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Gross but true: There’s nothing more satisfying than peeling off a blackhead strip and seeing how much gunk it managed to pull from your pores. The best blackhead strips can clear excess sebum while also staying gentle on your skin—especially if you're dealing with oiliness or clogged pores. They’ve come a long way since the ‘90s, when “beauty is pain” meant ripping a strip off your nose and marveling at the tiny plugs left behind. To help you find the very best ones, we asked dermatologist to share their top pore strips and then tested them ourselves. Below are the ones that will help keep the area around your nose clear and irritation-free.

Generally speaking, most dermatologists do recommend the hydrocolloid-based blackhead strips, but aren’t the biggest fans of the “traditional” nose strips that you wet with warm water, apply, and then remove after they’ve dried. Geeta Yadav, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of FACET Dermatology, advises to use caution when opting for a traditional blackhead strip over the hydrocolloid blackhead strip, and avoid them if you have very sensitive skin.