Not Much Difference Between the Original and the Ultra, But Biore Pore Strips are Great!
Written: Oct 20 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: unclogs pores, refreshing, removes dead skin cells, improves skin appearance
Cons: PRICEY, occassional residue (can be wiped off with a wet cloth), possibly tender when removing
The Bottom Line: I really love Biore Pore Strips. This is a wonderful product for cleaning up your skin! It's pricey, but the perfect treat.
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| Javelina's Full Review: Biore Pore Perfect Ultra Strip 6 Per Pack |
I’m quite familiar with using Biore deep cleansing pore strips. I have used the ones for both your nose as well as the regular strips, and I think they’re a great product. I have what I consider “high maintenance” skin, where I have to take good care of it. The Biore pore strips are often an integral part of my skin regimen. When I saw the new ”Ultra” strips, I had to try them, at least once! This is a 6 pack of nose strips.
What is a Biore Strip?
The concept is pretty simple. The Biore Strips come in a shape that conforms to your nose, or just a rectangular strip for the rest of your face. You simply wash your face and leave it wet. The strip peels off a piece of plastic, and you apply it to your face, making sure it is smooth.
You then wait about 15 minutes, or as long as it takes for the strip to become hard. You then grasp the edges, and then pull up quickly. The strip pulls out blackheads and dead skin.
So What Makes the “Ultra” an Ultra Strip?
The Ultra strips are a newer product than the original. The only difference is that it is a little larger, and contains tea tree oil, menthol, and witch hazel. Not only is there more coverage when you use an Ultra, but the additional ingredients have more powerful cleansing and astringent properties.
Scent
Just a warning. Some people really hate the scent of tea tree oil. I don’t find it offensive, but it does have a medicinal sort of scent. Mixed with the menthol, it seems like a minty sort of essence. It doesn’t burn my eyes or skin, but it is noticeable, and it does leave a slight tingle.
Product Performance & My Thoughts
For me, these strips are a really useful product. I scrub my face, I use all kinds of products, I could use something to help unclog pores. I wish I had something to vacuum out my pores, and I think this is about as close as I’ll get to that!
A lot of people complain that the strips are painful to remove. I do notice that they definitely pull on your skin. It feels like removing a band-aid. But much like removing a band-aid, I’d have to say, “no pain no gain”. It’s nowhere near excruciating, and if you can deal with things like tweezing eyebrows or other painful beauty routines, you can deal with this.
I have pretty good luck with the strips. I notice that they do pull up a bit, depending on how dirty my pores are! I feel like my skin is refreshed. I can see the difference on my skin and on the strip. No matter how much I scrub or wash my face, Biore makes the difference.
The only thing I can say is that I don’t notice much of a difference when I use the Ultra as compared to the regular original type. I can smell the tea tree oil scent on the strip. If you aren’t familiar with this ingredient, it is well known for keeping skin clean and clear, sort of like a natural antiseptic. The Ultra Strip is recommended for those with oily skin, which would be myself. I can’t say that it felt a lot stronger when I pulled off the strip, or if it kept my skin clearer, but I don’t have anything negative to say about it.
Tips
I like both types of Biore Strips (whether they are “Ultra” or not). When I get a mixed pack, I don’t necessarily use the strips evenly. I tend to need more for the rest of my face than my nose. My first tip is that I often use a nose strip somewhere else on my face, like on my forehead. In fact, the little “dip” in the bottom of the nose strip goes nicely above the bridge of my nose.
The next tip I have is to get the strip out of the wrapper before washing your face. They are wrapped airtight so that moisture doesn’t ruin them. But I find that it tends to be difficult to get them out of the wrapper after I’ve washed my face. Either because my hands are wet, my face is dripping on them, or because my face is drying- quickly. So it is usually pretty helpful to get the strips out of the wrapper before washing your face (but not off the plastic strip).
Just like the Biore commercials, you can definitely see what the strips have removed. I suggest, in order to see what it has removed the best, to hold the strip sideways, parallel to the ground. If you have a light behind it, this is the best way to see what the strip has removed.
Downsides
I have to say, I’m pretty bothered by the price of these. I could seriously use about 5 strips a week- nose, forehead, cheeks, chin. But at $5-6.00 a pop, there’s no way that happens. This is sort of a “treat” for my face, and is something I save for more times when I need it most. I definitely ration these based on price. It is truly painful buying these, because you get 6 tiny pieces of paper!
The other thing I have noticed is the occasional residue. I never use Biore Strips before going out- it’s usually before bed- so it’s not an issue. But once in a while, when I yank off the strip, it leaves some tiny patches of white, slightly sticky residue. It can be wiped off with a wet washcloth, so it being there isn’t a problem, but does however mean that it hasn’t done its “dirt removal”.
Ingredients
Polyquaternium-37 , Silica , Water , Glycerin , Dimethicone Copolyol , Titanium Dioxide , Butylene Glycol , Methylparaben , Tea Tree Oil , Menthol , Witch Hazel
Overall
The Biore Pore Strips are a true treat for my skin. Once I remove the strip, my skin feels refreshed. The strips helps to unclog pores and keep my skin clear. Short of squeezing blackheads, this is the best way of unclogging pores.
I can’t tell much difference between the regular Biore and the Ultra. The Ultra just has a scent and a slight coolness, whereas the regulars do not. The size difference isn’t really noticeable. I can’t say that they keep my skin clear, since I don’t get blemishes on my nose. I’ll probably stick with the regular, only because of the price tag on these (I’ll go for the cheaper).
Just think- what’s the alternative? Squeezing blackheads? That’s a no no!
Websites
Biore: http://www.biore.com
My other skincare reviews:
Biore Blemish Fighting Cleanser
Burt’s Bees Pore Refining Mask (I highly recommend!!)
Burt’s Bees Hand Salve
Burt’s Bees Carrot Nutritive Night Crème
Burt’s Bees Marshmallow Vanishing Crème
Clearasil Icewash Cleansing Gel
Aveeno Skin Relief Bath Treatment
Recommended:
Yes
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