Before we breakdown how to get rid of blackheads—let's clear up what they are exactly. When your pores get clogged with oil and dead skin cells, the result is one of two things: a blackhead or a whitehead. Whiteheads are the poppable kind, wherein skin thinly encloses the pore and traps the debris. If it’s pearly white at the tip, it’s fresh for the popping—though you shouldn’t always take the bait.

Blackheads are the other breed. They don’t hurt as much, since they’re not embedded beneath the skin. (This makes extraction a lot more difficult.) The color is caused by the exposed comedone, a mass of oil and dead skin, which turns dark when exposed to oxygen (thanks to melanin in the dead skin cells). You will most often see blackheads on the nose, since these pores tend to be more oily and larger than the others on your face.

So, how to you get rid of blackheads? It’s less obvious than a poppable pimple, but it’s a lot less messy, too. Best of all, you can maintain the regimen as a means of preventing more blackheads and promoting healthy skin. (Also, if things get serious, you can always go to a spa like Heyday and get a facial. Ask for a full extraction and they'll get all those pores emptied out.)

Here, then, is a four-step regimen that will help remove blackheads—and keep them away. You can do this at home and incorporate into the rest of your grooming routine.

1. Use a Cleanser with Salicylic AcidThe traditional skincare regimen is three steps: cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing. However, you can actually condense your regimen by one step in order to thwart blackheads: Eliminate a physical exfoliator, and substitute in a cleanser with salicylic acid (a chemical exfoliator). Instead of scrubbing away dead skin cells, salicylic acid dissolves them—including the ones clogged inside the pores—while also fulfilling its duty as a facial cleanser. GQ Recommends: Philosophy Clear Days Ahead Oil-Free Salicylic Acid Treatment Cleanser

2. Moisturize Twice DailyBy moisturizing with an SPF-packed, nutrient-rich moisturizer, you keep your skin cells nourished and prevent pores from enlarging due to sun exposure. The skin stays firmer longer, pores stay smaller, and the moisturizer creates a thin barrier atop the skin to prevent excess grime and environmental threats from taking residence inside the pores. Do this morning and night—though you can spare the SPF at bedtime—to proactively protect skin and promote its good health. GQ Recommends: Clinique for Men Broad Spectrum SPF 21 Moisturizer

3. Apply Tretinoin Before BedRetinoids are regarded by skincare experts as the best way to tighten pores, prevent acne, and reverse signs of aging and sun exposure. There are lots of low-concentration retinol products available to consumers (retinols are the most common type of retinoids, and generally the gentlest). However, you should visit your dermatologist for a heavy hitting, prescription-grade retinoid: Ask her or him about tretinoin, to be applied nightly to the entire face. It will sync with your body’s restorative cycle to give you tighter, firmer, blemish-free skin—and quickly make those blackheads a distant memory.

4. Do a Weekly MaskFacial masks are the vacuum cleaners of the skincare world, sucking all excess gunk from the depths of your pores. For this reason, they shouldn’t be used more than once a week. But for the same reason they should be used once a week, after cleansing and before a shower. This will prevent any lingering threats of clogged pores, and thus future blemishes. Wear it for 10-15 minutes, until it tightens and indicates that all excess oil has been absorbed. GQ Recommends: Urth Botanical Resurfacing Mask, or any of the four featured in our Best Face Masks roundup.