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When it comes to quick fixes for clogged pores, the best pore strips have long held a beloved spot in skin-care routines worldwide. There’s something undeniably satisfying about peeling away a strip and seeing the visible evidence of impurities (think: blackheads and sebaceous filaments) lifted from your skin. Beyond their instant gratification, pore strips provide an effective way to deep-clean areas prone to blackheads, such as the nose, chin, and forehead. They act like a magnet, drawing out excess oil and debris that can clog pores and lead to breakouts.
In the age of TikTok skin-care experts, pore strips have gotten a bad rep—but you don’t have to toss away the category as a whole. “Using pore strips occasionally isn’t harmful, but frequent use can sometimes irritate the skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Dara Spearman. Plus, the pore strips of 2025 are a far cry from their Y2K predecessors, which tore off skin with a vengeance—evolution in the category has led to gentler hydrocolloid and biocellulose patches that are equally, if not more effective. Meanwhile, K-beauty alternatives offer sebum-melting oils and treatments that ditch adhesive patches altogether. Dr. Spearman adds, “While traditional strips provide quick results, K-beauty techniques offer a gentler, long-term way to care for your pores. It really comes down to what works best for your skin.”
Vogue’s Favorite Sheet Masks
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In This Story
- How do pore strips work?
- What are pore strips pulling out of your nose?
- Are pore strips ok to use in moderation?
- Meet the experts
While pore strips aren’t a comprehensive solution for long-term skin health, their benefits as a targeted, affordable, and satisfying cleansing method remaining clear in between proper facial appointments—particularly when combined with consistent skin-care routines. Scroll to discover our favorite blackhead-beating T-zone and nose strips to unclog pores and leave skin feeling fresh.
Best Hydrocolloid: Mighty Patch Nose Strips
- Why We Love It: Think of this pick as a classic hydrocolloid pimple patch, but large enough to cover your entire nose. “The Mighty Patch hydrocolloid nose patch absorbs buildup in the nose, to help with the appearance of righter pores,” says Dr. Spearman. Sport these overnight while you get your beauty rest, and after the morning shed, you’ll notice the previously clear hydrocolloid patch is spotted white from sebum absorption (meaning it worked).
- Key Ingredients: Medical-grade hydrocolloid
- Best for: A gentler alternative to pore strips
- How to Use: Wear this pick overnight for six to eight hours (like a pimple patch) for optimal results
- Size: 10 patches
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Gentle and hypoallergenic | Won’t pull out persistent black heads, but will absorb excess sebum |
| Ideal for oily to combination skin types |
Best Kit: Mediheal Blackhead Melting Clear Nose Patch
- Why We Love It: A K-beauty twist on traditional pore strips, Mediheal’s version uses a blend of liquid exfoliants soaked in a biocellulose pad to gently break down excess sebum. At the same time, cica works to calm and soothe the skin. The generously sized sheets are wide enough to use not just on the nose, but also on the chin, cheeks, and even forehead. For even deeper blackhead removal, the K-beauty brand includes a spatula for manual extraction.
- Key Ingredients: Biocellulose, willowbark extract, salicylic acid, Centella asiatica, tea tree, sodium PCA, sodium hyaluronate
- Best for: Blackhead removal through liquid exfoliation, and a careful squeeze.
- How to Use: According to the brand, wear nose strips for 10–15 minutes. After, gently drag the spatula along your nose for extractions—but don’t force.
- Quantity: 5 patches
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Takes a multistep approach to blackhead removal | Manual extracts are recommended for beginners |
Best Affordable: Starface World Lift Off Pore Strips
- Why We Love It: As expected, Starface makes tackling skin-care concerns more fun with their whimsical packaging. Witch hazel’s astringent properties tighten the appearance of pores, while aloe vera and allantoin keep your complexion supple—think of these strips as more of a touch-up rather than a major pore decongestant.
- Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, witch hazel, allantoin
- How to Use: According to Starface, apply these strips to clean, damp skin, and remove after 15 minutes.
- Quantity: 5 patches
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Best overall value and affordability | Only suited for minor congestion and texture |
| Pain-free removal |
Best Oil-Based Formula: Ilso Super Melting Sebum Softener
- Why We Love It: Paula Brezavscek, PA-C, considers this K-beauty remix a smart alternative to traditional blackhead removal, describing it as “innovation that works with the skin, not against it.” Dr. Spearman agrees, adding that it “uses an oil-based formula to loosen buildup before applying a cotton patch to absorb it, leaving skin clearer and healthier over time.” Need a little extra power? Ilso’s included pore spatula delivers a targeted boost, helping to nudge out stubborn debris with a gentle swiping motion.
- Key Ingredients: Mushroom extract, white willow bark extract, witch hazel extract, panthenol, fruit enzymes
- Best for: Softening blackheads for easier extractions
- How to Use: According to Ilso, soak a cotton pad in the sebum softener and apply to problem areas (think nose, forehead, or chin). Let the the cotton pad sit for 15 minutes, followed by gently using a pore scraper for extractions
- Size: 5.29 oz
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| A gentle approach to blackhead and whitehead removal | Rather than coming in one kit, the sebum softener, cotton pads, and spatula are sold separately. |
Best for Pore Refining: Peach Slices Nose Pore Patches
- Why We Love It: Another tug-free pore strip designed to absorb oil, Peach Slices’s patches blend astringent tea tree oil, brightening niacinamide, and gentle AHAs for exfoliation. They’re a personal go-to as well: While they’re not especially large, my biggest pores are on my nose and they tend to get congested often. Instead of ripping out blackheads, I prefer a gentler, overnight approach—like a targeted AHA exfoliating treatment. By morning, oxidized blackheads are noticeably reduced and my skin doesn’t feel like an oil slick.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid, tea tree oil, salicylic acid, niacinamide, glycolic acid
- Best for: Oily skin types looking to balance skin and reduce pore appearance
- How to Use: Apply the patch to clean skin, and remove after a good night’s sleep
- Quantity: 7 patches
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Nonirritating formula that reduces the appearance of large pores | Not suited for extractions |
| Affordable price point |
Best for Smoothing Skin Texture: Peace Out Pore Strips
- Why We Love It: Peace Out’s take on pore strips swaps harsh adhesives for skin-refining ingredients like vitamin A and fatty acids. While the patch gently absorbs oil and buildup, retinol works overtime to smooth texture and visibly shrink the look of pores. Plus, the dual sizes mean you’re not limited to just your nose—chin and forehead get some love too.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid, DMAE, vitamin A, retinol
- Best for: Gentle texture and blackhead reduction
- How to Use: Apply to clean, dry skin and remove after four to six hours
- Quantity: 8 patches (4 nose strips and 4 large strips)
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Targets multiple areas of the face with gentle exfoliation | Better suited for smoothing texture than blackhead removal |
| Pain-free removal |
Best Preventative: Patchology On The Nose Pore Strips
- Why We Love It: Another hydrocolloid-based patch, this pick blends oil absorption with preventative care to keep future clogging at bay. Infused with breakout-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid and tea tree oil, it not only helps to break up existing blackheads, but keeps pores clear moving forward.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid, salicylic acid, tea tree oil
- Best for: Helping keep pores clear in between facials
- How to Use: Apply before bed and remove after 6 to 8 hours
- Quantity: 9 patches
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Smooths texture liquid exfoliants | Better for prevention rather than extractions |
| Works as a skin pick-me-up |
Best Classic: Bioré Nose+Face Deep Cleansing Strips
- Why We Love It: It’s no secret that Bioré is the OG of blackhead remover strips. These deep-cleansing pore strips first launched in 1997, and nearly three decades later, it’s still a staple—but with a gentler touch. While the formula no longer clings with that infamous rip-your-skin-off intensity, it still delivers unmatched adhesion, gripping onto blackheads and impurities for an oh so satisfying peel and visible results. The classic blackhead-busting strip is now infused with witch hazel extract, which helps tone and soothe freshly cleared skin post-strip.
- Key Ingredients: Patented C‑bond adhesive, silica, witch hazel extract, glycerin
- Best for: Deep-cleansing extractions at home
- How to Use: Apply to clean damp skin, and remove after 15 minutes. The brand recommends peeling from the outer edges inward for gentle removal.
- Quantity: 14 strips
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Effective, visible extractions | Can be irritating on sensitive skin types |
| Quick results at an affordable price |
Everything You Need to Know
How do pore strips work?
“Traditional pore strips (think Bioré) work by using a strong adhesive that sticks to oil, dead skin cells, and blackheads on the surface of your pores. When applied to clean, damp skin, the strip molds to your skin and attaches to the buildup as it dries,” says Dr. Spearman, noting that sebaceous filaments are often visible on the strip after removal. That said, with plenty of innovation in the category, newer formulas now opt for overnight exfoliating treatments that help break down congestion more gently.
What are pore strips pulling out of your nose?
First things first—let’s refresh our memories. Those tiny black specks on your nose? They’re actually “small clumps of oil and dead skin that darken when exposed to air,” Dr. Spearman explains. Pore strips can also help break down whiteheads, which are closed, clogged pores that haven’t yet oxidized. The long and short of it: Unclogged pores appear smaller because they’re no longer stretched or emphasized by built-up congestion.
Are pore strips always ok to use in moderation?
They are—as long as they’re treated as the occasional quick fix, rather than relied on for regular use. “Pore strips are more of a temporary fix than a long-term solution, but I totally get the satisfaction factor,” Brezavscek says. “I wouldn’t call pore strips bad, but put them in the use with caution camp. Overuse can lead to irritation, especially if your skin is dry, sensitive, or rosacea-prone.”
Meet the experts
- Paula Brezavscek, PA-C, is a board-certified nurse practitioner and founder of Azala Skin Clinic.
- Dara Spearman, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, specializing in melanoma and skin-cancer care.
