I’ve considered honey, oatmeal, banana peel, and avocado treatments, I never thought I’d be putting charcoal on my face. My skin is super sensitive and super prone to breakouts, but I was too curious to not test its alleged unique benefits. I heard a friend mention she couldn’t live without Bioré® Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips, which are brand new and made with natural charcoal, and while I was perusing the skin care aisle, I couldn’t resist picking up the Bioré® Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser, as well.

Because I was in the midst of a blackhead breakout, I started testing the charcoal’s efficacy literally the second I got home. Although it pumps black, the Bioré Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser lathers white and rinses clean. It’s infused with Japanese Skin Purifying Technology, and I immediately felt a tingly difference– and no the charcoal cleanser isn’t made with peroxides and acids; it’s oil-free and gentle enough for every day use.

Immediately following the cleanser came the pièce de résistance, Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips.

The pore strips are known for unclogging your pores, drawing excess oil for the deepest clean, and reducing shine to see 3 times less oil, so I put all of these affirmations to the ultimate test. The instructions say that one strip is all it takes– in just 10 minutes, you’ll remove a week’s worth of buildup.

… and 10 minutes later…

Even though the test strip was kind of disgusting post de-clogging, I can absolutely attest to their efficacy. My pores felt clean and appeared smaller, and Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips kept my oily skin at bay for around 24 hours, which is difficult to do when you’re part Italian. I highly recommend giving both the cleanser and pore strips a try, especially if you’re prone to blackouts– if, for no other reason, to say you’ve put charcoal on your face. Oh, and don’t forget about the Bioré Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser, either. It lives up to the charcoal hype, as well.

If you decide to give Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips and/or Charcoal Cleanser a try, I picked mine up at Target. You can also order them online from Ulta, as well. Just look for the skin care aisle, and you’ll find other products from their charcoal line, as well. Happy Cleansing! Enjoy your Monday!

_{This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.}