Pores. We’ve all got ’em, and there are countless products on the market that target them. I’ve tried a fair few myself with varying negative effects (burning to breakouts to topical reactions… how fun), so have steered clear for fear of ruining my skin again.

Then I saw the disarmingly cute TonyMoly Choco Mushroom Cream Pore Pack and thought that I might as well try it out.

That sounds hideously resigned, but I actually really quite like this as a product so far.

The Choco Mushroom Cream Pore Pack is one of TonyMoly Magic Food Mushroom trio. It’s step number two in the set, the others being the Strawberry Sugar Scrub and the Golden Mushroom Sleeping Pack. Together, they’re a cute and very simple cleansing / moisturising routine, separately they aim to tackle various skin issues.

The Choco packs aim is to remove impurities from pores, whether sebum or residual makeup, with a hydrating formula that includes ghassoul powder and cacao to cleanse effectively. It also aims to reduce the appearance of pores across the skin.

As I suffer with build up around my nose – kinda gross, sorry – having something in the skincare arsenal that isn’t a harsh exfoliator but can be used as regularly as I need is definitely something that landed this product with numerous plus points when I added it to basket. Alongside that, it only takes 15 minutes, so is one of those items that you can put on and do something else before you wash it off. The fact it smells of chocolate and is really cute probably swayed the decision slightly, too.

So how does it hold up to it’s claims? I’ve said that I like it already, but why?

first impressions: 

TonyMoly suggests you apply the product to a cleansed but dry face, waiting 10-15 minutes and rising off with warm water. 

The product does indeed smell of chocolate. More like the m&m store kind of smell, or powdered hot chocolate, but it does smell of chocolate. Application is easy, though it can be a little streaky in places and requires a gentle hand to distribute evenly. This was one of the reasons I moved onto gel and sheet masks, but the formula is creamy and smooth on the skin.

It dries without making the skin feel tight or pulled in places.

To wash off, use warm water and gentle circular motions. Sometimes it can be a little stubborn in places, but you can lift the product off quite easily as the formula is quite malleable even when dry.

My skin felt smooth, soft to the touch and ready for the next step in my skincare routine after rinsing. Plus my pores did look smaller (or less apparent since you can’t shrink them).

On repeat applications, I’ve found that my skin hasn’t broken out despite being sensitive, and that the formula is really quite hydrating. On the pore front, they are less noticeable, and the ghassoul does an effective job of cleaning excess makeup and sebum, so I’ve also experienced less build up around my nose, and my skin generally feels a lot fresher and more receptive to other steps in my skincare routine. I’ve also found that my makeup now sits better there too.

Negatives of this pore pack would probably be the scent, it can get a little sickly sometimes, but once it’s on and drying you don’t really notice it. The product also doesn’t come with a spatula (many pack type Korean beauty products do for hygiene reasons), so it’s fingers in the pot unless you have one knocking about.

For me though, the positives of the product definitely outweigh the negatives and my preference for sheet and gel masks for easy of rinsing off. It’s a nice little product if you’re looking for alternative cleansers of something new to try in the market of pore related products. The hydrating nature of the pack also sets it apart from other pore minimizing products I’ve tried before, as many of those have a drying effect.

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Let me know what you think of this product if you’ve tried it before, or how it sounds in comparison to other pore products you’ve had or have!

♥

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