things together that makes honey so good for at home remedies. You have to check the label though. A lot of the cheaper “honey” brands are just artificially colored and flavored HFCS, which will do nothing but encourage bacterial growth.

  • http://thedailycommotion.wordpress.com/ Lu

    You know, half of the time I don’t even care about the pins you test, I just come here for the awesome writing and the laughs! :)

  • Jewels2NJoye

    I just recently tried this as well….*blank face*.  The only difference I saw….first my face was dry with blackheads….then my face was sticky……with blackheads. Hahahaha! But in defense of the power in the lemon – I’ve used it before on my face to fade dark spots. It absolutely works…it will fade them over time.  Btw, I LOVE your blog! 

  • Madison Aubrey

    I love how often you mention the Tom Collins. Such a fantastic beverage, just sayin’ (it’s also my fiancee’s name!).

  • http://spermiestyle.com/ Pamela Gold

    Hmmm…Doesn’t the lemon just lighten the blackhead? It’s not like it rips the fuckers out by the root. No…they’re still there just less noticeable. Bitch bags!

  • http://piquemypinterest.wordpress.com/ Pique My Pinterest

    There was a brief period in my life where I tried to use pure lemon juice as a “brightening toner”. It definitely worked, if by “brightening toner” they actually meant “break out in a massive dried out rash all over your face that will only be cured by applying extra virgin olive oil every 30 minutes for five days straight”. Since then I’ve been super skeptical of any at-home beauty treatment that involves lemons…STAY AWAY.

  • cassiesteger

    I like to clean my face with a half/half mixture of witch hazel/olive oil, wash it, then wipe it down with lemon juice, then cleanse it with plain water. It has made a marked improvement in my skin. I guess it’s really just what works for you. Honey might be nice but not as a miracle blackhead remover. By the way, you have lovely eyes.

  • heidibadger

    Love your  humor. Right up there with the Bloggess. I am 56 , no blackheads and need to to coat my face with motor oil at night to prevent major face scale in the morning. AND I live in FL where the humidity is the swimming pool for the less fortunate. Go figure.  I know what you’re thinking. Stupid bitch has been frying her skin for years in the cancer causing UV rays  and deserves western saddle skin.Not true. I always use SPF 10 billion. So no lemons are not for me. I just squeeze the few blackheads I have on my nose in front of a 10 magnification lighted mirror when I get bored.I have heard that taping raw bacon to your face works as a drawing salve. Good luck with that…

    • http://blog.robbiefoust.com/ rfoust

      heidibadger if bacon got anywhere near my face it would end up in my mouth :)  ok maybe not raw bacon… maybe.

  • Bonadea

    LOL, I JUST bought the all mighty lemon to try this one this morning. 

  • Bonadea

    I’m also going for the avacardo, coconut oil, olive oil hair treatment soon too.

  • SarahInJapan

    *in Russian drawl* I find original English-as-second-langvage post almost as humorvous as dis vone. 

  • http://blog.robbiefoust.com/ rfoust

    only place i put honey is on a biscuit

  • lolliejean

    Everyone everywhere need to stop saying the word “blackhead”. Gak. Ick. I hate the sound or the reading of that word. 

  • http://ilikebeerandbabies.com/ ilikebeerandbabies

    I posted this today and then someone pointed you out to me. Awesome! http://www.ilikebeerandbabies.com/2012/08/my-lovehate-relationship-with-pinterest_16.html

  • FoodStoriesBlog

    The second picture does look slightly better. Oh, well … no harm, no foul.

  • k8 the great

    I was having a pretty shitty day today… until I decided to check in on my favorite blog.

  • gerfpernk

    “It’s a lazy fuck’s dream”  <——- Quote of the day

  • WuEileen

    Life is so lonely .I am an older successful
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    CEOs, successful and sexy people.  Please Check it out!I’m serious.

  • http://www.allthatstall.com/ LindsayKay

    Love the Ombre (think that’s how you spell it) nails!

  • SighKoh

    Yes. My favourite part of this particular test is the fact that you still have ombre nails. Also, second favourite is mention of my favourite cocktail. Kudos! 

    • SighKoh

      Subsequently, there is still a half lemon beside my bathroom sink from trying the lemon treatment this very morning. Unfortunately, I was implementing the plan in order to sand off a rather large and inflamed pimple. Not the result i was looking for. 

  • Beets

    I’m very skeptical about putting lemon juice on my skin after I cut myself once and put lemon juice on it (it was a diy to stop bleeding I read somewhere once).  Well it burns about as bad as witch hazel.  

  • peytonestes777

    You know, you really could get a book deal out of this. Also, your expression in the fourth picture is priceless. Regarding the ombre nails, I think you need to try the DIY velvet manicure: http://pinterest.com/pin/39195459227803794/

  • slippergirl

    Oh my goodness, I just found your blog and you make me laugh out loud!  I looove it!  Thank you,.  

  • Pingback: Baking Soda Blackhead Remover | Pintester

  • Bubbo Tea

    Would the same work for Lime?

  • skincaregirl

    Honey is amazing for your skin (dry or oily). That is why it is in so many diy beauty stuff. Lemon can actually burn your skin so this is not a good one. I’m glad that didn’t happen to you. Try just putting the honey on your face for 10-15 minutes. After all the experimenting you do, your skin could probably use it. :)

  • notskepticalofpinsandneedhelp

    Might I just say that you are amazing for having the courage and confidence to experiment with these pins so that the rest of us don’t have to. I think I don’t know why honey was used in this one, but lemon is supposed to lighten and even your skin tone and honey I think is used as a moisturizer, which can also probably tone down the acidity in the lemon juice.