For most of us, pores have been the bane of our existence since we first looked in the mirror and saw them (and the requisite blackheads) staring back at us. But unlike cringe-worthy class pictures and braces, it’s pretty much impossible to grow out of big pores. But what you can do is make sure they’re clean and free of the debris that makes them more visible. So, before you start loading up on all the pore-hiding primers that money can buy, read this.
So, You Want to Know How to Minimize Your Pores
It’s not just you. As if we weren’t already concerned about fine lines, aging also causes pores to look bigger. “Collagen and GAGs—glycolaminoglycans and elastin, which are basically the packing material in our skin—becomes depleted,” says esthetician and skin care educator Annet King. “This diminishes the strength of skin and the support around the follicles.” So the skin around your pores starts to sag, which, in turn, makes your pores look rounder and more obvious. On top of this, a nasty combination of dead skin cells, sebum, and dirt builds up in pores over time. If you don’t regularly exfoliate your face, this mixture will just stay inside those pores (which then stretch out to fit it) and clog them, causing blackheads and breakouts.
Why Your Pores Aren’t Clear
Back away from the mirror and put your hands down! The worst way to deal with a blackhead that won’t budge is to DIY it, tempting as it is to get your fingers in there and squeeze it out. “Trying to extract them at home can lead to hyperpigmentation, permanent scarring, and additional breakouts,” warns King. Also, while scrubs can seem like the perfect way to get into and subsequently buff grime out of pores, they can do more harm than good. “Mechanical exfoliation—like ‘crushed’ shells—can be sharp and may irritate skin,” says Neal Schultz, M.D., NYC dermatologist and founder of skin care line BeautyRx. If you prefer a physical exfoliator, look for one with fine, round granules (keep reading for our recommendation).
How to Clean Pores the Right Way
If you have oversized pores, you have to tackle them in every step of your skin care routine. King is a fan of double-cleansing, since the first cleanser clears makeup out of the way so the second can penetrate better for a deeper, more thorough cleaning than either can achieve alone. Then, exfoliate. “You can refine the appearance of pores through exfoliation, along with ingredients that slow sebum secretions and draw out impurities,” says King. Look for ingredients like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, charcoal, and kaolin (a kind of white clay). You can use pore strips too, but they’re not really a long-term solution. “They’re fine, but they’re temporary. Pores get re-clogged and re-enlarged,” says Schultz. “You can’t do that on a daily basis.” If clogged pores are your biggest skin complaint, you may want to consider visiting your dermatologist, who can administer more intensive treatments like chemical peels, microdermabrasion, or even LED light therapy (which targets oil glands). If not, try taking them on with pore-cleaning products first.
Your Pore-Cleaning Dream Team
Traditional pore strips pull the top of blackheads out of your skin, whereas these ones absorb the gunk in your pores like a pimple patch—which shows up as very satisfying white oil spots on the strip. Then the strips deposit a small dose of vitamin A to help smooth the appearance of your skin.
This exfoliator sloughs away dead cells and grime with rice granules, which are so tiny that it’s more of a powder than a scrub. This makes it so gentle that you can use it every day.
The heavy-duty exfoliators in this—glycolic acid, pumpkin seed extract, and tea tree oil—work synergistically and at a chemical level, meaning they eat away the gunk in pores instead of physically sloughing it off. Try it on extra-oily areas, like your nose.
Clay masks are the gold standard for oily skin types (who tend to have bigger pores, since oil contributes to the clogging). But most can work too well and strip skin of moisture. In just two minutes, this mask sucks out debris—but it’s not on long enough to harm your skin’s hydration.
Maintaining healthy, clean pores takes daily maintenance. Choosing a serum with packed with active ingredients like salicylic acid will help keep your skin clear and glowing on the regular. This serum is considered a gold standard by derms and editors alike thanks to its ability to also target other concerns like hyperpigmentation, excessive oil production, and whiteheads.
Who doesn’t love a multitasker? First, use one side of this handy device to gently force oil and debris out of your pores. Then, flip the spatula over after applying your serum and the vibrating wand will help all those active ingredients penetrate your skin more deeply.
