Blackhead strips are quite popular in many skincare routines that it’s not surprising why many, both men and women, are into applying that nose strip, peel-off after a few minutes, just to remove all that gunk that seems to have accumulated on your skin. Aside from the satisfaction of seeing all those blackheads, dirt, dust, and whatnot being removed from your skin, the idea that it’s easy to remove blackheads on your own is quite appealing. But do these pore strips really work?

How Do Pore Strips Work?

As you may have noticed, these pore strips are made from adhesive that follows the contour of your nose. It is designed to remove the top layer of dead skin cells as well as blackheads when you peel it back. Most likely you’ve used this at one point and have seen it in action too as it pulls the hair, oil, and dirt from your skin. What’s good about pore strips is that they can extract dirt, hair, oil, and just about everything. However, when it comes to removing blackheads, the pore strips are not enough. Although they can get rid of the clogging in your pores, they are just temporary fixes. These nose strips will not help shrink your pores even. This means that you will have to use it again and again if you want to help clear your skin.

However, pore strips, when used correctly, may help eliminate the gunk that has made its way into the pores of your skin. The trick here is to follow the steps indicated in the package, starting with cleaning the nose area, before applying the strip. It is important that the strip sits perfectly on the creases of your nose in order to get rid of all the blockage in your pores. Leave it on for about 10 to 15 minutes before pulling off. This helps reduce the size of your pores but only temporarily. You will need to use nose strips at least twice a week, to keep the gunk at bay.

How to Deal with Blackheads

Since pore strips are basically short-term solutions for blackheads, is there any way to keep them at bay? Fortunately, there are a few tips that can help you deal with blackheads. Here are the steps that you should try:

Start with a gentle cleanser

You may have been cleansing your skin every day, but if the product that you are using makes your skin feel tight afterwards, it may contain some harsh and drying ingredients that you don’t really need. Switching to a gentle cleanser helps get the job done without making your skin feel dull and dry. This will be beneficial to you in the long run because your skin won’t be producing more oil that can clog your pores.

Skip emollients

Check the type of moisturizer that you are using on your skin. If it is overly emollient, you shouldn’t be applying too much on areas of your skin where blackheads tend to appear. Your skin will thank you.

Choose salicylic acid exfoliant

You might want to invest on a leave-on salicylic acid (BHA) for your blackheads as this product can easily penetrate through the oil on your skin to access the pores where most blackheads begin to form. Another plus to using BHA is that it can help remove the dead skin cells on the surface while reducing the redness on your skin.

Use clay masks

If you are going to use facial masks as part of your skin care routine, choose one that is made from clay as it has the ability to absorb excess amounts of oil.