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My local Walgreens carries the strips in a box of 8 for $7.99, as does drugstore.com. I probably could find them cheaper if I waited for a sale or used a coupon at Ulta, but I figured there must be a homemade alternative somewhere out there in cyberspace, so I googled it.
I ended up at The Dollar Stretcher, where I found this recipe:
(The following content may not be suitable for children, or anyone else for that matter, as it contains graphic photos--blemishes, blackheads, wrinkles, pimples, etc)
How to Make a Homemade "Biore" Pore Cleasning Mask
by Christen Henderson
Introduction:
It's as easy as 5 minutes! You can make as much as you want and it's LOTS cheaper, and in my opinion works a lot better!
Instructions:
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You'll Need
1 T Knox unflavored gelatin
1-1/2 T milk
Not very hard to find at all!
Step One
Mix two ingredients and microwave for 10 seconds to slightly warm. Using a clean cosmetic brush (or a Q-Tip works fine), apply to nose and chin area, avoiding delicate eye area.
Step TwoRinse brush immediately. Allow mixture on nose and chin to dry for 10-15 minutes. Mixture will dry quite stiff and form a "stiff film."
Step Three
Peel off the film and stare at all the little porcupine quills that used to be in your nose pores (one of the chief entertainment factors with B'Strips!).
I'm still not entirely convinced that the forest on the film contains pore crud rather than peach fuzz from my face. But I have to say my pores look smaller and my skin looks rather (should I say?) vibrant!
Best of all, I cleaned my pores for free! I had gelatin and milk in my kitchen. (If you don't have gelatine, you can get it at the grocery store in a box of 32 packets--1 T each--for just a few dollars.)
Tips:
- Use the mixture rather quickly. It congealed into a rubbery disc after about 15 minutes.
- Have a pore-cleaning party. The recipe makes enough for you to invite over 20 friends and compare pore crud.
Cool. It's like science, cooking and beauty all rolled into one!
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty neat!
ReplyDeleteAnd Becky, you look fabulous. You just want to stay looking that way. ;)
I'm fascinated! Hey, do you have any tips on using/getting coupons?
ReplyDeleteThe only coupons I use regularly are for Ulta and JoAnn's. But to be honest I have never really tried "couponing." I know plenty of people that swear by it, and you see women on Oprah, for example, that get $200 worth of groceries for nothing. But it seems so time-consuming. I guess I have just determined that my time is not worth the savings. If you google "[store name] coupon," though, you're bound to find something. Maybe I'll look into coupons and do a post in the future. Ok, now I'll stop rambling....
ReplyDeleteI tried this after seeing the same article, and I did notice a couple of blackheads (hardly any) but it was quite abrasive to peel off and left my skin red and irritated. Despite the pain my skin did feel soft afterwards, but there are always better ways to soften your skin than a facial peel that really sucks to peel off. So I wouldn't recommend this for sensitive skin, but if you are okay with some pain and temporary redness of the skin then maybe it could work better for you :)
ReplyDeleteHi! Thank you for posting about this, it's very interesting. I was hoping you could recommend a vegan alternative? Is it possible to recreate this with agar instead of gelatin, and a milk substitute? Perhaps perform a follow up, please?
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Wow. Thanks. Now I know what to do with those little gelatin packs I've had in the cupboard for a very very long time!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you could make it less abrasive if you use more milk and/or less gelatin in the mix?
ReplyDeleteIf you're not too sensitive, duct tape left to sit for a minute actually grabs my deep, dark blackheads. Please use with caution, but I always find that a piece placed across my chin (tongue pressing skin out), pressed tightly, and peeled off, results in quite a few nasty surprises.
ReplyDeleteI have done this in the past. I still have gelatin packets. I agree, it does make the skin more vibrant and feel great.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem and heed this advise. Light a candle or breath through your mouth. The smell is horrible. Like baby vomit :(
If I have the money, I'd still pay for the Biore strips.
This works well. I'd give it an A-. The smell is not that bad, you can barely smell it at all, and I think it's easy to peel off compared to other facial peels. I'm sure the biore strips work a little better but this is definitely very good considering its low cost. :)
ReplyDeletewhat does the 'T' stand for? tablespoon or teaspoon? Anyone feel free to answer. thanls a bunch
ReplyDeleteMy Mom always taught me that "T" stands for Tablespoon, and "t" stands for teaspoon.
ReplyDeleteI like to let it congeal and strip it off because that removes the peach fuzz as well as the blackheads. .... but, for people worried about the pain or redness, I've also just washed it off with warm water, and that also has an OK effect.
ReplyDeleteElmer's glue works also.
ReplyDelete