There are a lot of advices out there saying you can open the pores with a warm towel or steam, and you can shrink the pores using cold water or ice.
The truth is, our pore size is genetically determined, thus their sizes cannot be physically changed. In addition, because pores are not muscles, contrary to popular belief, they do not and cannot open or close.
What steam or warm towel does, is help loosen the oil, wax and dirt inside the pores, making them easier to be cleansed away, but won’t actually open the pores like a door. When there is nothing clogging the pores, they would obviously appear smaller. Same goes with cold water. It can temporarily cause the skin to tighten, like goosebumps during winter, but it won’t affect your actual pore size whatsoever.
So what can we do to minimize the appearance of pores?
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Understand Why Pores Can Appear Large
There are four main reasons why the pores can appear large.
Excess sebum, oxidation, dirt and dead skin cells can clog pores. When the pores are overfilled, they would stretch and the opening would enlarge, making the pores more noticeable.
As we age, our body's natural production of elastin and collagen drop, resulting in loss of elasticity. This in turn causes the skin to stretch and sag, resulting in pores that appear larger.
Photoaging is another reason your pores may appear enlarged. This is because UV rays damage collagen and elastin, whilst removing water from the skin. This causes the tissue beneath your skin to shrink and the edges of your pores collapse and sag, making them look bigger.
By continuously picking the skin, or squeezing or using a needle to remove pimples and blackheads, you may eventually damage the pore lining. This makes it very hard for the skin to heal itself and return to its original state, especially so as we age. The result is enlarged pores.
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How To Properly Prevent and Improve Enlarged Pores
Exfoliate Regularly
As we get older, the speed and efficiency of our cell renewal process decrease significantly. With a buildup of dead skin cells and excess sebum on the surface of the skin, it will also prevent clogged sebum and dirt from coming out. This will enlarge pores, amongst other issues like acne, dullness, rough texture, hyperpigmentation taking longer to fade, and skincare products not penetrating effectively.
Three times a week, use an acid-based treatment to exfoliate and clear pores. AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acid) and PHAs (polyhydroxy acid) can dissolve the bond between dead skin cells to exfoliate, allowing spots to fade faster and skincare products to penetrate better. Whilst, BHA (beta-hydroxy acid), which is oil-soluble, can penetrate into and clear out pores, preventing acne and blackheads.
Acids may sound irritating to many, however, with the right formulation and concentration, they can be used by all skin types, even sensitive, rosacea, and eczema prone skin, to target acne, pigmentation, uneven skin tone, rough texture, and allow skincare products to penetrate better. What’s better, long-term use can also increase collagen and hyaluronic acid deposition and synthesis within the dermis, so the pores will look even smaller!
You can read more about the differences and effects of various types of AHA, BHA, and PHA here.
Product Recommendation
Agent Nateur
holi(bright) Resurface Glass Face Mask <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
OUMERE
No. 9 Exfoliant <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
AGENT NATEUR
acid(wash) Lactic Acid Brightening Cleanser <- Click to shop
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Clay-Based Weekly Treatment
Instead of using a needle or squeezing all those blackheads and acne, use a kaolin clay-based mask twice a week. Thanks to its high adsorption and absorption capacities, as well as extremely fine particle size, kaolin clay can cling to impurities, dirt, pollution, grime, and bacteria in the pores and remove them from the skin. The pores are thus unclogged and visibly smaller without stripping or causing trauma to the skin.
As kaolin is gentler on the skin than other types of clay, and may also offer mild anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and healing benefits, it is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and inflammatory skin.
Product Recommendation
TWELVE BEAUTY
The London Mask <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
KLUR
Supreme Seed Delicate Purification Mask <- Click to shop
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Sun Protection & Prevent Photoaging
UV rays can destroy our collagen and elastin, which then leads to enlarged pores, so the first and most important step is to use sunscreen religiously both outdoor or indoor, and avoid sun tanning.
In addition, since 90% of us fail to use an adequate amount of sunscreen (and let’s not forget sunscreen cannot block out 100% UV damages to begin with), besides sunscreen, it is best to add in a product that can prevent daily UV-induced damage, promote cell regeneration, prevent degradation of collagen and elastin, and actually help reverse photoaging at the cellular level.
Product Recommendation
TWELVE BEAUTY
Artemisia Power Protection Moisturiser SPF50+ <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
OUMERE
UV-R™ <- Click to shop
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Stimulate Collagen Production
As mentioned above, pores can enlarge with loss of skin elasticity and sagging caused by a depletion of collagen and elastin, thus it is vital to use products that can effectively encourage skin cell turnover and stimulate collagen production, such as retinol, niacinamide and peptides, to help support the collagen around the pores, so they will stay tight, thereby preventing them appear large and dragged down into an oval shape.
Product Recommendation
KLUR
Stellar Restoration <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
EATH LIBRARY
The Pure Wonder Active Serum <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
MARIE REYNOLDS LONDON
Skin Quencher <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
KLUR
Immersion Serum Concentrate <- Click to shop
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Also Use Calcium Ketogluconate Every Day
Clinically studies have proven this French-patented, expensive ingredient can increase elastin synthesis by 40-45%, increases self hyaluronic acid synthesis by 36-92%, lift skin by 27%, and improve skin elasticity by 16% with 28 days of continued use day and night. Which means, in short, less wrinkles, plumper skin, and smaller pores!
Product Recommendation
AGENT NATEUR
holi(c) The C Duo <- Click to shop
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Use a Light Moisturizer
Heavy moisturizers influence the natural skin renewal cycle by sticking the dead skin cells to the skin instead of letting them shed naturally. This layer of accumulated dead skin cells would trap oils and dirt inside the skin, clog pores, create an oxygen-free environment that acne bacteria love, and kill off ‘friendly’ bacteria that keep skin healthy. The result? Blackheads, whiteheads, clogged pores, and acne.
Instead of a heavy moisturizer that mainly makes up of occlusive ingredients like petrolatum, lanolin, mineral oil, beeswax, and shea butter, choose a light emulsion / hydrator to hydrate and nourish the cells, and/or a lightweight regenerative sleeping mask that aims to provide the skin with nutrients and support its renewal process during the night, all without clogging the pores and further enlarging them.
Product Recommendation
KLUR
Sculpture + A Overnight Enrichment Cream <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
EATH Library
All Day Radiance Light Concentration Cream <- Click to shop
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Take Marine Collagen & Pearl Supplement
To stimulate collagen production thus tightening pores, topical skincare is not the only solution——there are actually supplements you can take to stimulate collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production from within.
Out of all the different collagen supplements, marine collagen contains the highest quantity of bioavailable type I collagen. Marine collagen also has the smallest particle size and lowest molecular weight among all types of collagen and is absorbed up to 1.5 times more efficiently than other types. In addition, it contains 8 out of 9 essential amino acids that are building blocks for collagen. In fact, studies have shown that marine collagen supplements significantly decrease the fragmentation of collagen in the deep layer of the dermis, increase collagen in the skin, improve skin elasticity, and reduce wrinkles.
Pearl powder contains nacre that increases tissue regeneration such as collagen types I and III, whilst conchiolin, a special compound also unique to pearls, stimulates collagen promotion, as well as keratin, which is one of the proteins in skin and hair that improves hydration of skin cells, speed up cell metabolism, increase circulation, prevent hair loss and help to repair damaged cells. Pearl powder also contains the three amino acids that are vital in collagen production.
AGENT NATEUR
holi(mane) Hair, Skin & Nails Daily Supplement <- Click to shop
Also in The Journal
Top 10 Tips for Healthy Skin This Winter
Check out our top 10 tips to keep the skin healthy and supple this cold winter season!
Top 30 Skincare Questions Answered - Part 3
Here are the top 10 questions about cleansing, as well as eczema and rosacea we got. Check them out!
Top 30 Skincare Questions Answered - Part 2
Here are the top 10 questions about pigmentation, and pore care we got. Check them out!
