Ever take a glance at your skin in one of those lighted magnified mirrors? I remember the first time I did it, it revealed so many blackheads that I was shocked! Those annoying little things are tricky—you can’t just get rid of them with normal cleanser. Thank goodness that, we have YouTube skincare guru Jennifer Chiu to guide us through a set of tips that will help TOTALLY transform this trouble area!

The perky vlogger outlines how she unclogs her pores, and, she’s got SIX unexpected steps to follow. We promise, you haven’t heard about some of these before!

Use steam to open up those pores

Jennifer Chiu

​The first step to getting rid of those unsightly whiteheads and blackheads is using steam! Simply take a soft hand towel—we like the ones woven with gentle materials for cosmetic purposes—and drop into a bowl of hot water. Remove after several seconds, and be sure to test the temperature before placing over your nose. Hold the towel up to your T-zone and take a deep breath in.

Side note: if you want a spa-like experience, add some drops of essential oil to the towel first.

Prep your skin

Jennifer Chiu

Once your steaming towel has cooled, gently pat the area dry. Next, spritz a bit of toner onto an all-natural cotton pad and wipe over your nose area. This step allows for those newly-opened pores to become purified.

Grab those flossers

Jennifer Chiu

This next step is true DIY genius! Sure, you can go over to your beauty store and buy an expensive metal extractor, but you can get the same job done by using disposable flossers that you may already have in your bathroom cabinets.

To complete the extractions, drag the floss end over the nose area using steady scraping motions. Try this by starting on the sides of your nose—after several scrapes, you should start to see some white pus come out. For the middle, or more “cartilage-y” part of your nose, push together two flossers to drive out the bad stuff.

If you have a REALLY big whitehead, then feel free to improvise a bit. Jennifer just turned the flosser around and scraped out the pus with the sharp side when the floss alone wasn’t doing the job. Gross, but genius!

Use a pore strip

Jennifer Chiu

Pore strips are great options for those who have fairly large pores. To use these, make sure that you follow the first two steps carefully. Wet your pore strip and place it over your nose. Wait 10 minutes, then pull off the strip. This last part doesn’t feel great—think pulling off a bandage—but the results are pretty impressive! Goodbye pores!

Try a mask

Jennifer Chiu

Face masks are great for two reasons: 1) they’re effective and 2) they’re fun! Apply a pore refining mud mask, making a triangular shape over the center of your nose. You can spread it on with your fingers, but brushes work best! Wait 15 minutes, then remove. You should see instant results, and even BETTER results when used weekly.

Go for natural!

Jennifer Chiu

The last step in this process is cleansing the area with some tea tree oil. Jennifer says that she likes to dilute hers with water (tea tree oil is known for being smelly and a bit irritating for some), and apply it to a cotton pad. Wipe the pad over your nose, and you’re done!

Watch Jennifer Chiu’s video below for even more tips on how to get your pores looking teeny tiny and unclogged!