Pore strips are a useful way to remove dirt and oil from your skin. You can purchase one of several commercially-made pore strips, or make your own at home using milk and unflavored gelatin. Homemade pore strips are effective and economical, but they can't be saved or reused, according to Stacy Conradt of the website DigsMagazine.com.
How Pore Strips Work
Pore strips adhere to the skin on your nose. When you pull them off, they extract the dirt and oil, which is left on the pore strip. However, pore strips aren't necessarily effective for removing blackheads, according to Katie M.D. Rodan and Kathy Fields, authors of "Unblemished." Pore strips don't permanently shrink pore size, however. The pores may temporarily appear to be smaller after you use the strips, but once the pores fill with oil again, they will expand to their former size.
Making Pore Strips
Make your own pore strips at home by mixing together 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin and 1 1/2 teaspoons of whole milk. If you don't have whole milk, other kinds of milk will work almost as well. Heat the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, apply the mixture to your nose with a tongue depressor or wooden stick meant for waxing. After 10 to 15 seconds, peel the strip off and discard it.
Preserving Pore Strips
Unfortunately, because the milk and gelatin must be heated and then applied right away, the strips can't be saved. The milk will spoil before you can reuse the strips. However, you can make your homemade pore strips at any time if you have milk on hand in your refrigerator and an envelope of unflavored gelatin. Discard used pore strips; they can't be reused. In addition, you must discard the unused gelatin and milk mixture, according to Conradt. You can't reheat them to make new strips.
Precautions
Pore strips remove normal oil that helps keep your skin moisturized as well as dirt and blackheads. As a result, it's important to only use the pore strips three times a week to prevent them from removing too much oil, according to Perry Romanowski, author of "Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?" In addition, don't use pore strips anywhere on your face except your nose, because you may damage the more sensitive skin elsewhere on your face. Don't use pore strips on skin that is sunburned, dry or irritated.
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