You are right Jo, it definitely can be related to old product... But not all products work for everybody anyway. You should know after 4-6 weeks on starting a new skin care regime whether or not it is working for you. Many women think they are cleansing properly, and when inspected under a lamp have actually missed quite allot... even if the make up looks like it is removed, lots of make up can be left in the pores and usually the nose area is the most common area to find makeup residue left behind. A big part of getting rid of those plugs blocking your pores is to really massage you cleanser in that area, it eases the plugs out of the pores but over time. Don't try extraction at home, it is so easy to damage the skin tissue and when we do extractions in the salon, very little pressure is applied and if it doesn't budge we don't persist like some at home probably would. Pore strips do remove much of the congestion from the pores, but it doesn't resolve the problem which is causing the congestion in the first place, so you will probably just end up with blackheads and whiteheads again. Plus, I hate the thought of people using them... the skin is so delicate and pore strips are very harsh - imagine what condition your skin would be in after using them weekly for a few years? And people wonder why they have aged and have terrible skin.