Blackheads. We all have them, and for many of us, ridding them from our faces is our most consuming skin care-related quest. Maybe you've soaked them in salicylic acid or steamed them over a boiling pot of water, but these results pale in comparison to what you can achieve with one of the best blackhead strips, which can pull out even the peskiest gunk from clogged, congested T-zones.
There is really nothing more satisfying than pulling off a pore strip and seeing just how much schmutz was trapped in your nose, but thus begs the question: what exactly is that stuff anyway?
Our sebaceous glands naturally produce sebum, which is the weird whitish stuff that comes out when you squeeze your nose really hard. It's an oily secretion comprised of lipids that actually help skin and hair retain moisture, but too much sebum can lead to clogged pores and acne. When a pore is clogged, the sebum begins to oxidize from air exposure and darkens in color to form blackheads.
Pore strips are a quick and easy way to essentially vacuum out an abundance of sebum from problem areas, but sebum production is also a natural bodily function that does more good than harm. When we strip our skin of sebum, it can become super dry and irritated, so it's important not to overdo it with blackhead erasers, or we risk exacerbating the problem. Personally, my skin is too sensitive to handle using one of these strips more often than every other week, but what's great about that is one pack will last me ages.
Overall, pore strips are a good skin care tool to have on hand — especially in the sweatier months — but what's most important is that you take good care of your skin by taking stock of what works and what's too abrasive for your face. After all, everyone's skin is different and some people can handle aggressive treatments better than others.