There's a time that I've been obsessed with clearing the blackheads on my face that I hoarded blackhead appropriate products (masks, pore strips, cleansers and the like). This gel cleaner from The Saem is the second to the last item that I got and it's interesting because it says "steam" in the name.
What's more interesting is the gel cleaner's color...the ash like particles (it is said to be volcanic ash) makes the transparent gel looks gray. Now getting back on the "steam" word, The Saem On The Blackhead Volcanic Steam Cleaner heats up once contact with skin and I really panicked the first time I used it because I thought my skin is burning but overtime I got used to it (tip: rub the cleaner between your hands first before applying unto face if your skin is sensitive with heat or you just have sensitive skin in general). The very concept of this gel cleaner is to mimic the heat from steam towel to open up pores and remove black and whiteheads and sebum.
The yellow-orange particles burst and intensify the heat of the gel cleaner. According to koreadepart.com, the gel will turn into oil but I didn't observe that and now that I'm reading the instructions on how to use it, I found out that I'm using this too much: I use it on a daily basis whereas it is recommended to use it 2 to 3 times a week only, yikes! Good thing it's not that harsh and it doesn't dry out my skin (that's a relief). Anyway, as an everyday cleanser it does loosen up the blackheads and sebum on the skin thanks to it's heating feature but most of the time I have to pluck or use pore strips to completely remove the blackheads that are sticking out (the blackheads won't freely detached from the skin). Also, I don't think it can remove make-up as I see lots of brownish residue on my cottonpad (when I apply my toner).
The heating part is really interesting and can help save time when hot/steam towel is not readily available (like in my case). You can purchase this at w2beauty.com and use arya.deguzman@gmail.com to get a $5 voucher upon registration.
