How To Actually Clean Out Your Pores

In case you didn’t know, properly cleaning your face entails much more than lathering up some cleanser and splashing warm water on your mug. We’ve hunted down 5 products that get down to the nitty-gritty and remove all that dirt and makeup that has built up inside your pores. From a self-steaming face mask to a cleansing oil that melts away blackheads, these beauty buys are all that’s needed to keep your complexion squeaky clean.

Photo: Vanessa Jackman

Fizzy Face Mask

Quite possibly one of our favorite products ever, this clay makes skin feel clean down to the last pore. Mix the powder with equal parts apple cider vinegar, and watch it fizz (kind of like that volcano experiment you did in 7th-grade science class). Apply and leave it on for up to 15 minutes. Feel the face pulsing? That just means it’s working.

Carbonated Peel

We love nose strips, but this one takes them to a whole new level. First, apply the carbonated toner-soaked paper strip to open the pores. Afterward, remove it and slather on a charcoal mask. Once it dries, peel off and see what has really been hiding under the skin.

Cream-To-Foam Mask

Unlike anything we’ve ever seen, this 10-minute mask goes on like a cream and then puffs up into an airy foam. It dissolves pore-clogging dirt and makeup—all you have to do is rinse and then kiss blemishes goodbye.

Heating Cleansing Oil

Melting away blackheads sounds easier said than done—this cleansing oil makes it a reality. Feel it heat up as you rub it on your face to rinse away built-up dirt and makeup. Finish with a cold rinse to tighten pores.

Steaming Mask

If you’re willing to feel the burn, this mask is for you. You can actually feel it get increasingly hot over the course of the 10 minutes you leave it on (that sensation is just the steaming and loosening of stubborn blackheads). Rub the mask in to give skin an extra scrub and then rinse off.