'I put this viral $21 balm on my nose to see if it got rid of my blackheads.'

Mamamia’s Tried and Tested series is your review of the latest to hit our desks in beauty, health and wellbeing. You won’t find any #sponsored content here, just honest, relatable and independent advice. This week, Mamamia's Beauty & Health Editor trials a viral hack to clear black spots.

Black spots on your nose? Welcome, friend. You're in good company. Because if there's one place on my face that's consistent in producing clogged pores, it's my snoz. It's a real over-achiever on the sebum front.

But contrary to popular belief, did you know that black spots on your nose aren't always blackheads? Yes, really!

While they may look like blackheads, more often than not these black spots are just clogged pores or 'sebaceous filaments', where dead skin and oil block the pore causing congestion. That black colour we see is actually caused by oxygen in the air oxidising the oil within the pore. 

Watch: While we're here having a chinwag, remember that time I tried putting lube on my face?! What a time. Post continues below.

And while there are a ton of active ingredients out there that can draw and clear your pores, like retinols and salicylic acid, if you're still swanning around with black spots, word on the (beauty) street is that there's a nifty hack that involves using the cult La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume and waking up to clear pores.

So, I tried it.

What is the La Roche Posay Cicaplast hack?

I first came across the 'Cicaplast black spot' hack after seeing it posted on Instagram by a beauty content creator by the name of @natalieoskincare - and the people lost their minds at her results.

In a clip titled 'The best skincare hack of 2024' (big call. HUGE), Natalie said, "If you have been dealing with sebaceous filaments which are these things on your nose that look like blackheads but are not, you have to try putting Cicaplast on your nose at night." 

And omg yes, tell me more.

"I have done this for a few days now... I feel like I've stumbled upon gold. I don't apply this to the rest of my face because this is a b**ch for clog-prone acne prone skin. But to the nose, hydration does so much more than exfoliation for sebaceous filaments I think. I don't gatekeep so I'm just telling you like it is." 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Natalie O’Neill (@natalieoskincare)

In a follow-up post she wrote: "Personally I’d never use LRP Cicaplast on the rest of my face, but I tried it out for the nose and it’s chefs kiss."

And you gotta admit, the results look good, no? 

As I trawled through TikTok I saw many people (particularly those with acne-prone skin) I found many other people reporting similar nose-clearing results, with some warning those with acne-prone skin against using it.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Natalie O’Neill (@natalieoskincare)

I'm someone who has sensitive, dry skin - so I'm honestly a big fan of La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast Baume B5+ and have loved the original formulation (this is a newer formula with prebiotics!) for years. I don't find that it breaks me out at all, and actually sometimes slather it on as a mask before bed. 

I've also recently been blessed with a constellation of black spots on my nose after recently pulling back on the acids (you see, I upset my skin barrier for the 45th time and had to pare everything back) - so she's looking like the perfect canvas for a cheeky trial!

Cool. How did you go with it?

After cleansing my face in the evening, I skipped the serums and applied a generous slathering of Cicaplast Baume over my nose, as per the viral video. I rubbed it in, went to bed and woke up the next morning - and truthfully, I didn't really.... see... a massive difference.

However, I went ahead and took some snaps of my snoz anyway and actually found out that there were less black spots on my nose than there were the night before. Cool! 

Please excuse my nose hairs, but here is a before and after shot of my nose:

Before and after trialling the Cicaplast hack.

Zoom in (sorry) and you can see that while there's definitely still some black spots there, but there's a noticeable improvement in the amount of spots after just one night.

Also, as a side note, the skin on my nose looked overall more hydrated and less creasy (just look at the fine lines on the left compared to the right!).

The verdict.

Me! With the cult Baume!

As someone who tries and tests lots of viral beauty hacks for a living, I've come across a lot of very good ones - and a lot of very not good ones (looking at you, 10 pump foundation hack). 

However, I think this one could actually be a winner?! The results are pretty subtle right now, I know, but I'm going to continue trying it for the next few nights to see if there's an even greater difference in the appearance of black spots on my nose. So, stay tuned!

If you have acne-prone skin and black spots are something that's bothering you, rather than messing around with this hack or squeezing the hell out of your face with extraction tools and nose strips (not the nose strips!), I'd recommend seeing a skin expert for a professional extraction instead and seek advice on the appropriate skincare or prescription treatment to clear your skin.

While we have you, have you voted in the 2024 You Beauty Awards yet?! Click the link below to nominate your favourite brands and products. 

Would you try the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast hack on black spots on your nose? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Instagram/@natalieoskincare, supplied.

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