Let’s start with the number one thing you need to keep in mind when “minimizing your pores”; everyone has them, and you are way more judgmental of your own than others are of yours. No one is looking at your skin and thinking, “OMG, their pores are massive! Like, eww, how could they ever let that happen?!” That’s just not happening friend, so take a step back and realize that you are your own worst critic. 

Another thing to remember, is that your pores are your friends. Pores are small openings on the skin where hair follicles sprout from. These pores release a sebum, our body’s natural oil, to moisturize our skin and keep it healthy. 

Now that we have all that covered, let’s get into some tips for reducing the appearance of pores, and how you can keep your skin looking naturally “Face Tuned”!

1. Cleanse Your Fab Face

You may think you’re doing everything you can think to make your skin look appealing, but have you forgotten the basics? Washing your face with a cream cleanser in the morning will leave your skin feeling clean and supple before you do your moisturizer or makeup routine. Washing your skin with a deep cleanser at night will allow your skin to clear out all the dirt from the day, or the makeup you wore, so you can go to bed with a fresh face. 

2. Cold, Like Reeeaaallllyyyy Cold, Water

After you wash your face with warm water to open those pores out and clear everything up, splash cold water on your skin so you close those pores back up! You may not believe me because of how simple it seems, but it’s seriously made a difference for me in how my skin looks on an everyday basis!

3. Scrub-A-Dub-Dub

Using a gentle exfoliator in your weekly skincare routine will help brush away that dead skin that’s built up on your skin. I use a scrub twice a week in the summer (since my skin isn’t as dry) and three or four times in the winter (when the cold air is a lot more rough on my skin). Be careful not to overdo it though; this is experimental for everyone, and it may take you a few weeks to figure out what works best for your skin type. 

4. What’s Going On Under the Skin?

I mean, what are you eating and drinking? Is your diet filled with chips and soda, or are you getting fruits/veggies and lots of water in your system throughout the day? I know you’re probably tired of people with fabulous skin telling you, “Drink your H2O friends,” but they’re onto something here. When you’re dehydrated your skin will look tired and weak, but drinking more water than soda or alcohol will really help your skin look bright and healthy! As for what you’re eating, don’t worry about being hardcore about never having a slice of pizza, just don’t make it every single meal (even though it really is tempting!). 

5. Develop a Solid Nighttime Routine

I know we already covered washing your face at night, but it doesn’t stop there. Using witch hazel or micellar water will help cleanse and tighten your pores before you moisturize. I use both and then follow up with an oil (for nights my skin feels a little tight and dry) or cream (for nights my skin feels plump and a soft) moisturizer. Seeing as I have combination skin, some nights my skin calls for a little of both! This is another experiment you’ll have to do in order to figure out what works before for you. 

6. When is the Last Time You Cleaned Your Makeup Brushes?

No, seriously. Can you remember the last time you cleaned your brushes? If you have to look in a planner or calendar to figure out the answer to this question, get to cleaning those brushes STAT, it’s been far too long! I normally clean my brushes every two weeks, or after a bad breakout. Those brushes collect dirt, dead skin, and oil from your face everytime you use them, so they need to be cleaned frequently in order to maintain clear pores. I use Dr. Bronner’s All Purpose Soap and a rubber pad with different textures on it to scrub the brushes out under warm water. It doesn’t have to be super fancy, it just needs to be a deep clean. 

7. What Else Should You Be Washing?

Yes, I know! It’s a lot of cleaning to remember! However, the light at the end of the tunnel is nearly here! You should be washing your sheets once a week because let’s face it, your face is lying on that pillow for eight hours (at least it should be!) every night. That means in just one week’s time, you’re in that bed for at least 56 hours! That’s a lot of time for your skin to absorb whatever may be lingering on your pillow case, and if you’re already following everything else in this list, why let your skin have any more exposure to dirt and oils that will enlarge your pores?

8. A Retinoid Oil or Cream

Retinoids are great for cell turnover and your pores will certainly thank you for this! Using this once a week (pick a day that works for you and stick with it!) will soon show you in just a few weeks noticeably smaller looking pores. Be careful to only use this at night though; because the oil is “turning your cells over” your skin will be more vulnerable. The harsh rays of sunlight hitting those new cells will be more damaging than good for smoothing those fine lines and acne blemish marks.

9. Beloved Clay Masks

These are simply amazing for unclogging your pores. Find one that appeals to you (I’ve heard great things about the Aztec Indian Clay Mask) and your skincare needs, wash your face with warm water before applying, allow it to sit for twenty or so minutes, and then rinse it off with warm water and follow with that cold rinse we talked about earlier. Oil buildup can make your pores look larger, so using this will be super helpful for minimizing the appearance of your pores. 

10. Glycolic Acid

What an odd pair of words, but what an amazing ingredient! This acid works to absorb oil and dissolve dead skin cells, which is great for minimizing those pores and leaving you with a photo finish. 

11. SPF, I Cannot Say it Loud Enough, SPF!!!

You need to be protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, and not just when you hit the beach or pool! Just going about your everyday life can be damaging for your skin without the sun protection, so wearing at least SPF 15 (a 20 or 30 will be much more helpful though) will make a huge difference in minimizing your pores and keeping your skin fresh and bright for the years to come.

12. Treating Yourself

Every once and awhile, taking a trip to a spa or medical spa will make a world of difference in your skin’s overall appearance. Whether you go for a chemical peel, dermaplaning, extraction, or a deep cleansing/moisturizing facial, your skin will thank you for tending to it. Whichever treatment you decide to go for though, should be based on what problem you are trying to resolve. If you don’t have deep rooted cystic acne, an extraction probably isn’t needed. If you don’t have terribly dry skin, dermaplaning may not be right for you. Consult the dermatologist/esthetician, and do a little research into what each of these treatments really accomplishes, before booking your treatment.  

If you employ these twelve habits into your life, I’m sure you’ll notice a difference in your skin’s feel and look, and your skin will surely thank you!

Be sure to share this with your friends that are looking for solutions to minimizing their pores, and leave a comment with some of your own tips on keeping your skin  photo finished and bright! I’m always happy to learn of a new ingredient, solution, or technique to improve my skin!

Lots of love for you and every one of your pores,

Candace