I bought the medicube Zero Pore Pad fully expecting it to become one of those “everyone on the internet was right” products. I have sensitive skin, so I don’t jump on every trend, but this one is everywhere in before-and-after shots, “holy grail” empties posts, all of that. I was honestly excited to try it. When it arrived and I opened the tub, the first thing I thought was: Did I get a bad batch? Because what I pulled out of that container looked and felt nothing like what I’d seen online. The pads themselves are tiny—like, noticeably smaller than I imagined from all the videos—and they’re not plump or soaked at all. Mine were weirdly dry, thin, and wrinkled, almost like they’d shrunk in the wash. I expected that satisfying, juicy pad you usually get with toners or pore pads. Instead it felt like peeling off a slightly damp, crinkled coaster. They don’t hold their shape; they fold over on themselves and feel flimsy, not cushy. For the price and hype, it was a really disappointing first impression. The next thing that hit me was the scent. I barely twisted the lid and this strong wave of cosmetic fragrance came out. Not a soft, subtle, “oh that’s nice” smell—more like opening a drawer full of heavily scented products that have been living together for years. It’s sharp and very obvious. I have a sensitive nose and sensitive skin, so that combo is just… not ideal. Even before I touched the pad to my face, I was already thinking, this is too much. It doesn’t fade quickly either; it hangs in the air and sticks around on the skin. When I actually picked up one of the pads, it somehow got worse. The texture feels rough, not in a gentle “exfoliating” way, but in a cheap, scratchy cotton kind of way. Instead of soft, flexible fibers that glide, it has this stiff, almost cardboard-y feeling that made me double-check the expiry date because it honestly felt old. The pad doesn’t feel saturated—more like someone dripped a little liquid onto it and then let it sit there. You know how nice toner pads feel cool and juicy when you press them onto your skin? This felt the opposite: dry-ish and abrasive. Using it on my face was the point where I mentally checked out. Wiping it over my skin felt like I was just running a smelly, rough pad around for no good reason. There was no sense of slip, no comfortable glide, and honestly no feeling that anything special was happening besides that loud fragrance. For a product that has the words “Zero Pore” and so much reputation behind it, it didn’t seem to be doing anything but irritating my senses. My skin is sensitive, but not ridiculously fragile, and even I could tell this wasn’t something I wanted to drag across my face regularly. After a few uses (because I did try to give it a real chance), I still didn’t notice any improvement in my pores. No smoother texture, no more refined-looking nose, nothing. If anything, my skin felt slightly more annoyed—like it had been wiped with something harsh and perfumed, not treated with a thoughtful pore-care formula. When people say “pore pad,” I think of something that, at the very least, makes my skin feel clean, fresh, and a bit clarified. This just gave me the feeling of having wiped my face with a strongly scented, almost dry cotton round. I also can’t get over how unpleasant the whole experience is for sensitive skin. The strong fragrance, the rough pad surface, the lack of moisture in the pads themselves—it all adds up to something that feels the exact opposite of calming or skin-friendly. There’s no cooling relief, no soothing sensation, no “ah, my pores feel clearer” moment. Just an overpowering smell and a scratchy wipe. Every time I opened the tub, I thought, this is not what I signed up for. I kept trying to figure out if it was just my container that came like this, or if this is actually how it’s supposed to be. The biggest letdown is how off it feels compared to what I saw online. In reviews and ads, the pads look plush and soaked, almost like little toner pillows. Mine look like they’ve been left out to dry. In theory, it’s supposed to be a pore-refining, convenient pad you swipe on and feel “clean but treated.” In reality, for me, it was like using a dehydrated, heavily perfumed cotton pad and hoping for pore magic that never showed up. Nothing about it felt worth the hype or the marketing. So, overall, this was a big miss for me. The small, dry, wrinkled pads, the strong, in-your-face fragrance, the rough texture that feels old and low quality, and the lack of any real “pore pad” effect on my skin all add up to a product I wouldn’t recommend—especially if you’re sensitive. Maybe I got a weird batch, I honestly don’t know, but based on what I have in front of me, this is not something I want to keep using on my face. Instead of feeling like a quick, effective pore-care step, it just feels like wiping my skin with a smelly, scratchy pad and expecting results that never come.

I found the Round Lab Dokdo Cleanser by doing the most basic thing : typing “best cleanser for skincare newbies” into a search bar and seeing what kept popping up. This one did, over and over, so I bought the tube and promised myself I’d give it a fair shot. I have dry skin that complains if a face wash goes even a little too hard, so I expected to bounce off it like I do with most foaming cleansers. Instead, I ended up liking it enough to finish the tube, and then miss it when I tried to replace it with something fancier What sold me first was how straightforward it is. The gel squeezes out clear, not gloopy, and turns into a dense, cushiony foam the second it meets water. I don’t need a lot — a pea to blueberry size builds enough lather to cover my face and neck easily. It’s the kind of foam that feels plush without being slippery. It stays where you guide it, glides around the nose and hairline without tugging, and then loosens immediately under the tap. That big, cloud-like lather is a huge part of why I enjoy using it. You feel like you’re getting a proper wash, and yet the bubbles are fine enough that I never have to scrub to make them move. It’s also low pH, which my skin reads as calm down, we’re not stripping everything, and I’m convinced that’s the reason it behaves on my drier days. The cleansing power is what kept me loyal. I wear sunscreen daily, and sometimes a little base, and the Dokdo cleanser cuts through the day without leaving that filmy “did I rinse well enough?” feeling. My face feels genuinely clean, not squeaky or tight, in that sweet spot where the canvas is reset but not raw. On nights when I skip oils and balms and go straight in with this, it still handles SPF and light makeup without making me work. If I’ve worn something waterproof, I’ll remove that separately (as I would with any face wash), but for normal days, this earns its keep all by itself. About the scent : it’s minimal and fresh, the brief kind that shows up while you lather and clocks out when you rinse. I’ve had foaming cleansers that try to do a perfume moment, and this isn’t one of them. It’s there, it’s clean, and then it’s gone, which I prefer, especially at the sink, first thing in the morning or right before bed. Now to the comment I see a lot online : “It’s too drying.” I get why people say that. It’s a foaming cleanser with excellent rinsability, and those can feel brisk if you stand under hot water forever or use too much product. Personally, even with dry skin, it hasn’t been an issue, because I always apply toner right after I towel off. For me, the problem has never been a well-executed cleanse. It’s not cleansing thoroughly enough and then watching my chin and jawline protest with breakouts a week later. With this wash, I step away from the sink, pat dry, and reach for a watery toner straight away. That one simple step means I get the clarity I want and the comfort I need. If your barrier is already feeling raw or overworked, I would still start slowly and keep this as a night-only step at first, just to see how your skin responds. If you’re the kind of person who likes to air-dry your face and wander around for ten minutes before your next step, you might feel tightness. If you’re happy to add a quick splash of hydration right after, the balance makes sense. There are a few small habits that made this cleanser shine for me. I use lukewarm water (never hot), which keeps any foaming wash from tipping into harshness. I count to forty-five while I massage so I’m not under-washing or over-working my cheeks. I let the lather do the work rather than pushing hard with my fingertips. Then I rinse thoroughly, with two or three good handfuls, paying attention to the corners of my nose and along the jaw so there’s no residue to confuse me later. After that, toner on damp skin and I’m good. Nothing complicated, and that’s the point. This product doesn’t need a ritual; it just wants to wash your face well. What I like most is how predictable it is. Some cleansers feel great on day one and then go sideways in a week. The Dokdo cleanser is the same every morning and every night : big friendly foam, clean rinse, no drama. On days when heaters are blasting or the air is weirdly dry, I still don’t get that papery pull across my cheeks. On sweaty afternoons, my T-zone doesn’t feel like I left something behind. It’s not a treatment cleanser trying to be seven things. It’s a solid wash that respects your skin if you respect it back. Would I recommend it to someone who’s just starting skincare? Yes, that’s exactly how I found it. The checklist that made it show up in my searches is the same list that makes me keep it around :low pH, foam texture, plenty of lather, strong cleansing without a long learning curve. I understand why a subset of people label it drying, but I also think context matters. A cleanser’s job is to clean. Comfort comes from what you do right after. I’d rather rehydrate promptly than risk under-washing and dealing with congestion and surprise pimples down the line. On my skin, clean but not squeaky, then toner immediately is the winning combo, and this product makes that rhythm easy. So, short version from a dry-skinned person who doesn’t want her face to feel like a chalkboard: Round Lab Dokdo Cleanser is the foaming face wash I keep coming back to. It gives me the thorough cleanse I was missing when I tried to be too gentle, and it stays on the comfortable side as long as I follow it with a quick drink of toner. If you’re a skincare beginner staring at a million options, this is one of the rare picks that’s popular for good reasons : simple, effective, and easy to live with once you learn its pace.

Why I Almost Skipped It The first week I tried the Beauty of Joseon Green Plum AHA + BHA Toner, I kept thinking, is this even an acid toner. It felt so light and quiet that I honestly assumed it was basically fancy water with a pretty bottle. There was no sting, no spicy feeling, no instant glass skin moment that social media makes you expect from anything with AHA or BHA on the label. I used it a few nights, got a little bored, and pushed it to the edge of my sink. The only reason I did not completely abandon it was because it was already open and I do not love wasting products. So I kept reaching for it on autopilot, doing light swipes with a cotton pad or a quick palm press after cleansing. Somewhere around the ten day mark I noticed something that made me stop and think. My skin did not look dramatically different, but the small rough patches that usually show up around my nose and chin were not getting the chance to become full problems. That was the moment I realized this toner is not about big drama. It is about not letting things get bad in the first place. My Skin and Why This Works My skin is firmly in combo territory. My T zone loves to shine by lunchtime if I am not careful, and my cheeks act like sensitive skin when I overdo anything. Strong exfoliants tend to give me the same two stage reaction. First I feel tight and overly matte, then a day or two later my skin tries to compensate with extra oil and a few angry spots around my nose and mouth. I have had acid nights that gave me smooth texture for exactly twelve hours, followed by two full days of regret. That is why this toner ended up making so much sense for me. It gives very gentle, very steady texture control instead of a roller coaster. The difference in my routine is simple but huge. I spend less time scrambling to fix rough patches or tiny bumps, and more time just maintaining an even surface. It matches the way I actually live, which is not planning my week around my exfoliant. Texture, Scent, and Immediate Feel Texture wise this toner is truly water light. There is no gel cushion, no serum slip, and no noticeable film once it dries. On a thin cotton pad it spreads easily and glides without dragging, even on the sides of my nose where some pads love to catch. In my hands it feels like a slightly softened water, and it sinks in within a few seconds with no stickiness at all. Scent is very low key. I get a faint fresh note if I try to notice it, but there is no citrus punch and no heavy floral cloud. Once it is on my face, it is basically a non-issue. I also never get that acid tingle that some people chase. At first that made me question the strength, but eventually I decided that for my skin it is a feature, not a bug. I can swipe my forehead, nose, and chin at night without seeing a sudden flush or feeling prickly. By morning the changes are subtle but real. The sides of my nose feel smoother when I run my fingers across them. The tiny bumps that like to gather along my jaw are less obvious, and foundation or skin tint sits flatter across the center of my face. How I Actually Use It Without Irritation On most nights I use this toner after a gentle gel cleanser. If I wore makeup or heavier sunscreen I will double cleanse, then go in with this. When I want a thorough exfoliating step, I use a thin, lint free cotton pad and dampen it enough to feel fully saturated but not dripping. Then I lightly sweep across my forehead, nose, chin, and the area next to my mouth, using very soft pressure. Instead of scrubbing back and forth, I keep my motions one way and controlled. If my T zone feels extra rough, I will pad park the product. That means I hold the damp pad on the sides of my nose or the center of my forehead for about thirty to sixty seconds, then move on, rather than rubbing harder. On nights when my skin is a little more sensitive, I skip the pad and just pour a small amount into my palms and press it in like a watery essence. That method feels even gentler, and it still gives me the smoothing effect, just in a softer way. I can comfortably use it three to five nights in a row without my cheeks freaking out. I do not get tight corners that start flaking and then pretend to be oil as the day goes on. If I miss a night because I am tired, my skin does not punish me or feel like I have reset all my progress. It really does slip into my life instead of asking me to reorganize my calendar. During the day, I treat sunscreen as non negotiable, because any exfoliant, even a mild one, deserves that respect. Results, Who It Is For, and My Bottom Line After a full month, the results are not the kind that make people stop me and ask what I am using, but they are exactly what I wanted for my combo skin. My overall texture is more predictable.I have fewer mystery rough days where I suddenly see tiny bumps catching light around my nose in the bathroom mirror. My pores still exist, obviously, but they look tidier and less congested, especially on the parts of my face that usually hold onto old sunscreen and oil. I am blotting less by mid day because I am not over stripping my face at night. My cheeks feel like skin, not paper, even when the air conditioning is going. In terms of routine behavior, this toner also plays well with everything else I use. It does not cause pilling under sunscreen, even with mineral formulas that can be a little fussy. It does not leave a squeaky finish that makes my moisturizer catch or skip. It does not wrap my whole sink in a fragrance cloud that clashes with other products. If your skin is very resilient and you genuinely enjoy that strong one night peel feeling, this may come off as underwhelming or too soft. I completely understand that reaction because I was bored at first too. But if your skin side eyes intense peels, or if you are just tired of your exfoliant being an event that you have to recover from, this bottle makes a lot of sense. I would recommend it for combination or sensitive leaning skin that wants frequent, low drama exfoliation. It is especially good for people who deal with rough T zones and tiny bumps but react to stronger formulas. It is not the best choice for someone who wants visible peeling in a week, and it is not a plumping essence, because the finish is neutral and skin like rather than dewy or glossy. My bottom line is pretty simple. I started out disappointed and ended up kind of attached. The Beauty of Joseon Green Plum AHA + BHA Toner is gentle to the point of being sneaky, which is exactly why it is easy to use every day and still see smoother skin over time. For my combination skin that has a lot of opinions whenever I push too hard, a mild toner that I actually reach for often beats a harsh one that I regret the next morning. This is not the loudest product on my shelf, but it quietly keeps my texture in check, and that matters more to me than a single dramatic before and after.

I grabbed the Skinfood Blue Chamomile Hyaluronic Toner Mist on a whim because I wanted something easy I could keep in my backpack and spritz whenever my face felt tired. I’m not super into complicated skincare stuff, so a mist sounded perfect: point, spray, done. First impression was honestly just how cute and chill it feels to use. The bottle is simple, and the mist comes out nice and even, no angry water jets, no wet circles on my cheeks. It’s that soft cloud kind of spray you want, where it lands everywhere and you don’t have to pat anything in unless you want to. The smell is light and calming, like a warm cup of chamomile tea cooled down with a little splash of something fresh. It doesn’t have that heavy perfume vibe at all. I notice it for a second when I spray and then it disappears. If scents usually give you a headache, this one is super gentle. And the color is cute too (blue theme, obviously), which is not important, but I like when my desk looks a little aesthetic. On my normal skin, this mist hits a sweet spot I didn’t know I was missing. It’s not greasy or shiny, but it’s also not one of those “water that evaporates and feels like nothing” situations. It takes away that tight, flat feeling I get after washing my face or being in air-conditioning for too long, and gives me a soft, healthy finish. No stickiness. No tacky layer. No weird film that makes you want to wash your face again. My forehead doesn’t go oily faster because of it, and my cheeks don’t get thirsty twenty minutes later. It’s just comfy, which is exactly what I wanted. I use it whenever my skin feels kind of… meh. Like after being outside in wind, or when I’ve been staring at a screen all day, or before I take a quick selfie and my face looks dull. Two or three spritzes wake my skin up and make it look a little smoother, like the tiny dry patches around my nose stop catching the light. If my skin is extra blah, I do a slow pass (spray, wait a few seconds, spray again) and it layers without getting heavy. It also plays nicely with makeup. I’ve sprayed it over tinted sunscreen and blush and didn’t get any running or dots. If anything, it takes down that powdery look and makes everything settle in better. I appreciate that it doesn’t try to be ten things. It’s not a shiny setting spray, it’s not a dewy highlighter mist, and it’s not pretending to replace your moisturizer. It’s just a toner in spray form that makes your face feel calmer and more hydrated in like five seconds. I keep it on my desk and reach for it the same way I reach for water when I realize I haven’t had a sip in an hour: quick, easy, done. I also threw it in my tote a few times, and it didn’t leak or explode (always the fear with mists). The cap stays on and the sprayer hasn’t clogged yet. The best part is how low-drama it is. I have friends who can’t deal with strong fragrances or heavy textures, and I feel like this would be fine for them. It doesn’t tingle, it doesn’t burn, and it doesn’t leave a glossy layer that hair sticks to. If I spray before bed, my face feels relaxed and not sticky on my pillow. If I spray in the car (parked, obviously), it makes me feel less gross after a long drive without smelling like I just bathed in perfume. Little things I noticed that might help: hold it a bit away from your face (arm’s length) so the mist really spreads. If you spray too close, you’ll waste it and end up with a wet dot. A few light passes work better than one long blast. Also, it’s easy to overdo just because the mist is so soft. Don’t. Two to three spritzes is honestly enough most of the time. If you want to be fancy, you can spray a cotton pad and press it on flaky spots for like a minute. It gives that area extra moisture without building up product everywhere. Is it going to fix everything wrong with your skin? No, and it doesn’t try to. But if you want a simple, nice-feeling mist that makes your face feel less tight and look a bit more alive, this is exactly that. It’s the kind of product you actually use because it’s easy and it feels good every single time. I can see myself finishing the bottle, which is saying a lot considering how many half-used sprays are hiding in my bathroom. Pros, from my totally regular person perspective: super fine mist, calming chamomile tea vibe, no stickiness, comfy hydration, makeup-friendly, and cute to leave out. Cons: if you want a strong “glow” look, this isn’t a shiny spray, it’s more of a healthy-skin finish. And if you’re obsessed with scent-free everything, you should know there is a tiny bit of scent (even though it’s soft). Bottom line: Skinfood Blue Chamomile Hyaluronic Toner Mist is the definition of easy. It lives on my desk, it lives in my bag, and it lives rent-free in my head because I keep reaching for it without thinking. It makes my normal skin feel happy and calm, and that’s all I wanted. If you like your skincare simple, quick, and low-stress, you’ll probably be into it, too.

I have classic combo skin that means normal to dry cheeks and a shiny T zone. If I get lazy about cleansing I collect sebaceous filaments around my nose like clockwork. I picked these two BHA cleansers for a head to head because they promise the same thing, pore level clarity, but they get there in different ways. After three weeks of A B testing, first alternating mornings and nights, then a full week each, here is the honest breakdown. I paid extra attention to scent and texture because those two shaped the experience more than I expected. Scent (both are strong, but in different ways) Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam Sharp and mint leaning, and it hangs around. I catch the brisk almost mentholic note from squeeze to rinse. If you love a cooling wake up vibe it reads refreshing. If you prefer quiet sinks it will feel loud. Cosrx low pH gel cleanser Tea tree and herbal fresh. A green camphor adjacent clean smell that is present from squeeze to rinse. Not perfumey, but not shy. On scent sensitive mornings both are noticeable and neither is stealth. TL;DR Strong either way. Anua is minty and sharp cool. Cosrx is tea tree and fresh green. Both are scented through the whole wash cycle so set expectations. Texture, lather, and rinse Anua (foam type) Squeezes out as a classic cream foam that holds its shape in the palm. With water it aerates into a plush dense lather that feels like a cushion on skin. Tiny heartleaf flecks are suspended in the base. They are not gritty, but they are visible plant bits, and if you rush the rinse a light powdery residue can cling at the hairline or around the nose. Rinse thoroughly with a few extra handfuls of water, especially around the nose folds and jawline. When I was patient it rinsed clean and squeak free. Cosrx (gel type) A nearly liquid clear gel that collapses the second it hits skin. It makes micro bubbles that give close to skin slip rather than fluffy suds. Because the body is low it spreads fast and rinses even faster. Two to three splashes and it is gone with no film and no did I miss a spot feeling. How they feel in motion Anua gives a cloud on your face sensation and encourages a slower massage style cleanse. Cosrx is a glide cover rinse gel. Quick, tidy, efficient. I found myself slowing down with Anua on nights when I wanted a longer bathroom moment and speeding up with Cosrx on busy mornings when I needed a sure thing. Cleansing power vs. comfort (and who feels deeper) Anua The cream foam format plus BHA gives a decisive clean. My nose and chin felt extra decongested after sweaty days, and SPF came off without a fight. If I over massaged, my cheeks tipped toward a whisper of tightness. Keeping the massage to about forty five seconds with lukewarm water gave me the best result, very clean pores with a calm finish. On mask line days the minty vibe also made everything feel freshly reset which I liked at night. Cosrx Lands in the gentle but not vague pocket. It removes oil cleanser residue beautifully in a double cleanse and does not leave my cheeks squeaky. My T zone feels reset and the finish is neutral, not matte and not dewy. On truly grimy days I extend the massage to a full minute and it still does not overstrip. If I need a second wash after the gym this is the only BHA gel I reach for because it stays polite to my cheeks even twice in one day. Depth read Anua feels deeper right after use because of the dense foam and minty profile, and pores look extra polished. Cosrx hits the daily balance sweet spot. Clear enough for filaments, mild enough for twice a day life. BHA behavior and sensitivity notes Both formulas include BHA in the cleansing step. In practice Anua gives a power clean mood that shines when I have sunscreen plus sweat plus city air on my face. Cosrx feels like a daily driver that I can use every morning without my cheeks filing a complaint. Neither caused stinging or scattered redness on me. Anua’s mint leaning profile heightens the awake sensation which very sensitive users might read as intensity. If your barrier is fussy, start with Cosrx as your daily and keep Anua for targeted nights when you want that extra polished rinse. What surprised me and what did not I expected Anua to feel strong and it does, but I did not expect the plant flecks to be visible. They are small and not scratchy, but you do need to rinse with intention. I expected Cosrx to be gentle, but I did not expect it to clear filaments as consistently as it did over three weeks. It is not dramatic, it is steady, which is what I need on school to work days when I cannot babysit my face. Who I think will like each one Pick Cosrx if you want a low pH gel that is fast, reliable, and low risk for cheeks that cry easily. It is the one that fits a tight morning schedule, a double cleanse, and even a second cleanse after workouts. It is also the one I would hand to a friend who is new to acids because the learning curve is short. Pick Anua if you enjoy a plush foam, want a deep clean mood, and you do not mind a mint leaning scent that you can feel from start to finish. It is the bottle I grab on nights when my T zone is noisy or after a long transit day. The finish looks extra polished in the mirror, which is satisfying even if I know it took a few more rinses to get there. Final verdict (daily pick vs. deep clean pick) I am keeping both, but for different jobs. Cosrx is my daily driver. It is the gel I can use every single morning and never think about it. Low pH, fast rinse, minimal risk, easy with makeup and SPF. Anua is my pore day booster. It is the cleanser I reach for when the T zone is loud or after a sweaty commute and I want that extra polished rinse. Dense foam, minty deep clean mood, visible decongesting on T zone nights. If you are only buying one and you have combination skin like mine, start with Cosrx for reliability, then add Anua for targeted evenings. Go in knowing the scents are strong and part of their personalities from squeeze to rinse. With that expectation in place the choice becomes simple. Cosrx is for autopilot. Anua is for an intentional deep clean.

If you put me in front of a shelf of “pore-clearing” things, I’m the person who’s tested half of them, and I still end up with a camera roll full of nose close-ups because my oily skin plus a blackhead-heavy nose is relentless. Out of every blackhead product in this contest lineup, this one wins. The bottle in my hand is the cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, and it’s the first leave-on exfoliant that cleared my nose without punishing the rest of my face. My skin and why BHA is non-negotiable Oliy-leaning skin Blackheads concentrated on the nose and inner cheeks Prone to reacting if a formula is too fragranced or overly drying BHAs, which are oil-soluble exfoliants, are the rare category that actually get inside the pore lining and nudge out compacted sebum. On paper, lots of products promise that. In practice, they either feel like stinging water that does nothing or a gluey syrup that clogs me worse. This one finds the sweet spot. Texture: viscous yes, not sticky The liquid has a viscous slip, think fluid gel, not watery toner, but the odd magic is that it is not sticky. Two pumps spread into a thin film that sets down clean with a soft satin finish instead of a glossy coat. I can touch my nose a minute later and it feels like skin, not a product sitting on top. That matters for me because anything gummy around my nostrils traps oil and turns the 2 p.m. shine into a noon event. Scent is minimal to none. No perfume cloud and no medicinal blast. My skin is not a fan of dramatic fragrance, and this reads polite from the first use. How I use it (and why that mattered) I treat it like a targeted leave-on three to four nights a week. Cleanse, my long-time love is the cosrx low pH gel cleanser (also one of my favorites). Two pumps of BHA on fingertips. Press over nose and inner cheeks, then feather out across the forehead and chin. Wait a couple of minutes before the next step. I do not rub hard. I do not pair it with harsh scrubs. I do not chase an “instant purge” by overusing it. I let the formula do a slow, clean clear-out. Results timeline (realistic, not dramatic) Night 1-3: Blackheads do not vanish, but the surface looks less dull, and the skin on the sides of my nose feels smoother when the light hits it. Zero sting and zero redness. Week 2: The stubborn dots on the tip of my nose are lighter and fewer. When I press the skin, I do not see that grayish cast that screams “oil cap.” Makeup sits flatter around my nostrils because there is less micro-texture catching powder. Week 4: I am in maintenance mode. New plugs form more slowly, and the old ones do not build into the shiny, raised bumps I used to photograph in bad bathroom lighting. Most importantly, no breakouts triggered by the formula and no clogged-pore rebound from a heavy film, because there is no heavy film. I have used other BHAs that were either too weak to matter or so “powerful” they left me flaky and shiny at once. This one clears without pushing me into an oil overcompensation spiral. But it looks thick… will it clog? (it didn’t) I was nervous about the viscosity, because “thicker” often means trouble for my pores. On me, this sinks in and does not occlude. I can layer a light moisturizer on top and wake up with skin that feels calm, not suffocated. I have also tried it under different sunscreens. The film does not pill or turn makeup into little rolled noodles. Translation, effective inside the pore and polite on the surface. Why this beats strips and scrubs (for me) Pore strips give that immediate satisfaction, then my nose overproduces oil and I am back to square one a week later. Physical scrubs catch on the sides of my nose and leave me pink without actually changing what is inside the pores. This BHA dissolves the glue that keeps the plug compacted, so the clear-out is gradual but it sticks. If you want long-term blackhead control rather than a single wow night, this strategy wins. Compatibility and comfort No sting, even when my skin is cranky from weather swings. No fragrance fight, it is quiet. No sticky afterfeel, so it does not attract hairline dust or phone prints. Layers well over watery toners and under simple gel or gel-cream moisturizers. And because I know someone will ask, yes, cosrx really does BHA well. Their acids lean pragmatic rather than theatrical, and it shows here. Side note, their low pH gel cleanser remains one of my top gentle but effective washes, especially as the second step in a double cleanse. Packaging and portion control The pump delivers a predictable two-pump dose without burping air. The bottle does not crust around the nozzle, and the translucent finish lets you see how much is left so you do not panic before a trip. I use it three to four nights a week and the 100 mL lasts months. More frequent use is not necessary once you have “reset” your nose. What not to expect (so you are not disappointed) Not a mattifier. You will still produce oil, that is biology, but the oil sits on smoother skin and does not get trapped as easily. Not an overnight eraser. Give it 2-4 weeks to see the plugged look soften and the dots fade. Not a heavy peel. You should not be flaking everywhere, the change is subtler and steadier. Do expect cleaner pores, fewer raised plugs, and a more refined nose texture with consistent use. Tips that made it better Start three nights a week, then adjust. More is not automatically better with acids. Use gentle cleansers (again, the cosrx gel is great) so you are not stripping and exfoliating in the same breath. Sunscreen daily. Any exfoliant asks for that trade. Skip fragrance-heavy toners in the same routine. Keep the supporting cast simple. If you are very sensitive or have a known salicylate sensitivity, patch test first. The verdict I have tried enough “blackhead solutions” to be cynical. This one cut through the noise. The cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid is viscous but non-sticky, strong on blackheads without provoking breakouts, and light enough that it does not clog what it is clearing. For a nose that collects black dots like hobby pins, especially if you are oily, this is the bottle I would hand you first. I will keep testing things because that is who I am, but in a lineup that includes strips, scrubs, and stinging waters, this is my best performer. If you are already a cosrx fan, it will make sense. They do BHA right. Their low pH gel cleanser is one of my ride-or-die washes, and paired with this liquid, my double cleanse plus BHA routine finally feels like maintenance, not a battle. Bottom line: If blackheads, especially on the nose, are your main worry and you want a formula that actually clears without stickiness, clogs, or irritation, this is the one I recommend, loudly and confidently, with a lot fewer nose close-ups on my phone.