Gross but true: There’s nothing more satisfying than peeling off a blackhead strip and seeing how much gunk it managed to pull from your pores. The best blackhead strips can clear excess sebum while being gentle on your skin—especially if you’re dealing with oiliness or clogged pores. They’ve come a long way since the ’90s, when “beauty is pain” meant ripping a strip off your nose and marveling at the tiny plugs left behind.
To help you find the very best ones, we asked dermatologists to share their top pore strips, then tested them ourselves. Below are the ones that will help keep the area around your nose clear and irritation-free. Our best overall pick was from Hero Cosmetics because it's backed by experts and effective at deeply cleansing your nose area without messing with your skin barrier.
The best blackhead strips, at a glance
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How we tested the best blackhead strips
We tested blackhead strips over a period of a few weeks to months, trying each strip at least 2–3 times. We evaluated the strips by looking at their ingredients, their application method and removal, and their efficacy. The ones that made the cut had exfoliating ingredients like tea tree, BHAs and witch hazel. They also applied quickly, and were easy to remove without having to aggressively tear at our skin. The best pore strips left our pores clear and detoxed, and left us with a smoother, baby-soft complexion.
Best Overall: Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Nose
- Pros: Gentle on skin; great for overnight use
- Cons: Doesn’t physically pull out blackheads, so may not deliver instant visual results
Geeta Yadav, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Facet Dermatology and Joelle O’Connor, a licensed esthetician from Schweiger Dermatology Group in Hackensack, New Jersey, recommend these strips for a few reasons. “Instead of using harsh adhesives to get rid of blackheads and pull them out of the nose, these strips are made of hydrocolloid, which are worn overnight to absorb oil and other impurities from pores while you sleep,” says Dr. Yadav. “They’re much gentler on the skin than traditional nose pore strips.”
O’Connor also loves these because, unlike some other blackhead strips on the market, they don’t have any added ingredients (like salicylic acid, witch hazel, or charcoal), which can sometimes be disruptive to the skin barrier. These strips can also act as a pimple patch for your nose, treating whiteheads and blackheads simultaneously.
“This blackhead mask is not kidding when it claims to really pull out all the gunk lying in your pores overnight. I wore this for around 12 hours when my pores were feeling particularly congested and pulled it off during my morning routine. It was a little uncomfortable and tugged at my skin while doing so, but when fully off, my nose (and surrounding area) looked completely clean and, honestly, pore-free. It left me with some redness in this area, but that faded quickly as I continued my skin care. If you’re looking for a deep clean, this is the one,” says Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary.
Best for Stubborn Blackheads: Mediheal Blackhead Melting Clear Nose Patch
- Pros: Multistep system targets blackheads from every angle
- Cons: Takes longer to use than a standard nose strip; slightly more expensive per use
Dr. Yadav loves these patches because they use a three-step approach to purify the skin. “This product has a biocellulose patch that treats the skin with botanical extracts, including BHA-rich willow bark to help loosen up pore-clogging debris and cica to soothe,” she explains. “It also has a spatula to gently unclog any congestion.” Finally, the finishing serum helps to further improve the appearance of large pores with tea tree, plump up skin with hydrating sodium PCA and sodium hyaluronate, and quell any redness with more cica.
“I’d say that these were one of the most interesting blackhead strips that I’ve ever tested—mainly because they required a three-step system. The strips don’t physically pull out blackheads, nor do they have any sort of hydrocolloid effect on the skin. While I did find the three-step system effective, I feel like it would have worked better for me if I had placed a hot or warm washcloth on my nose area either before step one or before step two, just to open up my pores a bit more for easier extraction,” says Glamour contributor Daley Quinn.
Best for Smoothing Texture: Peace Out Pores Nose and Face Strips
- Pros: Targets blackheads while smoothing and firming skin with retinol
- Cons: Retinol may irritate sensitive skin types; pricey compared to others on this list
These strips are unique in that they feature a popular anti-aging ingredient—retinol. “These hydrocolloid patches feature a form of retinol, one of the best ingredients for treating acne (including blackheads), as well as collagen-stimulating DMAE to help firm up skin, making pores appear smaller and less dilated,” says Dr. Yadav. One thing to note is that retinoids can sometimes be irritating for sensitive and dry skin, so use with caution.
“I really enjoyed these pore-clearing strips thanks to their pliable material and the way they pulled out some gunk that was really deep in my skin. These strips are pretty comfortable to wear as well, not overly stiff and easy to manipulate around your nose and tuck into crevices. My skin definitely looked a lot clearer and felt supersoft after application, though it was a bit red for a while. I would recommend these for those dealing with stubborn blackheads, but if you have sensitive skin, it’s best to probably avoid them,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary.
Best for Sensitive Skin: Patchology On The Nose Gunk-Absorbing Hydrocolloid Nose Strips
- Pros: Great for breakout-prone skin
- Cons: Better for prevention than instant removal
Not only does this pick contain hydrocolloid, but it also features other acne-fighting ingredients too. “These are deep-cleansing pore strips from a solid skin care brand harnessing hydrocolloid technology with the addition of salicylic acid and tea tree oil to banish the bacteria and absorb oil and fluid for a clear, gunk-free nose,” says O’Connor.
“I was hesitant to try a pore strip because of my experience with the harsh ones from my teen years, but these Patchology strips were so gentle on my skin. I wore it overnight, and it didn’t bother me at all while I slept. When I removed it in the morning, I noticed my nose seemed so much more clear. I wish I had a better-quality camera to show the difference, but trust me, it really works,” says Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle.
Best Drugstore: Starface Lift Off Pore Strips
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- Pros: Affordable; easy to use; giftable
- Cons: Contains alcohol which might be drying on the skin
If you’re shopping for a blackhead strip at your local Walmart or drugstore, we highly recommend reaching for these Lift Off Pore Strips. They have witch hazel to help decrease redness and inflammation, plus allantoin to hydrate and soothe the skin. They’re also perhaps the cutest strips on this list—and would even make a great gift for the teen girl in your life who’s just starting to dip her toe into skin care.
Glamour’s Kilkeary is a fan too. “I simply love the texture of these, they’re super easy to apply and have a gentle adhesive that doesn’t feel like you’re ripping your face off when you remove them. After trying them a few times over a span of a few weeks, I was really impressed with how well they cleared my pores, minimized a stubborn blemish I had, and reduced inflammation and redness around my nose.”
Best Physical Extractor Strips: Bioré Blackhead Strips
- Pros: Offers immediate visual results by pulling out gunk; affordable; widely available
- Cons: Can be harsh or irritating on sensitive skin
An oldie but a goodie, the Bioré Blackhead Strips use a patented C-Bond technology to bind to blackheads and physically remove them from your pores. Unlike hydrocolloid strips, the Bioré strips might feel a bit more uncomfortable when removing them from your skin.
“I’ll never forget the first time I used these strips, which was probably around middle school,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary. “They were big on YouTube in those days, and I knew I just had to give them a try (even though, let’s be real, how many pores did I really have on my 12-year-old face?!). I remember how cute they looked my Tumblr page after I photographed a photo of myself wearing one, but what I didn’t remember was how well they actually work. These strips are not for the faint of heart, as you’ll see in my video (I’m cringing a bit as I pull it off), but I have to say, they leave your skin feeling smoother than ever before. This strip lifted a few embedded blackheads that have been staring me in the face for the past few months, and then some. And while they’re not the most comfortable to remove (ha, pain is beauty, right?), they do the job.”
Best K-Beauty: Rael Miracle Patch 3-Step Pore Melting Pack
- Pros: Leaves skin feeling soft to the touch and clarified; great for oily skin; peel-off is easy
- Cons: Multistep process so can take more time than your usual blackhead strip
For a Korean-beauty skin care pick that’s both satisfying and gentle, we love this pore-melting strip. It blends succinic acid, peppermint extract, and jeju mugwort extract to gently brighten skin, and reduce large pores and oiliness.
“It’s a three step process that really gives you results. You start with the blackhead dissolving nose strip, then clean up the area with the cotton swabs provided. It has a soothing sheet to calm the skin after the fact which really makes the whole blackhead-strip a fun experience,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary.
Frequently asked questions
Do dermatologists recommend blackhead strips?
Generally speaking, most dermatologists do recommend hydrocolloid-based blackhead strips, but aren’t the biggest fans of the “traditional” nose strips that you wet with warm water, apply, then remove after they’ve dried. Dr. Yadav advises using caution when opting for a traditional blackhead strip over the hydrocolloid blackhead strip, and avoiding them if you have very sensitive skin.
Do blackhead strips really work?
According to Claire Wollinsky, MD, and board-certified dermatologist based in NYC, they do, but only temporarily. “While satisfying, long term improvement of blackheads are best addressed by the use of retinols and retinoids,” she says.
How to use a blackhead strip
Directions for use will vary widely, depending on the type of blackhead-removal strip or acne treatment you’re using. Follow the directions on the package when using a blackhead strip as part of your skin care routine. Experts recommend using a cleanser and toner before, and moisturizer and sunscreen post-application.
What are the disadvantages of blackhead strips?
“I don’t love the traditional [blackhead strips], as they can be very harsh on the skin and remove not just blackheads, but sebaceous filaments as well,” says Dr. Yadav. “Sebaceous filaments can look like blackheads, but serve a very important purpose—they help move sebum out of the pore and to the skin’s surface. Removing them is very stressful on the skin and can just lead to more breakouts, not to mention make pores appear larger once they’ve been removed.”
Are there other ways to remove blackheads?
According to Morayo Adisa, MD, medical director of dermatology at Dermatology Physicians Chicago, facials, chemical peels and chemical exfoliants can help with blackheads. “Dermatologists can also extract blackheads with specialized tools that prevent damage to the skin,” says Dr. Wollinsky, “however this benefit will only be temporary without consistent skin care including a retinoid/retinol.”
Meet the experts
- Geeta Yadav, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Facet Dermatology
- Joelle O’Connor, a licensed esthetician from Schweiger Dermatology Group
- Claire Wollinsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in NYC
- Morayo Adisa, MD, a FAAD Medical Director Dermatology Physicians Chicago/ Kenilworth Dermatology Physicians Chicago
