What are Pores?
The skin has many layers. It also has hair follicles through which the sebum is passed to moisturize the skin. Sebum is the natural oil that is secreted by sebaceous glands. “Pores” literally mean tiny openings or holes on the surface of the skin and are the hair follicles. It is the pores that carry the sebum to the surface of the skin and prevent it from drying. It helps retain the glaze and moisture to give the face the required glow. In short, you can also say that the skin “breathes” through the pores. However you may find the pores frustrating, but they are essential to maintain healthy skin, albeit in normal, small size.
Table of Content
- What are Pores?
- What Causes Enlarged Pores?
- Why do you need a pore minimizer?
- Clear Pores Skin Cleansing System
- Clinique Pore Refining Correcting Serum
According to statistics conducted in the US, an adult has over 5 million pores all over the body of which around 20,000 are on the face alone. Pores are noted and fussed about by women more than men. During research conducted on 2000 adults, nearly 45% of women said that they would like to change the size of their pores. 28% found enlarged pores more threatening than wrinkles.
No doubt, acne is a cause of concern amongst Americans. However, they claim that enlarged pores look equally unsightly and make a person self-conscious. Women, especially, avoid social media or taking selfies due to exposure of their pores. Thus, it is essential to know the reasons behind open pores.
What causes enlarged pores?
The skin needs to be kept clean and oil-free to have a healthy glow. Nonetheless, various factors cause the pores to enlarge.
- Acne: The fact that you have acne means that your skin is very oily. Even though natural oil secretion, sebum, is necessary to moisturize the skin and keep it healthy, over secretion can cause the pores to clog and thus become enlarged.
- Excess sebum production: The layers of skin contain sebaceous glands that secret the natural oil called sebum. This is vital to maintain skin moisture and prevent dryness. However, in certain cases, there is excessive production of sebum due to hormonal imbalance and other reasons. In such cases, this extra oil starts plugging the pores and then bacteria and dirt start accumulating in the pores, making them spread and grow in size. The bacteria find a good breeding place and multiply rapidly, thus pushing the pore walls further and making them big.
- Sun-damaged skin: Before stepping out in the sun, it is always advisable to wear sun-screen lotion or cream, else the UV rays of the sun penetrate and damage the skin. The heat makes the pores to expand. Therefore, you must protect the skin by covering it with either sun-screen products or a wide rim hat to cover the face. Wearing a sun coat helps in preventing arms and neck from being exposed to the sun’s rays. The lotion should have at least SPF 30. Apply it 10-15 minutes before stepping out.
- Use of oil-based or comedogenic makeup: If you already have oily skin, then any oil-based makeup is only going to add more stickiness to the face. The extra oil from makeup is bound to clog the pores and expand them. Thus, try to use non-comedogenic products (water-based), especially on oily skin. On the other hand, if you have dry skin and use water-based products, then it prevents the skin from getting the oil nourishment required, and thus the pores enlarge to secret more oil to balance the dryness.
Why do you need a pore minimizer?
As we have learned, large pores are the result of acne and extra secretion of sebum. Any good toner can help absorb the excess oil from the surface of the skin and keep it oil-free.
A mild natural astringent like cucumber not only hydrates the skin but helps to tighten the pores. However, chemical astringents if used often can dry the skin and make it peel off. Sebum is essential to keep the skin moisturized and healthy and trying to remove its traces completely may prove undesirable.
There are many facial scrubs and peel-offs made from natural fruits and nuts like peach, walnut, and others. They help to exfoliate the skin and tighten the pores. Clay mask or fuller’s earth pack can help in revitalizing the tissues and remove excess oil. They unclog the pores and shrink them. Hence, a pore minimizer assists in removing excess oil and dirt from the clogged pores, firm and shrink them up to give a clear look.
Some of the best pore minimizer products to consider are:
Clear Pores Skin Cleansing System
Clear Pores Skin Cleansing System is an oil-free body wash. It restores the natural pH of the skin by unclogging the pores. It exfoliates the skin without disturbing the natural oil secretion. The body wash is oil-free and thus aids in removing the excess traces from the skin, decreases the buildup of bacteria and dead skin cells, and gently removes them and accelerates cell regeneration to give a healthy glow.
The body wash is made from a scientifically tested formula incorporating natural ingredients along with mild chemicals. Some ingredients are Xanthan gum, glycerin, green tea leaves extract, corn oil, grape seed extract, Bilberry extract, Salicylic acid, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, and many others.
For proper results, wet the acne affected area with warm water. Gently rub in the body wash, with stress on the areas that are prone to acne. Leave it on for 2-3 minutes and then rinse it off with cool water. Keep away from eyes and use it twice daily.
This is designed not only to unclog the pores but eliminate acne-causing bacteria and shed old cells, thus prevent clogging and enlargement of pores. The product is not harsh for the skin and therefore ideal for daily use as well.
Clinique Pore Refining Correcting Serum
This is available in a 1-ounce bottle. Clinique Pore Refining Correcting Serum is for all skin types and a Unisex product. It is an oil-free, lightweight serum that clears out excess oil and pore minimizer. The serum’s pore resurfacing complex enables the removal of debris and dry skin flakes. Over a period, the skin feels tighter and smoother, exhibiting a radiant look. The serum helps to shrink the pores and thus it appears to be back in shape.
It is advised to use the serum twice a day, morning and night, to get proper results. Pump the bottle 2-3 times and spread the serum evenly all over the face. It is better to cleanse the face before application. Permit some time to pass before moisturizing the face after the application of the serum. The serum contains various ingredients like water, algae extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sea Whip Extract, Rosemary leaf extract, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Iron oxides, Mica and many others. The company warns that the ingredients may change or vary from time to time and it is recommended to study the list at the time of purchase.
Besides the mentioned products, there are other products available that help tackle the enlarged pores problem and give a blemish-free skin. It is every individual’s choice to select the pore minimizer which is best suited for the skin type.