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Beauty / Skin Care
By Jenna Curcio, CNN Underscored
Published 11:19 AM EST, Wed January 3, 2024
What’s in this guide
- How to minimize your pores
- Editors’ favorite pore minimizers
- Best pore-minimizing skin care
- Pore-minimizing makeup primers
We all have pores. They are a natural part of our skin, and it is completely normal for them to be visible. Despite our best attempts to chase the airbrushed look, even the smoothest skin will still show them. However, there are ways to minimize the overall appearance of your pores.
Dr. Natacha Bonjout, a French doctor of pharmacy and founder of Bonjout Beauty, reaffirms that “pore size is primarily determined by genetics, but factors such as aging, sun damage and a lack of collagen can contribute to enlarged pores.” She emphasizes that certain skin care and beauty products can focus on reducing excess oil, promoting collagen production and exfoliating to improve the appearance of pores.
Dr. Stefani Kappel, board-certified dermatologist and founder of MDAiRE, explains that larger pores are also just a part of getting older, saying, “As we age, the skin loses collagen and elastin. This can result in skin laxity making pores appear larger.”
How to minimize your pores
Managing the size of your pores is something that is best dealt with on a long-term basis according to Bonjout. She recommends “regular use of products containing retinoids (two times a week maximum for sensitive skin), [which] help to unclog pores and stimulate collagen production, improving skin texture over time.” Kappel seconds that recommendation, noting that retinoids also down-regulate sebaceous gland activity. She also emphasizes the importance of a regular gentle cleansing routine “to keep pores clear of debris with regular exfoliation.”
To observe lasting improvements, consistency is key when it comes to truly making an impact on the appearance of your pore size, regardless of what products you use. A key ingredient to look out for is niacinamide, which is a form of vitamin B3. Bonjout explains that this aids in reducing inflammation and refining pore appearance. She also advises that “incorporating alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) in a skin care routine further promotes cell turnover, contributing to a smoother complexion.” Salicylic acid is another exfoliating ingredient that will make a significant impact over time, along with consistently using sunscreen, which will ultimately yield more successful results.
Kappel suggests utilizing antioxidants like vitamin C, which “can help protect your skin from environmental stress and help to stimulate collagen to improve tone and texture over time.” An uncommon ingredient recommended by Dr. Ben Johnson, physician and founder of Osmosis, is ozonized ethyl oleate, a naturally derived extract that helps with detoxifying. He claims that when “applied topically, [it] provides a stabilized oxygen that improves most skin barrier-related issues.”
In addition to skin care products that can help create sustainable results long-term, there are also pore-blurring makeup products that can give that smooth, seamless look. Read on for our recommendations for the best pore-minimizing products.
Editors’ favorite pore minimizers
You know a mask is working when you can physically feel it doing its magic. I reach for this mask any time my skin needs a reset, and I swear I can feel my pores shrinking the longer it’s left on as my skin tightens. Washing it off is just as satisfying.
This is literally like a second skin. This primer adds a smoothing effect under your makeup, which smoothes skin texture in general, including minimizing pore size, thanks to the mushroom extract. It blurs everything more than any other short-term solution I’ve used — think of it as an Instagram filter IRL. Sometimes I’ll wear this on top of my skin care alone, making it perfect for makeup-free days. It also contains niacinamide, one of the hero ingredients when it comes to visibly reducing pore size over time.
Associate beauty editor Sophie Shaw has combination skin, which causes the pores on her nose to look larger thanks to daily sebum production. This oil to foam cleanser helps clear out that sebum, dirt and makeup at the end of the day. “After using this cleanser as the first step of my double-cleansing routine, I noticed that my pores looked less enlarged overall within a week,” she says. The cushiony, soft lather it creates is a sensorial bonus too.
The second product that’s made a noticeable difference for Shaw’s pore size is this gentle exfoliating serum. It contains mandelic acid, a type of alpha hydroxy acid, which helps clear dead skin cells and keep skin smooth. After her double cleanse, she’ll apply it, concentrating on her nose and T-zone where she gets the most oily. “I’ve not only noticed that my pores have been looking smaller after using this but my skin overall has felt incredibly soft,” Shaw shares.
This is the first pore-blurring product I ever used, and it’s tried-and-true to this day. One of the first of its kind, this pore-focused makeup prep product is still one of my go-tos.
Best pore-minimizing skin care
This product can be left on all day or overnight after cleansing and toning. The beta hydroxy acids gently and naturally exfoliate your skin while minimizing the appearance of your pores over time.
This is another product that you can feel working in real time. The 10% glycolic acid in this toner helps to shrink the appearance of your pores while 5% witch hazel helps to control excess oil and sebum production.
Although this is specifically designed with acne scars in mind, it works equally well to blur your pores either under makeup or on its own. The primer can be used daily to reduce the look of pores on a long-term basis. It contains medical-grade silicone, retinol and biomimetic peptides, making it the ideal hybrid makeup/skin care product.
As a TikTok favorite, this all-in-one primer and serum visibly refines pores over time makes yet another essential hybrid makeup/skin care product to add to your lineup. With fruit derived ingredients like strawberry enzymes and leaf extract, this checks all the boxes when it comes to pore-reducing elements.
With the strength of a toner but the lightweight feel of an essence, this product is ideal for daily use to gradually minimize the appearance of pore size. Made with 88% white willow bark water (a natural beta hydroxy acid) and 0.1% betaine salicylate (another exfoliating ingredient) to remove excess sebum, this product has two essential pore-shrinking properties.
The Alpha Beta complex in this serum contains a mixture of glycolic, malic, lactic, citric, mandelic and salicylic acids, along with willow bark extract for a perfect co*cktail for visible pore reduction.
Blurring the lines between skin care and makeup once again (no pun intended), this is a tinted option that provides a sheer layer of coverage while actively working to reduce the look of pores over time with ingredients like Tula’s prebiotic- and probiotic-powered S6 Pro Complex and licorice.
Pore-minimizing makeup primers
The sculpting applicator is what made this product viral, but the blurring effects are what has garnered the 5-star reviews. Containing pore-friendly niacinamide and moisturizing bio desert oil, this is a makeup prep staple.
Containing vitamins A and E, this classic product is a lasting favorite of mine. I love to reach for it when doing a full face of makeup.
This budget-friendly option comes in a lightweight cream and utilizes the scientific benefits behind adaptive silicones to act as a mattifying yet hydrating blurring primer that reduces the look of large pores.
If pore-size appearance and shine control are your top concerns when it comes to the texture of your skin with makeup, opt for this. It contains 2% niacinamide and 1% bakuchiol, a gentler and natural retinol alternative.
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