ARE you ready? Ok, blackheads. We all have them, we all don't like to talk about them.

Intead, the word "pores" is euphemistically used when what's really meant is the hardened up oil inside the pore.

Sticking to the theme comes the Murad Pore Extractor line, which promises not to extract the pores from your face (impossible, obviously) but rather to extract anything nasty from inside them.

I try the Murad Pore Extractor Pomegranate Mask and, I admit, I'm heavily sceptical.

Luckily for me I stopped getting spots in my early 20s but my skin is very oily and so tends to easily clog.

I have tried many, many things for my pores over the years: facials at upmarket spas in London and New York and Sydney, a course of microdermabrasion here in Glasgow (which a responsible dermatologist would have talked me out of), and dozens upon dozens of home treatments.

Masks, I've tried, pore strips, peel off weird gels, all sorts.

There was only one thing that solved the problem - ceasing to care. My skin is fine. Spending hours of my time and hundreds of pounds of cash is a fool's errand.

But still, Murad makes big claims for this mask and I'm happy to try it.

The mask is like a light mouse, slightly clay-like in texture and very easy to manipulate. It has a slight grit to it, which turns out to be Polylactic Acid polishing beads.

Murad claims these beads dissolve dead skin and refine surface texture.

The company claims you can see results following one use of what it describes as a "fast-acting, deep cleanse treatment".

It uses clay to draw out impurities and pomegranate extract to brighten skin.

I spread it on in a thin layer, let it dry for 10 minutes and then wet it to turn the mask into an exfoliating cream before rinsing it off.

My skin feels nice after, smooth and soft and not at all dry.

Has it cleared out my pores significantly in one use? Not particularly. The texture is smoother but the clogged pores are still clogged.

Murad says to use the mask two to three times a week and so I give it a second and third try but the results are much the same.

The Pore Extractor mask is not a luxury product for an evening of pampering, it's definitely designed to be a working product.

It doesn't, however, deliver results worthy of its £30 price tag. For normal skin, I can imagine this would make a difference but for skin needing serious science to deal with it, this isn't the right mask.

Murad Pore Extractor Pomegranate Mask: THREE STARS

From www.murad.co.uk priced £30