Pin Busters! D-I-Y Pore Strips


I'm sure you've heard of the pore strips that are supposed to remove impurities from your skin? They're kind of expensive. I tried them once, but they didn't seem to do much for me. But then, I don't really have issues with blackheads, so that's probably why.

I saw a Pin that said you could make your own at home, so I went to the blog (petit elefant) and read the how-to. Turns out you're not actually making strips - you're doing a whole-face peel. Now, I've never been one to really use peels either because most drugstore ones have a bunch of ingredients that are really harsh on the skin. But I've noticed that as I've gotten older, I have more issues with flakiness. (My family would say that applies in more ways than one...) My skin isn't dry - it still tends to be oily - but it's also flaky at times, in spots.


I thought that maybe this face peel would help remove some of that flakiness, so I decided to give it a try.

You only need a few things:
1 packet of unfavored gelatin (about 1 TBSP.)
2 TBSP. milk (any kind)
a small dish
a measuring spoon
something to mix the gelatin & milk together


Mix together, pop in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, and apply. Quickly.

According to the original poster, you need to work quickly because this stuff start to harden immediately. I didn't find that I needed to work quite that fast. It was pretty runny (and a little lumpy) when I took it out of the microwave. As a matter of fact, I was a little concerned about how I was going to apply it because it was so thin (so you may want to use a little less milk). I can't believe that I'm actually going to post a picture of myself without any makeup on, but here goes...


I just used my fingers (after 10-15 seconds in the microwave, it's just slightly warm, not too hot to apply - but your microwave may be different, so be sure to test the temperature before applying!), and slathered it on my face. Since it was so thin, I went back and applied a couple of additional coats.

NOTE:
DO NOT GET THIS ON YOUR EYEBROWS OR IN YOUR HAIR! It will definitely pull out your eyebrows, so unless you're using it to shape your eyebrows, just keep it away from that area. So, of course, that also means KEEP AWAY FROM EYE AREA!! Do not put this under your eyes or on your eyelids!


After 15 minutes (original post said 10-15 minutes), it still wasn't dry, so I sat in front of a fan for a couple of minutes.


Oh. My. Gosh. Be prepared for some major discomfort when removing!! It pulls every teeny-tiny hair that you didn't know was there. OUCH! I also found it difficult to remove in large pieces - it mostly came off in tiny pieces, and some areas, I couldn't peel at all. I ended up having to wash a good bit of it off (and of course, it doesn't do any "cleaning" if you're not peeling it off) - and it took 2-3 washings to get it all off.


My skin did feel smooth afterward - and when I applied my makeup, I didn't notice any flaky areas. It's been a few days now, and I haven't noticed any irritation or breakouts from it either.

Before the peel (no makeup) and after the peel (with makeup) - these photos have not been Photoshopped other than to add text & a border - my skin is exactly how it looked in real life...


The verdict: Pin-worthy with a few "buts"...

Pros:
  • inexpensive
  • easy to make
  • natural ingredients
  • good adhesion
Cons:
  • can be painful to remove (might irritate sensitive skin)
  • doesn't peel well
  • can be difficult to remove

I'm the first to admit that since this was the first time I used this, there certainly could've been some user "error". I think if I used it again, I would start out with less milk, making the product thicker. If it was thicker, it would be easier to apply, and would probably also be easier to peel. It definitely sticks well enough that if you had blackheads, it would most likely remove them. But if you have sensitive or skin that tears easily, I would avoid using this - or just use it on problem areas rather than all over your face.
Kim
10 Comments

10 comments:

  1. Wow! This is great information. I know that my daughter will love it! I am off to pin it.

    I found your site from the Talking About Thursday Link Party. I am now following most of your social medias!

    Cynthia at http://FeedingBig.com

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    1. Welcome, Cynthia!! Let me know how your daughter likes it!!

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  2. What if you applied muslin fabric to it while it was wet, in strips, so it would stick to that? And then you could peel it right off, like wax.

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    1. That might work - but then you have to mess with buying & cutting the strips. And I wonder if adding strips would make it actually stick less to the skin? I think making the mix thicker might fix any issues I had with peeling it off. But if you try the muslin strips, let me know how it works!

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  3. I'm really glad you shared both the pros and cons of this technique, because I'd also seen it online and been wanting to try it for awhile, mostly just on my nose like the pore strips. I'll be taking your advice for the milk amounts and hopefully trying it soon.

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    1. I'd love to hear how it works for you if you give it a try. I think it would probably be easier (and less painful, LOL!) to remove from oilier spots like the nose, t-zone, or chin.

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  4. I love that someone has done this! Now I know what to expect! Thanks for posting!

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    1. You're very welcome! If you try it, I'd love to know how it worked out for you!

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  5. What a wonderful idea! Pore strips are so expensive - gotta give this a try. I'd be thrilled if you'd come on over to Pink Recipe Box and link up at Creative Wednesdays: http://pinkrecipebox.com/creative-wednesdays-with-pink-recipe-box-3/

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Nicky - it's really inexpensive and so easy - definitely worth trying at least once!

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