The insights of La Saponaria
Enlarged pores: what are they and how to deal with them?
Pores are essential to the skin because they keep it in good conditions. Due to several reasons, it may happen that pores get larger, in particular in the T-zone, and that they appear as small holes. Let's get things straight: there is no need to be ashamed of enlarged pores, and although it is not possible to close them forever, there exist remedies to make them tighten.
Perfection doesn't exist, particulart when dealing about beauty! We have written this article to suggest you how to properly deal with enlarged pores by reducing their presence. This are the contents you are about to read:
- What are enlarged pores?
- What are the causes of enlarged pores?
- How to deal with enlarged pores?
- Beauty Routine to tighten enlarged pores
- Conclusion
What are enlarged pores?
Our skin is covered with pores: there are approximately 150 per square centimeter! These are small openings at the top of hair follicles that release sebum, our body's natural oil, naturally moisturizing our skin, keeping it elastic, and allowing it to breathe.
When we talk about enlarged pores, we are not referring to their natural presence on our skin but to the increase in their size. It can happen that pores enlarge to the point of becoming visible as small holes on the surface of our skin, especially in areas where most sebaceous glands are present, such as the T-zone, chin, and cheeks.
The phenomenon of enlarged pores is often associated with those who have combination or oily skin, as pores tend to clog due to excessive sebum production or the presence of dead cells that the skin can no longer eliminate. Enlarged pores lead to oily skin and a dull complexion.
Before suggesting how to treat them, let's take a closer look at the causes of enlarged pores.
What are the causes of enlarged pores?
Having combination or oily skin can lead to enlarged pores. As mentioned earlier, pores can enlarge due to excessive sebum production or an excess of dead cells that the skin can't eliminate. Among other causes, we must also include genetic predisposition, excessive use of heavy makeup or cosmetics containing petroleum-based ingredients. Cosmetics containing petroleum can promote pore blockage and subsequent dilation since they prevent sebum from escaping from the follicles. Enlarged pores are closely related to the presence of blackheads.
To learn more about blackheads, you can read our in-depth article here!
Skin aging is one of the main causes of enlarged pores. As we age, the skin begins to lose elasticity, making pores appear larger. In these cases, the skin's texture looks irregular, and the complexion appears dull.
Unbalanced dietary habits, the use of medications that cause hormonal imbalances, and excessive exposure to UV rays without sunscreen can also lead to enlarged pores.
How to deal with enlarged pores?
If you feel that enlarged pores are an insurmountable challenge, don't worry: there are remedies and products to help shrink them. Yes, shrink them, not make them disappear, because we must remember that pores serve an essential function for our skin!
As we always say, proper cleansing is the first step in having clean and healthy skin. Therefore, it is essential to cleanse the face with the right products to ensure that the pores shrink. Double cleansing allows for a deeper cleaning, freeing the pores from excess sebum, dead cells, and other impurities that could clog them.
If you want to learn more about double cleansing, you can read our dedicated article here.
Even if you don't double cleanse, it's still crucial to cleanse your face morning and night. In fact, if the face is clean and the pores are not clogged, they can shrink so much that they are no longer visible to the naked eye! For cleansing, we recommend our Deep Pure gel cleansing gel.
Among other cosmetic products, the use of specific toners for combination skin can improve the appearance of the skin's texture by further closing the pores. If you're looking for a toner to make your skin more radiant, you can try our Pure Glow Face Lotion.
There are also natural remedies to treat enlarged pores. You can opt for a steam treatment with essential oils of rosemary or lavender to open the facial pores as if you were in a steam bath! Simply add a few drops of your favorite aroma to a container of almost boiling water and inhale the steam for 10-15 minutes. Afterward, proceed with cleansing because the facial pores will be more open and can be cleaned more thoroughly.
Beauty Routine to tighten enlarged pores
To build a complete and specific beauty routine for enlarged pores, we recommend ours. All the products have been formulated with specific ingredients for impure and blemished skin. So, what are you waiting for? Read below to achieve porcelain-like skin!
Cleansing
A good skincare routine always starts with cleansing using the right products. If your skin is impure and your pores are enlarged, we recommend our Deep Pure Cleansing Gel. It is a purifying and rebalancing cleanser based on succinic acid and green tea and is the ideal product for cleansing combination and oily skin! Deep Pure regulates sebum production, rebalances the skin, and leaves the face fresh and clean.
Toner
The second step in skincare involves applying a toner. Our Pure Glow Face Lotion, a perfecting and exfoliating lotion containing 4% shikimic and succinic acid + green tea, has been formulated for a luminous and blemish-free complexion. It should be applied once a day, after evening cleansing. Excellent for radiant skin free from imperfections!
An alternative to Pure Glow is Witch Hazel Hydrolate: it is an astringent, decongestant floral water, ideal for impure and oily skin. As with Pure Glow, it should be applied once a day after cleansing.
Pure Actives / Serums
As for this step, we propose two serums to be applied one after the other. The first is Niacinamide + Zinc serum with sebum-regulating and anti-blemish action. Niacinamide is a derivative of vitamin B3 (or niacin), ideal for combination and impure skin. It is a real elixir for oily skin but also for stressed skins. Together with zinc, which has soothing and astringent properties, it is the perfect ally in the fight against pimples, imperfections, and blackheads.
Next, apply the Phyto-Retinol: it is an anti-aging serum that promotes cell renewal and collagen synthesis, perfect for giving the skin elasticity and closing enlarged pores.
Creams
As for the creams dedicated to the routine for impure skin, we suggest you a day cream.
Stay Matte will be your ally for the day: formulated with rice powder and hyaluronic acid, it has a mattifying and smoothing effect. Stay Matte is perfect to be used as a makeup base because it evens out the complexion and reduces shine. Those prone to enlarged pores can minimize their appearance by using a face primer. However, to avoid worsening the situation and clogging the pores further, it is advisable to choose a natural primer. If you use heavy and petroleum-based products, even though the temporary effect may give you the impression of having porcelain skin, in the long run, the opposite can happen. These types of products can clog your pores even more and consequently enlarge them further. Stay Matte is perfect: it is a lightweight cream that you can use as a primer, and thanks to its formula, it won't weigh down your pores or your thoughts!
Eye Contour
Regarding the product to apply in the eye contour area, you can opt for the Wow 3 in 1 Eye Contour Cream for bags, dark circles, and wrinkles. It contains a powerful mix of natural actives to give an energy boost to every glance!
Weekly and Montlhy Treatments
For this phase of the beauty routine, it is advisable to use gentle products as impure skin is often sensitive.
For the weekly treatment, we recommend the Bye Bye Impurità Mask with azelaic acid, chicory prebiotic, and active coal. Bye Bye Impurità is a concentrated mask, ideal for combination and oily skin.
Its special formula, rich in purifying and decongestant actives, fights excess sebum and will make you say goodbye to imperfections and shiny skin without being aggressive.
Once a month, it is essential to exfoliate the skin on the face with a gentle product: we propose the AHA Peel with Italian fruit acids for exfoliating, regenerating, and smoothing action. It is best to avoid aggressive products like scrubs and choose gentler treatments like exfoliating peels that will gently unclog blocked pores without harming the skin.
Conclusion
To sum up, we care to remind you that pores have a major role in keeping our skin in good conditions. Ifever they get larger, fear not: there exist both natural and cosmetics remedies that can help you. Anyway, you don't have to be ashamed of anything if your skin doesn't look perfect because perfection doesn't exist! We all do our best to take care of ourselves and it it important to choose products that answer specific needs of our skin.
If you are not sure about your skin type, take the test below! 👇