We all long for smooth, flawless skin, but large pores can ruin the look. Pores are small openings in your skin, which release your body’s natural oil, sebum, to moisturise our skin and keep it healthy. However, as we age, our pores can increase in size, because it loses its elasticity, causing the skin to stretch and sag, which makes them more pronounced. And as your skin thickens as you age, it can encourage small skin cells to gather around your pores, which can further accentuate their appearance. The good news? There are natural ways to minimise your pores or at least lessen their appearance – we’ve rounded up a few below.
Wash your skin regularly
If you have naturally oily skin, or your pores are regularly clogged due to sweat, grease, and makeup, you should wash your face every day with a gentle cleanser. Choose a cleanser designed for normal to oily skin, and look out for glycolic acid. Washing twice per day and moisturising afterwards is the best way to look after your skin and reduce the appearance of your pores. The temperature at which you wash your face can help – warm water opens your pores, and cold water closes them and prevents bacteria from making its way into your skin.
Take off your makeup
We’ve said it 100 times before, and we’ll say it again: always take off your makeup before you go to bed. A new study found that one in four women wear makeup to bed to impress their partner, but it’s bad news for your pores. Sleeping in your makeup means that your pores will become blocked, with makeup and oil clogging them and causing them to grow in size. Removing your makeup every evening – and taking the odd day off your usual beauty regime – will work wonders for your face. If you’re in a rush, a makeup wipe is just as good.
Head to the steam room
Whether you’re lucky enough to have one at home or you’ve got one at your gym, visiting the steam room is great for your face. It might seem like a bad idea – indeed, steam opens pores and encourages you to sweat – but it can clear out pores and help to remove dirt and oil from your skin. Spend ten minutes opening pores and letting your body work its magic, then use a gentle cleanser to get rid of the rubbish. This will tighten your skin and reduce the appearance of your pores. Repeating once a week is the best way to keep your pores small.
Protect your skin from sun damage
Don’t underestimate the importance of sunscreen for your skin. If you expose your skin to the sun and let it dry out, your pores will look larger and more pronounced. Most moisturisers now contain sunscreen, so find one with an SPF of 30 or more and wear it year-round; even in the colder winter months. If you’re particularly sensitive to the sun, wear a hat to protect your face, stay indoors during the warmest hours of the day, and avoid direct sun exposure.
Treat yourself to a face mask
If you’re a fan of pampering sessions, treat yourself to a clay-based face mask. Clay can help to minimise pores by drying out the sebum underneath and pulling out impurities and dirt from your face. Choose a clay mask with jojoba oil and try to use it once or twice a week – if you use face masks too frequently, you could dry out your skin and open up your pores.
Invest in Oralift
The Oralift anti-ageing device is designed to rejuvenate your face from the comfort of your own home – all without surgery. Simply place the mouthguard in your mouth for short periods and let the device exercise your 43 forgotten facial muscles. Over time, you’ll counteract the harmful effects of ageing, and there are some incredible benefits to boot, including reduced lines around the mouth, eyes, and face, an improved smile, increased fulness of the lips and, you guessed it, closed and repaired pores. Click here to hear from some of our Oralift users.
Exfoliate regularly
Another way to reduce the appearance of your pores is to exfoliate on a regular basis. Doing so can help to remove the trapped bacteria and toxins that can increase the size of your pores. Cleanse with a gentle facial scrub once or twice per week to get rid of dirt, makeup, and dead skill cells that might have built up, and you’ll enjoy a smoother, less porous face.
Consider using a retinoid
If you’re still struggling to reduce the appearance of your pores, you might want to consider using a retinoid, which can smooth wrinkles, brighten dark spots, and shrink your pores. It works by increasing your skin’s collagen production and decreasing oil production, which can result in smoother, tighter skin, with fewer breakouts, blackheads, and pores. You should use retinol-based products sparingly, as they can irritate your skin, especially if you suffer from sensitive skin or a skin condition. Be cautious and let your skin build up its tolerance.
There you have it – eight ways to minimise the appearance of your pores. Be sure to check back to the Oralift anti-ageing blog for more tips and tricks on looking and feeling your best.