Pores … we all have them, and most of us hate them. They’re great at filling up with stuff, looking bigger and uglier than they are when cleaned out.
For better or worse, the size of our pores is largely determined by genetics. They do not (and cannot) open and close on their own; there is no muscle there to do this!
But, they can fill up with sebum (oil) and skin cells that have been shed, making them look much larger than they are.
How to clean out your pores and help them look smaller
1. Remove Oil and Debris from the Pores
Pores create oil (sebum), and cells slough off into the pore. While this can get clogged to create a whitehead or blackhead (here’s more information on how blemishes form), even if the pore isn’t clogged things can get backed up, and the sebum can be pretty obvious. Getting the sebum out of your pores will make them appear smaller and make them less noticeable.
2. Exfoliate the Surrounding Skin
Think of your skin as a tufted sofa. Those clogged pores are the buttons and the skin around them is the lovely tufting. Except, that the tufting makes the buttons more visible.
Exfoliating your skin will do a few things. First, it will contribute to making the clogged pore a bit less obvious. Second, it will help remove skin cells before they can clog the pore. Both are good things.
I’m so hooked with this hydrating face mask, this helps to shrink your pores, gives your face a soft, youthful glow, and helps get rid of dark spots. You can watch the tutorial below to learn how it’s done.
You Will Need
- yogurt (or curd)
- lemon or lime grated skin
- rose water
Credit: princessjo
