If you suffer from blackheads on various parts of your body including face, nose, cheeks, chin, chest, back, etc, try using blackheads removal strips. Discover more including a general overview, how they are used, the best brands, their side effects and much more in this post.
What are they?
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We have to begin by revealing that blackheads are formed when the pores become clogged with body oils, dead skin cells, cosmetic products and environmental dirt and particles. When the clogs are exposed to air, they become oxidized and they turn black.
Therefore, pore strips get rid of the blackhead nuggets be pulling clogged material out of the skin pores. They are made in a way that one side is covered with a type of adhesive which is pressed over the blackheads. The blackhead clog sticks to the adhesive material and when it is pulled off, the pores get freed and unclogged.
The time taken by the clogs to be removed from the pores will depend on the strength of the used brands you use. This usually ranges from 5-20 minutes depending on the specific type. The pores strips are usually used to get rid of face blackheads especially on the nose and forehead
How to use blackheads strips
They are a common remedy for removing blackheads as they pull off clogs, dead skin cells and dirt that may block your hair follicles to form blackheads. However, before you could find a good brand, you must have a prior understanding of how they perform their work and the ingredients they are containing.
You must also check out if there is some related side effects on various skin types. So read below to get insightful information about the steps followed to use them:
1. Open the pores
It is very important to open your pores before you could apply them. To do this, you will be required to fill a trough with hot water. Expose your face to the steam by bending towards the trough. Swathe a large towel over your head to cover your head and the basin; this will make the process effective.
To ensure that the pores are completely open, expose your face for about 20 minutes. Remember not to use hot water directly on your skin because it can damage it.
2. Make the skin moist
Once your pores are open, you can proceed by making the affected skin moist. This can be done by applying lukewarm water on your face using a clean towel. You can, therefore, apply the strip by taking into consideration the specific instruction by the manufacturer. The instructions will also guide about the period of time they should be left to perform its works. When you are sure that the time is up, gently peel them off from one edge until it is completely removed off.
Best brands
Having looked at how to use pore strips for blackhead removal, let us now look at some of the best brands that are known for their wonderful performance.
1. Biore Deep Cleansing
Biore is a big name when it comes to pore strip. It is among the best deep cleansing. It has been on the market for quite a long time now. They perfectly hang on the blackheads and they get rid of them effectively.
Furthermore, they are that is less irritating to sensitive skin since it contains no ethanol, alcohol or other elements that may lead to skin irritation. These properties make Biore lead as other follow. It can also be used to get rid of blackheads on cheeks and the area around the forehead.
2. Boscia Pore Purifying Black Strips
This is another nice type made up of natural ingredients like black clay. Black clay works effectively and gently. Actually, it is suitable for those having ultra-sensitive skins.
3. Earth Therapeutics Clari-T Pore Cleansing
This brand is made up of natural ingredients. It contains organic tea tree oil that has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects on your pores. It also has anti-inflammatory effects to your pores while the strip perfectly expunges the clogs from your pores.
However, they are less effective for sensitive skins but instead performs quite okay to skin types friendly to tea tree oils. This is because tea tree oils has mild drying effects to sensitive skins! They are relatively cheaper as compared to other brands
4. Down to the Pore Blackhead Banishing
It contains natural ingredients such as tea tree oil that cleanses and softens the skin. Actually, it is a good one. Unlike some brands, this blackhead clearing strips, it is gentle and therefore ideal for sensitive skins.
5. The Face Shop Volcanic Clay
It uses volcanic mud from New Zealand. According to Dewfaced.com, “it’s a natural detoxifier that soaks up oil, dirt, and impurities from your pores… it does a fantastic job of latching onto blackheads and pulling them clean out of your pores.”
This product is loved by many people because they sooth and detoxify skin naturally due to its two ingredients, those are aloe vera and mud. They really perform their work perfectly.
6. Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel
Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Nose Pore Strips contain two major ingredients i.e. tea tree oil and hazel. While tea tree oil will eliminate blackheads by stripping your clogged pores, hazel will act by calming them down (the pores). It causes very minimal irritation to the skin.
Homemade pore strips
Many people have shared their pretty experiences about the use of readily available home ingredients to make them at home. They work perfectly well and are always not harsh to sensitive skins making them be somewhat preferable. So below are some you can try to make yourself at home:
1. Two-ply tissue
To make it, you need to have egg white and two-ply tissue paper. Cut the tissue paper into a strip good enough to cover your nose.
Dip it into the egg white and lay it on your nose. Leave it on there for around 20 minutes. After the period is over, peel it off from your nose.
The only set back is that, usually the adhesiveness may not be strong hence it can be less effective.
Cotton pad
The next homemade type that can be good for you is cotton pad pore strip. You will begin by thinning out the cotton pad then try to extend the length in case of the short cotton pad. You can afterward dip it into egg white and then apply it on your nose.
It is good to note it absorbs more egg white and takes a longer time, so you can wait up to more than twenty minutes before you can remove it off.
Paper towel
This is now the best strip you can make at home. It is less fragile compared to the first two. It is also close to Biore nose pore strip, making it more effective and preferable!
Cut a small strip that will fit your nose area then dip it into the egg white and then apply on your nose area. You can as well apply the white egg on your nose and then place the paper towel over.
Put another layer of egg white over the strip using face brush or even your hands carefully. This will ensure that the strip is completely saturated. Wait for about 20 minutes for the strip to dry up. It will work perfectly just like Biore deep cleansing does.
Side effects
Thanks to pore strips for their wonderful job on clearing blackheads, but do they have any side effects?
Well, because they stick on the skin, the essence of them being pulled (pulling motion) from the skin can trigger irritation. Irritation for sensitive skins may range from mild to moderate.
Again, the open pores that will be left behind after the whole process are very susceptible to various infections. So you should maintain your skin clean after applying them.
If you are convinced that you have a sensitive skin, you can make some homemade ones since they are made from simple ingredients that could be mixed with dairy milk to perform wonders just like commercial brands.
Most of the homemade strips are usually not harsh but you must also be keen with them. They can clear essential natural oils from your skin. This could lead to skin dryness, redness and peeling of your skin.
It will, therefore, be worthwhile to consult your dermatologist or doctor to determine best brands for your skin and to get proper advice.
How to get best results
To make sure that blackhead pore strips work effectively for you, here are some great tips:
1. Follow instructions
If you happen not to have used any them before, then you may be astounded by the grease that will come out and you can develop the urge to apply them repeatedly. Please don’t do so!
Get it all together; the strips are fashioned in a way that enhances deep removal of the clogs that suits them to be used just once or twice a week. Follow the instructions that are usually given on the strip packs to achieve best blackhead treatment.
2. Open the pores first
To easily extract blackheads, you must open the pores before applying these strips. This can be achieved by steaming your pores. Don’t use hot water directly since the high temperatures can cause a damage to your precious skin.
2. Rinse after applying
In some circumstances, a small amount of residue from the pore strips may remain on your skin, this can be very insightful or disgusting. So, you must make sure that your face is cleaned. Clean off these residues using non-harsh blackheads clearing cleanser.
4. Use ice cube
You should note that your skin can be slightly damaged after using these blackheads removal strips, so it would be intelligent to provide a good after-care. Use wrapped ice cube and massage your face to bring down the inflammation. Make sure to apply astringent finally.
Last Advice
Due to the fact that they stick to the skin, they can cause mild damage to your skin. Be careful, this can lead to further development of acne. Furthermore, some have side effects, especially for sensitive skins.
Therefore, you should get prior knowledge about the specific brand through your doctor or dermatologist. This will help you get best one for your skin type.
List of Our References
- http://dewfaced.com/the-3-best-pore-strips-for-blackhead-removal/
- https://www.bustle.com/articles/110691-7-best-pore-strips-for-sensitive-skin-because-not-all-pore-strips-are-created-equal
- http://www.sephora.com/pore-purifying-black-strips-P288533
- http://www.thedermreview.com/pore-strips/
- http://www.mypores.com/are-pore-strips-bad-for-your-skin-super-detailed-answer/
- http://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/news/a21108/pore-strips-dangers/
- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/71615.php