Inexpensive, Effective Homemade Pore Strip Alternatives

by Reader Contributors

Say goodbye to blackheads while keeping your beauty budget intact with these inexpensive, effective homemade pore strip alternatives.

Dear Dollar Stretcher,
Although I love how Biore Strips clean out the pores on my face, I don’t love the price of them.

Can you ask your readers if anyone knows of a way to make them at home?
Anne

DIY Pore Strip Alternatives

We did reach out to our frugal readers. Our budget beauty experts had so many homemade pore strip tips to share, we can’t print them all. Read on for our favorites.

Head to the Dollar Store

Check your local dollar store! I know of at least two nearby dollar stores, as well as three others that aren’t so near, that all carry generic versions of these facial strips. Some don’t have as many strips as Biore does, but at only $1 a box, you can afford to stock up.
A

Who’d Have Thought?

Elmer’s glue works just as well as Biore strips.

Have you ever slathered the glue on your hands and watched it dry and then peeled it off? Spread a little glue on your acne-prone area and let it dry. Then, peel it off. It will “grab” every little particle of dirt and lift it away.
Stephanie

Baking Soda is the Answer

Biore strips are actually damaging to your pores if you use them too often.

An excellent pore cleanser that is very gentle and super inexpensive is baking soda. Make a paste of it in your hand with water or a liquid facial cleanser like Cetaphil. Then use it on your face as a gentle scrub. Your face will feel incredibly clean.
Mary Alice

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Suave Brand May Be Cheaper

Suave has the same type of strip for cheaper. I’m not sure of the price because I haven’t bought them in a while, but I know they are cheaper.

Have you thought about washing your face with a soft loofa pad morning and night? Remember that drinking water helps as well. Take your weight and divide it in half and that is the amount of water in ounces you should take in everyday.
Sally in Colorado

Another Elmer’s Glue Proponent

This substitute peel-off mask idea comes from Looking Good Newsletter.

You know those strips you can buy to remove blackheads and dirt from your face? Yep, they’re not cheap. There is another way to achieve the same results and at a cost of pennies, or less. It’s Elmer’s Glue. You heard me, good old fashioned Elmer’s Glue that most of us grew up using for one thing or another.

Apply a layer of glue on your face, concentrating on the nose area if that is a problem area for you. Let it dry completely and peel off as you would with a peel-off mask. Rinse what residue doesn’t come off when peeling. Feel your skin. Pretty nice, huh? Follow with a toner if you like.

Elmer’s Glue disclaimer: When using Elmer’s Glue as a beauty treatment, one should make sure they are not allergic to the product. While I don’t know the statistics of “Elmer’s Glue allergy,” there is a chance that someone, somewhere, is allergic to the stuff. Also, I would like to add that when applying glue to your face, it is not advisable to apply glue anywhere near the eyes to prevent the possibly hazardous “Glued Eye Syndrome.” Likewise for the mouth area.
A

Answer Inside the Egg

On the inside of an egg is a little piece of “skin.” It’s transparent, usually located at the base.

Peel it off and apply it to your nose or anywhere blackheads occur. It will draw out the impurities in your skin. Apply it fresh and peel it off when it dries.

You may need to add a bit of water to remove it.
Crystal

This “Pore Strip” Recipe Works for Me!

I found out that using the same sugary mixture that women use to remove hair works just as well for cleaning pores, like the Biore Clear Pore Strips.

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
ice from 1/2 of a lemon
2 tsp. of glycerin

Place all the ingredients, except the glycerin, into a saucepan. Heat over medium/high heat until it reaches 240 degrees F. It will not work if it doesn’t reach 240 Degrees F. The “wax” will turn an amber color.

Pour it into a small wide mouth jar, add 2 tsp. of glycerin, and stir well. After it cools to about 115 degrees F., apply a thin layer to the area you want with a stiff spatula or other utensil. Then, place a clean washcloth evenly over the area and press firmly. Let the “wax” cool even more before you pull the washcloth off. Finally, pull the washcloth off in a quick even manner, just like you would a Biore strip.
Mary

Not a Bad Result

I actually used to know the dermatologist who “invented” these types of facial strips. How did he invent them? He said that for many years during skin studies he used regular scotch tape to pull out the “contents” of pores. Simple as that. I’ve tried it at home, and it’s not a bad result at all.

By the way, this same dermatologist recommends Dove soap and Vaseline for your everyday skin care. Although he admits that Vaseline isn’t the most cosmetically pleasing product, he says it does the same job as much more expensive lotions.
Marceline

Try this Recipe

Take 1 Tbsp. of Knox unflavored gelatin and 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk. Microwave for 10 seconds and apply to face. Let it dry for 30 minutes (will dry very stiff). Peel it off. This works just like Biore Strips.
Diane

Milk of Magnesia?

I have extremely oily skin and I use Milk of Magnesia. Sounds funny, but I swear it works and it’s cheap. A large bottle lasts a long time. Just apply a thin layer and let it dry. Soon blemishes and blackheads dry up and go away.

I’ve tried everything on the market and this one works best.
Toni

Reviewed May 2022

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