Introduction
Numee may not yet be a household name but skincare enthusiasts have been whispering about its thoughtful, ingredient driven formulas for a while. The brand has built a quiet reputation for pairing science backed actives with nature leaning sensibilities, and it deserves a pat on the back for keeping things no nonsense and fragrance free.
Enter the mouthful that is Clearly Smooth Pore Purifying Serum. The name promises an almost fairy tale clarity and Numee doubles down on the claim, painting a picture of smoother, healthier looking skin from the very first day, plus fewer blackheads and tighter pores within a week. A trio of mushroom extract, salicylic acid and zinc salt headlines the formula, pledging to whisk away excess oil, sweep off dead cells and keep blemish causing bacteria in check.
To see if the hype had legs I devoted two full weeks to this serum, slotting it into both my morning and evening routines so I could judge its real world performance and decide whether it warrants a spot in your lineup or your wallet’s sympathy.
What is Clearly Smooth Pore Purifying Serum?
Clearly Smooth sits in the pore treatment category, which means its primary job is to keep the tiny openings in your skin free of blockages. Pore treatments usually target excess oil, dead skin buildup and the bacteria that can trigger breakouts. This serum approaches those jobs with a 2 percent dose of salicylic acid to exfoliate inside the pore, 1 percent zinc salt to temper oil production and an extract from the fomes officinalis mushroom that acts as a natural astringent. The formula is water based, unscented, dermatologically tested and vegan with 92 percent ingredients of natural origin.
Numee recommends two to three drops on clean skin, morning and night, followed by moisturizer. The brand positions it as suitable for normal through oily skin types, promising smoother texture from day one and fewer visible blackheads and enlarged pores within a week.
Did it work?
In the name of science I pressed pause on my regular pore treatment for three full days before starting Clearly Smooth, which felt delightfully professional considering my lab coat is actually a faded bathrobe. Fourteen days struck me as a fair window to judge results so I used two drops after cleansing every morning and three drops at night, sealing everything in with a lightweight gel cream.
Day one delivered what I like to call the “instant matte effect”: within minutes my T-zone looked less shiny and felt pleasantly refreshed, though not tight. By day three a few tiny whiteheads surfaced on my chin, the sort of minor purge I half expected from salicylic acid. They retreated after another couple of days without leaving dark spots which I chalk up as a small win.
The real test came at the one-week mark when I leaned into a magnifying mirror. Pores around my nose appeared a touch smaller and blackheads looked slightly lifted but they were still present. Skin texture on my forehead felt smoother to the touch and midday oiliness required one blotting sheet instead of two, yet the overall change remained subtle.
Heading into the second week I noticed the serum kept redness around old breakout sites calmer than usual. However the lofty promise of visibly reduced imperfections started to feel a bit ambitious. My stubborn nose congestion plateaued rather than disappeared and the serum’s lightweight hydration proved just adequate on normal areas but a hint drying on my cheeks when the heater kicked in at night.
By day fourteen my verdict was that Clearly Smooth does deliver gentle exfoliation and modest oil control without irritation. It nudges pores toward refinement instead of bulldozing them which makes it easy to tolerate but also easy to overlook if you crave dramatic results. I appreciate its unscented formula and friendly price tag yet the incremental improvements were not enough to unseat my tried and true treatment. I will finish the bottle happily though and would recommend it to friends with mildly oily skin who are starting their BHA journey and prefer a kinder introduction.
Clearly smooth pore purifying serum’s main ingredients explained
The star trio is easy to spot. At 2 percent, salicylic acid slips into pores, dissolving the bond between dead cells and excess oil so debris can rinse away instead of lodging in place. This beta hydroxy acid is oil soluble, which is why it reaches deeper than water based exfoliants and why a mild purge sometimes shows up during week one. Right behind it is 1 percent zinc gluconate, the salt form of zinc that helps dial down sebum production and offers quiet antibacterial support, a useful one two punch when your T zone likes to go rogue mid afternoon. Then there is fomes officinalis extract, a mushroom derived astringent rich in agaric acid. Think of it as a botanical vacuum that lightly tightens the look of pores while lending a whisper of hydration so skin does not feel parched.
Supporting players deserve a mention too. Propanediol and glycerin act as humectants, drawing water toward the surface layers to offset the drying potential of denatured alcohol, which is included to thin the texture and speed up absorption. PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil works as a solubilizer so the formula stays evenly mixed. It can be mildly comedogenic, meaning it has a small chance of clogging pores if your skin is highly reactive, though the low inclusion rate and presence of salicylic acid tend to keep that risk in check. Xanthan gum gives the serum a smoother glide while phenoxyethanol protects it from microbial gate-crashers.
The ingredient list is free of added fragrance, essential oils and animal derived components so vegans and vegetarians can use it without second guessing. That said, pregnancy is another story. Although many dermatologists consider topical salicylic acid in low concentrations relatively safe during pregnancy, most will still urge caution. If you are expecting or nursing, get the green light from your healthcare provider before adding any BHA to your routine.
One last footnote for label hawks: 92 percent of the content comes from natural origin yet the serum leans on a few select synthetics to stay stable, effective and shelf safe. It is a pragmatic mix that favors performance over marketing fluff, and my skin appreciated the balance.
What I liked/didn’t like
Here is a quick rundown of the standout points and the areas that left me wanting more.
What works well:
- Lightweight serum absorbs quickly so it layers easily with the rest of a routine
- Provides gentle daily exfoliation that kept minor breakouts and surface roughness in check without stinging
- Noticeably tempers midday shine for combination and oily zones
- Unscented vegan formula with a high percentage of naturally derived ingredients suits sensitive noses and ethical shoppers
What to consider:
- Alcohol content can leave normal to dry areas feeling tight if you skip a good moisturizer
- Improvements in stubborn blackheads and pore size are subtle so expectations should be realistic
- A brief purge during the first week may occur which could discourage new BHA users
My final thoughts
After two weeks of steady use I can say Clearly Smooth Pore Purifying Serum sits comfortably in the “solid but not game changing” category. A 7/10 feels fair: it reins in shine, keeps low-level breakouts polite and does so without irritation, yet its promises of pore transformation read a shade bolder than the reality. If you are new to salicylic acid or prefer a gentler touch this is a sensible starting point. If you are hunting for a dramatic decongestion you may find yourself wishing for a little more punch.
Hands on time with countless pore treatments has taught me that the best formula is the one you will actually use consistently. Clearly Smooth suits combination and mildly oily skin, especially for those who value vegan credentials and a fragrance free experience. Drier or very reactive complexions might need an extra blanket of hydration or a lower-alcohol option while anyone battling deeply embedded blackheads may want to pair this with the occasional clay mask or stronger BHA.
Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes, provided that friend understands “good” rather than “miraculous” results and is happy to layer a moisturizer afterward. I will finish my bottle and may repurchase during a sale but it will not dethrone stronger staples in my arsenal.
If you decide it is not quite the right fit there are excellent alternatives I have road tested. Deascal’s Poreless Perfection Serum is an all-rounder that marries niacinamide with gentle acids and has impressed me across every skin type at a wallet friendly price. Biossance Squalane + BHA Pore Minimizing Toner delivers a silky sweep of willow bark while cushioning skin with squalane, making it ideal for those wanting refinement without dryness. For faster results on stubborn congestion StriVectin’s Super Shrink Pore Minimizing Serum leans on encapsulated retinol and blurs the look of pores with visible speed though it costs a touch more.
Before diving in remember a few basics: patch test first (sorry for sounding like an over-protective parent), give any pore treatment at least four weeks to show its true colors and maintain use if you want the improvements to stick around. Skin is wonderfully stubborn like that.