This product was sent to me by Elizavecca for review purposes. I was not paid for this post but please note that affiliate links are used on my blog. These go towards supporting TeenLovingKorea and future content.

I’ll be honest, the reason I wanted to try this is because I watched Tati’s video and seeing her tear up trying to peel this off sort of made me laugh. I’ve had experience using peel off masks before (along with nose strips) and they generally don’t hurt me much. They also don’t usually remove blackheads from my pores either, so I mostly use them for a bit of fun and just general pore cleaning.

For Elizavecca’s Hell Pore Clean Up Mask though, the product had been hyped so much and there are so many (way overly faked) screaming videos of people peeling it off, that I just had to try it out for myself.

For this review, please keep in mind that different skin types and sensitivities will react differently – my own is generally not very sensitive (aside from allergies) so what doesn’t irritate my skin might do yours.

So the packaging for this is just really cute. I love the pig illustration throughout all of the products, as well as how creative it is – pig with a pore strip on its snout and those crying (and adorable) blackheads. It’s one of those things that you just sort of sit and stare at. I don’t think there’s anyone out there that won’t be amused by it.  The drip design also ties in with the type. Even though it isn’t the usually aesthetic that I like in my design, I would rate this really highly for novelty. It’s fun, but it also doesn’t look tacky.

There’s also a sticker on the side where you can scratch for the number, as well as a phone number (and a QR code). I assume that this takes you somewhere to check the number. If you’re buying this elsewhere, I definitely recommend checking this to make sure that you have a genuine product!

The description and warnings are on the side in English (and possibly Korean). The language is a little off, most likely due to automatic translation, but it’s understandable and isn’t too bad.

Points:

• Contains 4% charcoal to help clean and shrink pores, as well as remove impurities.
• Contains licensed fermentation ingredients for easy and effective pore cleaning.

The other warnings and such are fairly standard, so I wont type them up here.

When you open the box, the interior is printed with a very vibrant red. It’s a small touch, but I thin that it gives the overall look a very professional finish. It looks really well put together! I love the quality of this packaging.

So then we move onto the tube. It’s got a matte finish and has the same illustration as the box and the Korea instructions on it. It’s pretty cute, but nothing extraordinary. The plastic is quite soft so it’s very easy to squeeze and the cap feels like it’s made of a good quality plastic. Overall, this is 12mL but it’s quite a big tube of product. I don’t think that I would use this for travel purposes – it seems a bit tricky to decant too as these masks will dry up.

I recommend this for at-home use and I like to keep mine in the bathroom so I can apply it right after I shower (when my pores are opened up).

The formula is actually really watery compared to what I’m used to. I had to test this product out twice because, the first time, my application was too thin and it was difficult to peel off the mask. It also didn’t remove much. Since the formula is light and watery, it’s quite easy to under apply, so make sure that you’re being a little more generous – especially around the areas you really want to clean.

It’s also a little bit drippy, so just be careful about that as I had accidentally dripped some onto my table. If the tube is open, don’t point it downwards. It doesn’t have the thick consistency of a normal charcoal mask.

If you look closely, there are small black particles in the gel – which I assume is the charcoal. I also find it interesting that this mask is gray, as all of the ones I’ve used in the past have been black with a very thick consistency. This was definitely different.

I usually just leave it on until it dries, which can take up to 20 minutes or so, depending on the air and weather. It does tighten around your face when it dries though, so you will be able to tell. As with all of these peel off masks, I recommend waiting a little longer to ensure that it’s all ready to be peeled – sometimes, some areas don’t dry as fast (such as the sides of noses) and can get a bit messy.

It removed quite a lot of my white heads, but the more stubborn blackheads have stayed. I didn’t notice any shrinking of my pores either. I did, however, leave me with a super smooth base! My make up application the next day was great. Aside from the white heads, it had also pulled out a lot of baby hair and all of my dead skin. It’s like an exfoliator – though a particularly strong one.

Here’s the final verdict!

SO WHAT IS IT?

A 4% charcoal peel off pore-clearing mask

Pros

• Really cute illustration
• Good quality packaging (box and tube)
• Soft tube (easy to squeeze)
• Decent English description and warning
• Genuine product sticker
• Dries evenly
• Easy to peel off in one go
• Definitely clears out pores
• Removes dead skin, leaving a brighter complexion
• Affordable

Cons

• Thin formula is easy to under apply
• Drippy
• Not suitable for travel
• Doesn’t remove stubborn blackheads
• No obvious pore size reduction
• Painful around the eye area

WOULD I REPURCHASE?

I definitely think I will! I’m a big fan of these peel off masks. Even though I know that pore strips aren’t very good for you, I like to use these all over the face to remove dead skin. I also find them really relaxing to peel off, but perhaps I’m just strange.

The cute packaging means that this would also make a good (and interesting) gift. I’m thinking that Elizavecca is going to be a fun way to forcing introducing your friends to Korean skincare.