How to Use Pore Strips

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 17, 2020 References

Pore strips are a skin care product that can help remove the appearance of blackheads on your nose, forehead, and chin. Pore strips contain a sticky adhesive that can grab onto bothersome blackheads and pull them out. While pore strips work on their own, there are also extra things that you can to do to boost their effectiveness. If you follow the instructions precisely and prepare your skin properly, you can get the most out of your pore strips.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing Your Pores

1
Wash your face. Before applying the pore strips, you'll want to wash your face with the face cleaner you regularly use. This will remove dirt and oil buildup on the surface of your face.
- It's best to experiment with different face wash brands until you find one that's perfect for your skin type.^{[1]
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2
Fill your sink with hot water. Push down the stopper in your sink and make sure that the hot water is hot enough to produce steam. If your faucet water doesn't get that hot, you can boil some water over a stovetop.^{[2]
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3
Put your face over the steam for 10-20 minutes. Hot water and steam can help loosen the sebum that builds up inside pores which will help your strips remove the sebum. Position your face over the sink so that the steam rises onto it.^{[3]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Applying Pore Strips

1
Wet your face. If you prepared your face for the pore strips correctly, the steam from your sink should have already created moisture on your face. If your face isn't wet enough, however, the pore strips won't stick. To make sure that the pore strip will stick, splash some hot water onto your nose, chin, or forehead depending on what kind of pore strips you're using.
2
Apply the strip on your face. Read the instructions on the pore strips before using them so that you know where the top and bottom of the strip are. Carefully apply the strip to the part of your face that you're using the strip for and flatten it out with your fingers.^{[4]
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- Remember to wash your hands before applying the strips.
- If your strips don't fit correctly, you can cut them with a scissor to make them fit better.
3
Let the pore strip dry for 10-15 minutes. Allowing the strip to dry out will help it bind to your skin and extract the blackheads from it. Set a timer on your phone or clock so that you know when the time is up.
4
Peel the strips off from top to bottom. Hold both sides of the pore strip and slowly start to peel it off from top to bottom. Try to peel both sides of the strip at the same time for the best results. You should see the blackheads transfer onto the pore strip once you remove it.^{[5]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Adding Baking Soda

1
Mix 1 tsp (4.92 ml) of baking soda and a cup (236.58 ml) of water in a bowl. Baking soda will help exfoliate your skin, make it less oily, and will make your pore strips more effective. Mix the baking soda and water well to ensure that the two ingredients are well incorporated.^{[6]
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2
Soak the pore strips in the solution. Put the pore strips in the baking soda solution and swirl them around so that they absorb some of the solution. Pull them out and squeeze the excess water out. This will transfer the baking soda to the strip itself.^{[7]
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3
Apply the solution to your nose. Instead of using plain water as you normally would, you can use the baking soda solution to wet your nose for the strip. Use a cotton ball to transfer some of the solution to your nose.^{[8]
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4
Press the pore strip onto your nose. Read the instructions on the pore strip so that you know how to properly apply it. Stick it onto your nose and flatten out any wrinkles with your fingers.
5
Wait for 10-15 minutes then remove the strip. Let the pore strip dry and then slowly remove the strip from top to bottom. This will extract the blackheads from your nose.^{[9]
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