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I don’t want to wear a lot of makeup in summer weather. I mean, who does? But I’ve only recently gained the confidence to go out bare face. I had huge clogged pores that stretched out to eternity. I didn’t know what to do with them. So I would go out with a full face of makeup because that was the only way I could cover them up. I’ve made peace with the fact that pores are pretty much genetics. There’s no getting rid of them permanently. But thanks to what I’ve been doing with my skincare routine for the last couple of years, my pores don’t look as huge which made me confident enough to go out without wearing any makeup.
When the excess oil combined with heat makes my pores look enlarged, I go all in with my 4-step pore-reducing routine and it gives me a head start every single time. If you’re new to skincare or you’ve only recently been bothered by the appearance of pores, you can relax. Pores are not the problem. Clogged pores are. The only way to make them look smaller is to unclog them and keep them clear. Below are the skincare practices I can swear by for barely noticeable pores.
1. Cleansing
One thing I keep forgetting is that it’s one thing to clean up pores but it’s another thing to keep them stay that way. So if I, for some reason, get lazy with my skincare routine or don’t remove my makeup thoroughly, I usually end up back where I started and my cheeks start filling up with blackheads again. What prevents this whole cycle is cleansing twice a day regularly.
Cleansing both in the morning and evening keeps dirt and oils from getting stuck inside my pores. But for the sake of our topic, certain cleansers help more with this problem. In summer weather when the skin gets more oily and blemish-prone, foaming cleansers work better. Because they offer a deeper level of cleansing and also help mattify the skin. The least they can do is reduce shine.
Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash
This is my holy grail for facial cleansing that almost feels like gentle exfoliation. It’s a lathering cleanser and a must-have for anyone looking to manage excess oil. It’s incredibly thorough, leaves my pores visibly cleaner, and I love what it’s done to the blackheads on my chin.
2. Exfoliating
Exfoliation means getting rid of dead skin cells from the surface of the skin by speeding up the skin’s turnover rate. Exfoliation has numerous skin benefits such as brighter, smoother, plumper skin. But concerning pore size, exfoliation helps clean up pores and stubborn blackheads. Some prefer exfoliating with a scrub. Personally, I prefer chemical exfoliants in the form of a toner to help dislodge blackheads stuck inside the pores. Plus, toner is less messy.
This isn’t an overnight thing. But exfoliation is the best thing you can do to quickly get a handle on your pores. I know I shouldn’t but I sometimes spend a little too much time in front of the mirror and end up popping a pimple or trying -and failing- to squeeze out a blackhead. It never ends well and it usually leaves a red or purple mark that lingers on my face for weeks. Nothing, except for exfoliation, works on these marks. The lingering spots disappear in a matter of days!
Origins Youthtopia Refining Apple Peel
This is a new exfoliator and it’s made with a chemical exfoliant named glycolic acid and apple stem cells. It can help if you’re looking to smooth skin texture caused by clogged, dilated pores. Plus, it’s alcohol-free, so no skin drying! If you’re prone to acne and your skin gets greasy very quickly, try Origins Clear Improvement Pore Purifying Toner.
3. Masking
I have stubborn blackheads, which make the pores on my cheeks look larger and wider than they are. For these pores, I go all in and binge mask! It’s when you apply several face masks in a row. For me, binge masking is the gentle equivalent of applying a giant pore strip on my face. It’s satisfying and it works! But you can’t binge mask with just any face mask. It needs to be specific to help minimize pores. Two types of face masks are superior when it comes to pores: charcoal and clay!
They help mattify skin, reduce shine, and draw out stubborn gunk. Here’s what I do to get the most out of my masking session. I know pores don’t open or close. But I know that warm water loosens up my pores and cold water tightens them up. That’s why I usually mask after showering. I feel like whatever I put on my skin when it’s loosened up will be more effective. Because it will be better able to get inside my pores. I also love applying ice cubes on my skin after I’m done with my face masks. Even if it’s for just a couple of minutes, applying a cold press makes my skin feel tighter and taut. And that makes my pores look significantly smaller even if it’s just for a few hours!
Origins Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask
Clay, zinc oxide, sulfur, and salicylic acid, this is everything anti-acne, anti-pore, anti-blackhead formulated into a face mask. It’s refreshing, minty, and a bit cooling. But more importantly, it leaves my skin matte, smoother, and clearer instantly! I love pairing this with Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask.
4. Protecting
I don’t know about you but I never knew the importance of sunscreen when it comes to pores even though I already knew SPF was a must to prevent wrinkles or saggy skin. Here’s what my dermatologist taught me. Our skin loses elasticity as we age. It doesn’t have to sag dramatically. When the skin’s ability to stretch and snap back into place decreases even slightly, the pores look enlarged and more noticeable.
That’s why sun protection is important when it comes to tackling large pores. We need to protect our skin so that it maintains its laxity. In summer, I prefer using a multi-tasking SPF moisturizer. But if you feel like you need a separate moisturizer and sunscreen, make sure both products are non-comedogenic so that they won’t clog your pores.
Origins GinZing SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer
The texture is as light as the original Ginzing Moisturizer even though this one has SPF in it! It’s non-comedogenic, blends into the skin in seconds, and feels like air! Its naturally radiant finish is large-pores-friendly! If you use sunscreen separately, pair it with Origins Youthtopia Peptide Plumping Apple Cream for antioxidant and anti-aging benefits.
These are the things I find to be the most helpful when it comes to minimizing large pores. Apart from these, I think washing my face with cold water helps because it makes my skin tighter and firmer. Also, not touching my face or trying to squeeze blackheads helped immensely.
As you can see, it takes time and effort to completely clean up pores. To keep them that way, make sure all your skincare products as well as your makeup products are non-acnegenic and non-comedogenic.
Again, whether you have them on your forehead, chin, cheeks, or nose, you can’t shrink your pores. But getting rid of those blackheads that look like dark dots on your cheeks will make all the difference in your complexion. Clear pores are as good as no pores!
Read Next: My Favorite Origins Products I Use for My Sensitive Skin
