Why do I still get blackheads even though I exfoliate?

Physical scrubs polish the surface but rarely reach into the pore itself — that's a job for an oil-soluble exfoliant like salicylic acid.

Blackheads form when oil and dead skin oxidize inside a pore. A physical scrub or a water-based exfoliant works on the skin's surface and doesn't penetrate into the pore lining where the actual clog sits. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble, so it can get into the pore itself and help clear it from the inside — which is why it outperforms scrubbing for blackheads specifically, even though both technically count as 'exfoliating.'