This Skin Care Product Cleared My Blackheads Better Than ANYTHING I've Ever Tried

I'm one of those people that, try as I may, I always have blackheads. I wash my face religiously, have been using pore strips that make my eyes water since I was 15, and have a skincare routine full of scrubs and peels. But those little black spots have stubbornly hung on, until I tried PureHeals Volcanic Pore Heating Gel. After just a few uses, my nose is clearer than it has been since junior high.

PureHeals is a natural cosmetics K-Beauty brand that has been making waves over in the U.S., becoming a staple in places like Ulta and Free People. They skip the artificial chemicals when it comes to healing your skin, and instead focus on a combination of skin science and nature, researching plants, fruits, and flowers to see which elements pamper and soothe your skin the best. They pick ingredients that have been proven to do wonders for your complexion, and then dedicate themselves to turbo-power those materials to their maximum levels, leaving you with glassy, smooth skin. Plus, they're cruelty-free and never test on animals.

The Volcanic Pore Heating Gel tackles the specific problem of blackheads, where it taps into lava to get your gunk out. The gel generates heat as you massage the product into your skin, loosening the impurities trapped deep in your pores and melting sebum, which is the oily secretion your skin makes. It's infused with volcanic lava powder from Jeju Island, an island in Korea with a dormant volcano that offers up plenty of rich ingredients for natural beauty. The detoxifying treatment uses that gathered volcanic lava powder to not only absorb excess oil from your skin, but to also gently melt away dirt that's clogging your complexion.

In addition to that, high concentrations of sea water is used, which not only promotes healing, but is packed with skin-friendly minerals that absorb toxins like acne-causing bacteria. Then there is the addition of kaolin clay, which detoxifies and beats back oiliness, as well as salicylic acid, which not only fights back future breakouts but also tightens the appearance of pores. Basically, you have the perfect concoction to get rid of any and all dirt that's stuck underneath the surface of your skin — blackheads don't stand a chance.

I think what really makes this product special isn't just the formula, but the way in which you apply it. We know that using your fingers to put on creams and serums isn't the best idea since you can push dirt straight back into your pores, and this bottle fixes that predicament by coming in a tube that dispenses the gel through a massaging bristled tip. You click a button for the gel to come out onto the bristle brush, and then you rub it into your skin for three to five minutes, exfoliating your skin with the gentle rubber brush. The bristles not only help flake off dead skin cells, but they will also stimulate circulation and help the product and its active ingredients get well within your pores.

The trick is to take your time and massage it for the full allotted amount of time, giving the formula time to do its thing. It will literally heat on your face as you use it, feeling like warm heating pads are placed across your cheeks and nose. After about five minutes you wash the gel off your face with lukewarm water, and are left with a clean, detoxified complexion that will have you pressing your nose against the mirror to absorb your amazingly degunked pores.

And at only $22 a bottle at Ulta, it's an affordable product that won't break the bank. Your best skin is waiting for you around the corner.