This post contains affiliate links. I won this product in a giveaway.
I’ve been pretty fortunate with my skin - no huge issues with pores, blackheads, or breakouts. But with age I am noticing that the pores are looking a little larger than before, despite my best efforts. I’m also a recovering face picker, and I loooooove to squeeze out sebaceous filaments (the normal, natural part of skin functioning that can look like little blackheads, especially on the nose). Products with BHA are generally effective at normalizing sebum production and making the pores look smaller and more clear, which in turn helps me with the temptation to pick.
I’ve been using CosRx One Step Original Clear Pads as my BHA of choice. I won these in a giveaway quite a long time ago, but kept the jar sealed until I was ready to truly test them. The time has come. These promise to gently exfoliate, prevent sebum build up, and help with breakouts. Cosrx pads are available just about everywhere: YesStyle (reward code KBHOBBIT), Wishtrend (code LUCY15), Amazon, Oshen Skin (code KBHOBBIT10), Stylevana (code INF10KBH), Jolse, and Olive Young.
How to use:
Gently sweep over skin after cleansing
Follow with the rest of your routine
The twist top jar contains 70 textured pads saturated in the BHA solution. The pads are fairly small, but I find them to be sufficient for my needs. One pad is enough to completely cover my face. I typically avoid the neck area, because I don’t have any pore or excess oil issues there.
These smell pretty strongly of something medicinal, most likely a mix of the tea tree and the orange peel oil. It’s not the best scent, but it goes away pretty quickly and doesn’t bother me. I do wish they were truly fragrance free, without orange peel oil, so more people could enjoy them.
My impressions
I used to think that BHA was only for evening use, but now, after watching a lot of skincare content produced by dermatologists, I think it’s ok to use in the AM (always always always remember SPF!). So I’ve been using these in the morning, letting my skin be for a min or so, then doing the rest of my morning routine. I don’t wash my face in the mornings, and the pad does two jobs - takes off anything potentially left over from my evening routine and takes care of the sebum issues for my combination skin.
I am seeing major results in pore appearance - they are looking smaller, tighter, and cleaner. I’m not as tempted to pick - it’s not very satisfying when nothing comes out. I’m not sure about texture improvement as that really wasn’t a big issue for me in the first place.
I also noticed a more normalized oil production, especially in the t-zone - even on days when I don’t top my SPF with a translucent powder, I don’t tend to get shiny. There is no dryness or irritation (but spot test and start slowly if you have sensitive skin or have never used BHA before or are sensitive to essential oils).
Overall, I really like these. They definitely have a more medicinal vibe than some of my other skincare, but that’s not a bad thing. 70 pads will last me for some time, so it’s a good value.
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CosRx One Step Original Clear Pad ingredients: Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine Salicylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arginine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Allantoin,Ethyl Hexanediol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, MelaleucaAlternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate