I have large pores on my nose and the strips really help. It also seems to me that the Ultra strips do a better job then just the regular biore

haven't been to an Ulta store in a while. It can be dangerous!

After decades!

Two things I've found that work really well on clogged pores are salicylic acid and, ironically, oil cleansing. Cleaning your skin with oil (and taking quite a while to do it) eases out many of the clogs in the pores. I've used the Dermalogica pre-cleanse, but there are many other brands. Some people make their own oil cleansing blend. The chief difference between the store bought and home made varieties is that store brands (at least the one I've tried) have something in them that enables the oil to dissolve with water. Some people have had problems with oil cleansing when they haven't removed all the oil. I always follow with another cleanser, but not everyone does.

You apply salicylic acid on your face after cleansing. It comes in various forms, from a liquid to a serum type texture. It should be without alcohol and have the right Ph. balance. You can Google it or go to the Cosmetics Cop site to learn more.

Sorry if you weren't interested in this. Perhaps someone will be.

Hadn't really heard of using oil but will look into that. I'm so oily it doesn't sound too appealing but hell, I'll try anything.

I have some astringent with salicylic acid but it does have alcohol. I mainly use it in the summer when I feel particularly greasy. What's the problem with the alcohol?

I should probably get my face back to a dermatologist but I feel too old for this crap. I generally get a few breakouts here and there but right now I've had this one under the skin oil pocket for more than a month. I'm like a teen with the Clearasil! Ergh!

Thanks!

You can do a search under BHA exfoliants here to find recommendations at various price points:
http://www.paulaschoice.com/beautypedia/reviews/advancedsearch/

Salicylic acid is the only thing that exfoliates the interior walls of pores. That's why dermatologists recommend it for blackheads.

You can google oil cleansing to see what people say about it. Since your skin is oily, I would probably use another cleanser afterward.

A bit of tea tree oil is excellent for break outs, but you have to be careful not to use too much.