There’s been a lot of talk in the beauty world about pores – what they are, how they get bigger, and how to make them go away… unfortunately, most of the information out there is untrue or misleading. Today, we’re answering the question: “Can I make my pores smaller?” Keep reading to find out!
What are pores, really?
Your pores are simply the opening of your hair follicles. Within each pore is a sebaceous gland, which produces a naturally waxy, oily substance called sebum. It’s often a buildup of sebum, dead skin cells, and dirt that contribute to acne. To find out more about what your acne is and what may be causing it, check out our Acne 101 blog post!
Does the size of my pores change?
Contrary to popular belief – you can NOT change the size of your pores. Your pore size is determined by genetics, and that never changes. UGGH, we know.
However, certain factors can cause your pores to look enlarged and certain skincare techniques can reduce their appearance. So, when you see products promising to “shrink” or “reduce” pores, what they’re really selling is their potential to shrink or reduce the appearance of pores.
Have you ever felt like your pores grew exponentially overnight? Just as you can reduce the appearance of your pores, certain factors – external and internal – can actually make your pores look larger, too (gasp!). Excess sebum production, decreased elasticity, and increased hair follicle volume – all affected by your hormones, the products you use, and your acne history – seem to be the main contributors to larger-looking pores.
Often times, people notice their pores more on their forehead and nose, specifically. This is because the sebaceous glands on these areas tend to be bigger, therefore producing more oil, and making the pore look larger.
How do I reduce the appearance of my pores?
The main way to reduce the appearance of your pores is to cleanse and moisturize your skin thoroughly. The more dead skin cells, dirt, and sebum get stuck in your pores, the larger they’re going to look! It’s important to deeply (yet gently!) clear your pores every day in order to prevent them looking enlarged.
Use a cleansing oil and if you need to, double cleanse
In a recent blog post, we talked about how subclinical acne (little, colorless bumps that usually appear on the forehead) are simply clogged, congested pores. When your skin isn’t able to “breathe” properly, the surface becomes irritated and uneven. A great trick to getting rid of subclinical acne, and reducing the appearance of pores, is to cleanse with an oil-based cleanser, like our Organic Facial Cleansing Oil. Oil dissolves oil, making it an essential component of unclogging your oil-filled, enlarged pores! Foaming or soap-based cleansers can be drying to the skin, which can actually lead to MORE oil production, as your body will try and make up for what you’re stripping away!
Cleansing twice in a row with a product like this can help to better clear pores, remove dead skin cells, and relieve your skin of damaging impurities. Double cleansing is best done at night when your skin really needs cleaning after a day of makeup, dirt, and pollutants! Do the double cleansing method only once a day – as two times a day may be overkill.
Exfoliate gently and often!
Another essential? Exfoliating. Using a gentle exfoliator, like our Organic Sea Moss Exfoliator, regularly (up to 3-4x per week!) helps to unblock your pores, reducing their appearance and allowing moisturizers to better soak in, which can help regulate your oil production.
Use a facial toner
Toning is also extremely important! It acts as the final cleansing step, removing all leftover impurities from your pores. It also helps to balance out your pH levels, which is especially useful for people with oily skin or enlarged pores, as this can help to regulate oil production and reduce blockages! If you have oily or acne-prone skin, try out our Raspberry Vinegar Toner! The deep cleanse and acidity from this toner will gently tighten skin and reduce the appearance of your pores.
Purify and treat
Reducing the size of your pores may require a little TLC – treatment, love, and care. Using a gentle, detoxifying mask like our Organic Ultra Chlorophyll Mask can help to firm and tighten the skin and pores, while deeply cleansing and relieving breakouts. Use this mask upt to 3-4x per week to help deeply nourish the skin and reduce the appearance of pores!
In summary, the bad news is that you can’t actually permanently decrease the size of your pores. The good news, however, is that by following these steps and keeping your skin as clean and pH-balanced as possible, you’ll be able to reduce the look of large pores! Additionally, these same steps will help avoid pesky blackheads and whiteheads. So while we can’t control genetics and our pore sizes, these skincare techniques are a great place to start managing the appearance and health of your pores on a day to day basis!
As always, if you have any questions, comment here or email us at info@cocokind.com!
-The Cocokind Team
