As Cady Heron says in Mean Girls, it’s wild the things that we critique about our bodies these days. But, just like Regina George – some of us wail and moan over our large pores.
If you’ve never had large pores you do not know what it’s like to have them – it can seem like they’re GLARING YOU IN THE FACE. Seriously. Team large pores with skin that loves to clog up and make blackheads, and it’s even more of a drama.
Thing is, while larger pores are genetic – you can make yours appear smaller in many cases. We asked facialist Melanie Grant for her top tips.
REGULARLY CLEANSE
“Enlarged pores are often caused by an excess of oil mixed with dead skin cells, making it difficult for the oil to flow freely,” explains Melanie. “This results in the pore itself becoming clogged, congested and enlarged.”
So obviously the best preventative measure is to keep up a regular cleansing routine. But what does that look like? Well, using cleanser on your face morning and night is a good start. But it’s also about the ingredients in your cleansers.
“Look for products containing salicylic acid, lactic acid or glycolic acid,” explains Melanie. “A retinol serum is also great for refining skin texture. Cleansers with AHAs or BHAs are great, too.”
If you’re finding the acid-based products (they’re nice acids! We swear!) are irritating your skin, try using them only at night or every few days. You can also limit their usage to the larger pore areas of your face.
THINK LONG-TERM
The thing with larger pores is, you need to keep up the maintenance to clear them out and then continue with it if you want them to stay that way.
“Including ingredients like retinol and salicylic acid into your skincare routine will help in the long run,” explains Melanie. “Retinol will help with cell turn over and to unclog the pores thus making them appear smaller. Salicylic acid is fantastic to dissolve the oil and keratin plugs and regulate the skin cells.
One great way to maintain clear pores that look smaller is to exfoliate.
Generally, liquid exfoliators work best for keeping pores clear – these are gentle acids that’ll eat away dead skin cells and dirt or oil that’s clogging up your pores.
“Exfoliating on a regular basis will help to not only make the pores appear smaller, it will also help to remove dead skin cells and excess oil. These can clog the pores resulting in blackheads,” explains Melanie.
MAKEUP CAN HIDE ‘EM, BY THE WAY
If you want an instant solution, makeup CAN help in this instance. At least, it can usually help. But before you go in with any makeup, get moisturising.
“The rougher the texture of the skin, the more likely the make-up won’t conceal it. So make sure your skin surface is smooth and well hydrated first,” explains Melanie.
Then, it’s time for a killer primer.
“Using a primer will help to camouflage the pores as it provides a barrier between your makeup and your skin and it will smooth out the surface of the skin for a flawless make-up application,” explains Melanie. “But avoid using a primer every day, as these products can often congest the pores – save it for special occasions.”
