Anyone who has spent time looking at their skin via a magnifying mirror has spent at least some time fretting over the size of their pores. Unfortunately as hard as we might try, there is nothing we can do to actually shrink them. There are, however, tips and tricks to make them appear smaller, and to stop them from getting larger. First off, it’s imperative to keep skin clean. What makes pores expand is when they fill up with junk like excess oil, makeup, and dead skin cells, so make sure to never go to bed with makeup and to exfoliate at least every other day. This is especially important to prevent dreaded blackheads that occur when those open pores filled with the aforementioned junk become oxidized and discolored. Next, always use a primer before applying makeup to ensure that there is a barrier preventing your pores from getting clogged up with makeup. Finally, work to keep skin looking youthful with a product like Beauty Rx’s Pore Minimizer ($29), which is formulated with ingredients including glycolic acid, pumpkin seed extract, and tea tree oil that will help to keep skin firm and tight, thereby preventing pores from enlarging. What’s also great about this dermatologist-formulated product is that it’s clinically backed with proven results.
