Well, apparently I’m easily led by peer pressure because I ventured to WALMART on a SATURDAY specifically to get the Biore pore strips. (I also had to get a broom and milk, but that’s another thread.)
I just peeled off both a nose and chin strip and lemme tell ya’, it was pretty gross. (Sorry, no pics.)
Yeah. As I said, the Biore strips don’t work for me either. I left the membrane on until it was so dry, it began to peel itself off.
Oh-well.
Yeah, my micro-dermabrasion kit works great. It’s the Mary Kay one, a Christmas present from my MiL. It really cut down on my blackheads, probably why my strip wasn’t as impressive as I expected! The first few weeks of using the kit led to a lot of blackhead harvesting. Motorcycling in cold weather actually made all the empty pores turn red, which led to a very odd look.
I remember back when I used to use these strips, I was fascinated by the perspiration on my nose after my pores had been cleansed.
Ever since my skin has gone dry and high maintenance, nose strips just haven’t been as fun.
It’s definitely comforting to know that I’m not the only one who is weirdly fascinated with the little “forest” that results on the used strips – but, thankfully, the results have never been so long or so black as the strip in the photo that Vision of Love linked to. :eek: How deep are pores anyway?
I also have gi-normous pores… I haven’t tried it yet, but Nicholas Perricone (a dermatologist) says that topical alpha lipoic acid can shrink pores (or at least make them look smaller). Of course, he wants you to buy his ultra-expensive products, but you can find other moisturizers & such that include alpha lipoic acid…
No duct tape, but I did develop a habit of putting clear tape on for dry skin collection. It was in a brochure that one of the girls who worked at the Clinique counter of a store I worked at a long time ago gave me. In fact, I put a strip of tape on my forehead the other day at work. I hid it under my bangs so none of the clients would notice. It worked too well, though, as I forgot about it too and didn’t remember until I got home and reached up to scratch my forehead. When you peel the tape off, it leaves a weird smooth patch.
Does anyone know of any good, cheap ways to close up pores?
I’m just wondering because just forking out money for the nose strips is gonna be a hard issue for me. Are there any specific lotions or face cleansers that you’ve found that work?
~Tasha
tashabot, try witch hazel - a popular brand is Dickinson’s. It should help shrink the tissues, and as a bonus is pretty cheap. I use SeaBreeze myself, since I gotta nuke my face with salicylic acid. It’s a little more expensive than witch hazel, but not exorbitant. Follow up with a light moisturizer.
In fact, most large stores that have store brands of health and beauty aids ought to have this for a reasonable price. Just check the label to see what percentage it contains. I know I’ve bought Target’s own brand before.
Sorry this took so long, I’ve been away all weekend.
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, my favorite facial toner for enlarged pores is watermelon. Just watermelon: flesh, seeds, rind and skin and all, whirled in your blender until it’s liquified. My Vita-Mix gets it smooth enough to use straight, but if yours won’t, then you can let it sit for 20 minutes and then strain out whatever gritty bits are left using a couple layers of cheesecloth. Use it straight right away, refrigerate for up to a week, or fill a bottle 2/3 full and then top with witch hazel for longer term storage. Yes, it feels a little sticky until it sinks in, but it works great.
Another good one is witch hazel with rosemary and rose petals. Use about 1 cup of boiling water, 4-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary and a tablespoon of dried or fresh rose petals (if you ask your local gardener, they often have some dropped rose petals you can have for free - but I wouldn’t get them at the florist. Florist’s roses tend to have a lot of chemical preservatives and pesticides on them.) Cover with a lid or plate and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and pour the infusion into a bottle, again about 2/3 of the way, and top off with witch hazel. The witch hazel, as well as being a good toner itself, will act as a preservative for your facial toner.
Discard any product that starts to smell funky or grows moldy, of course.
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow…but someday, I will be locking myself in the bathroom with a roll of Scotch tape, just because of this post. There is no doubt of it.
Oh yay! This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much, WhyNot.
In other news I am bound and determined to get more pore strips, and possibly some witch hazel at the least, sometime this week. I don’t get a lot of zits, and the stuff I pulled off with the Biore was flesh-toned and not black, but the fact that it’s IN THERE bothers me.
I can’t believe it took the realization that I can pull crap out of my face to get me into the idea of facial care.
~Tasha
I remember doing those strips before and this thread brought back some fun memories, so I had to go out and buy some strips.
I need them like I need more holes in my head, and that’s the last thing I should be spending my non-existent money on, but hey, it’s entertainment, right?
Nose strips. . .fun times.
I can’t believe a thread about nose strips, pores and mini-forests have gone to page two…cool.
I can’t believe I’ve done so much to bolster the nose strip industry over the weekend! Biore totally owes me a dollar fifty, at least.
Hee hee! I was actually going to suggest that very set, since I sell 'em! I’m glad to hear of another satisfied customer. Some people are freaked out and say their skin gets worse when they use it, but it’s just because the nasty stuff is coming up and out, and your skin’s not used to it. It’s good stuff.
I’ve had problem skin my whole life, so I’m more used to the “this is going to get worse before it gets better” mindset when dealing with my skin than most. Adjusting to a new regimen can be off-putting for some people (or may genuinely not work for them), since it does take a little bit of time for your skin to get used to things. But yeah, lurrrve my kit. Best MK product I’ve used outside of Satin Lips.
(Bolding mine.)
Isn’t that the point? 
Dear god…it’s like…Mars???
I am overcome with pride. It’s not every day that people put tape on themselves because of me.