The Shills Acne Purifying Peel-Off Black Mask is the internet's latest beauty obsession. On YouTube and Instagram, you'll find plenty of videos documenting the super-intense masking process. Unlike other masks that simply wash or peel off without much fuss, this charcoal-based peel seriously clings to the skin—and ripping it off hurts like crazy. It's weirdly mesmerizing to watch people pull the masks off and reveal the blackheads, dead skin, and other gunk hiding in their pores.  

This video might be the funniest. It was posted on YouTube last week by YouTuber Tiff from Tee Cee Videos, and then made it to Facebook via Viral Thread. The Facebook video has already amassed 76 million views. (Warning: NSFW for swearing.) 

In the clip, Tiff slowly peels off the the mask one painful millimeter at a time. "Oh God, it's rough. It's so rough," she screeches repeatedly throughout the peeling process, tears streaming down her face and her friend laughing hysterically in the background. 

If videos like Tiff's are any indication, then this mask really does unclog pores. But considering all the pain and suffering involved, is it worth the hassle? And even more importantly, is it even safe? We reached out to two dermatologists to get their expert opinions on charcoal face masks like this one. 

The good news: They’re safe. The bad news: using one is probably going to hurt. A lot. And it might irritate your skin, too. 

“The mask 'sticks' to not just the blackheads, but also the skin and hair on the face,” says Melissa Piliang, MD, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic. “When the mask is removed, it pulls off the outermost layer of skin and associated oils which serve as a barrier to protect the skin from the environment. This, plus pulling out the small hairs would cause significant pain—just like waxing the face.”

There are a few ways to make the peel-off process less painful. Washing your face beforehand helps to pre-exfoliate the skin, and removing hair also makes the mask removal more manageable, says Debra Jaliman, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. Both Dr. Jaliman and Dr. Piliang suggested applying the mask to only your T-zone or areas that have blackheads. The oilier skin in the center of the face may have a bit more protection from irritation, says Dr. Piliang. Dr. Jaliman advises not putting it on your entire face, especially if you have combination skin, which could be even more irritated by it.

You can expect the masks to help unclog pores and absorb environmental pollutants, oil, and dirt from the skin. Charcoal is especially good for people with acne and blackheads as it can help reduce excess oil, says Dr. Jaliman.

Still, Dr. Piliang warns that these masks, like any beauty product, can contain chemicals that can cause allergies or irritation…

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

If you’ve ever watched someone memorize and recite back a string of numbers or a long list of words and thought, “I wish I could do that,” we’ve got good news: You totally can. A simple mnemonic device used by world-class memory athletes can be taught—and mastered—by “normal” people too, according to a new study.

The brain-training trick, known as “method of loci,” involves pairing each item to be memorized with a mental image of a landmark along a familiar route—like your walk to work or to a local store. Researchers say that making these associations, and traveling that route in your mind, can not only help you remember those items better; it can also strengthen memory-related pathways in your brain.

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For their new study, scientists at Stanford University and Radboud University Medical Center in The Netherlands gave functional MRI scans to 17 memory athletes and 51 people with no special memorization skills. Then they pitted them against each other in test to memorize a list of 72 words. After 20 minutes of prep time, the memory athletes were able to recall 71 words on average, while the others averaged about 40. (One of the study authors is a World Memory Champion himself, who can memorize about 500 digits or 100 words in five minutes.)

The researchers then divided the non–memory athletes into three groups, assigning them to receive either six weeks of online training in the method of loci; six weeks of training to improve a different type of memory, called working memory; or no training at all.

RELATED: 9 Foods That May Help Save Your Memory

When they were retested six weeks later, the group that received method of loci training had improved dramatically, recalling almost as many words as the memory athletes. Even four months after completing their training, they scored similar results.

Brain scans taken after the training also showed changes in connectivity patterns, which now resembled those of the memory athletes. In fact, the degree of improvement seen in the brain’s memory networks directly predicted how well a person performed on the recall test. No significant memory gains, or MRI changes, were noted among the other two groups.

The study, published Wednesday in Neuron, suggests that you don’t need natural ability to become a world-class memory champ—just plenty of practice. And it’s practice that anyone can do: The method of training used in the study is available at memocamp.com, a website that offers several training programs, including a free trial package. (Memocamp did not sponsor the study and the authors have no financial interest in it, but participants were provided free access to its programs.) 

Unfortunately, says lead author Martin Dresler, PhD, this specific skill won’t necessarily translate into better memory in other areas of life…

This article originally appeared on InStyle.com. 

It’s always important to surround yourself with a girl squad that champions you to be your authentic self and accepts you regardless of appearance. As we spend this month celebrating women’s achievements, we present 13 body-positivity advocates to follow on Instagram.

These models, bloggers, activists, and designers have started an important conversation and are getting results. They’re not only lighting up runways during fashion month—they’re taking action to disrupt the status quo in magazines, clothing ads, and beauty campaigns. Whether they are advocating for fashion for women of all sizes or just stepping out of traditional norms, they are putting their curves front and center and looking gorgeous doing so. Not only do their Instagram feeds show off head-turning portfolios, street style, and behind-the-scenes peeks at photo shoots, they also provide inspiration and much-needed laughs as the ladies showcase their wisdom and wit.

1. Denise Bidot (@denisebidot)

There Is No Wrong Way to Be a Woman: That’s a slogan that grew into a website and a movement when it was launched last year by this model and single mom to inspire women to love themselves and celebrate their individuality. The former makeup artist has also blazed a trail across the runways at New York Fashion Week over the past two years: The Chromat and Serena Williams collections were her first. On her Instagram feed you’ll find empowering statement Ts, outfits of the day, and pre-photo-shoot pics, but you can also find Bidot in the current Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in a bikini with her stretch marks unretouched, an implicit message to women to embrace their unique beauty no matter what imperfections they might believe they have.

2. Georgina Burke (@missgeoburke)

She was the first-ever official face and brand ambassador for the Torrid clothing line. The Aussie model is also featured in the documentary Straight/Curve, which focuses on the female body image and how models are helping redefine society’s beauty standards. Her most treasured posts are of her Wheaten Terrier, Auzwald, but you can also see her working out at the Dogpound in Brooklyn or hanging out with a horse from time to time (she used to compete in equestrian sports) because that’s #howGdoesit.

3. Clémentine Desseaux (@bonjourclem)

A commercial may have made the freckled beauty what she calls "the first plus girl on TV in France," but Desseaux’s making strides in other ways too. She co-founded the body-positive advocacy campaign @allwomanproject to show the industry that a group of women from different ethnicities, ages, and sizes can be successfully represented in the same ad campaign. She also runs a brand-strategy agency that helps fashion clients with art direction, production, and brand identity. The highlight of her news feeds? A special #IceCreamDance…