If you’ve ever examined your skin in a close-up mirror and seen nothing but a collection of large pores staring back at you, don’t panic—we’ve all been there. Pores are perfectly normal (you actually have them all over your body), but pore size can vary person-to-person, and your pores can often appear larger depending on things like how old you are, genetics, and how much oil your skin naturally produces. The reality is that you can’t actually reduce the size of your pores no matter how hard you try, but there are ways you can make sure that they appear smaller like regularly cleansing, and most importantly, exfoliating and clearing away clogs using gentle acids.
In case you’re in need of a refresher on what causes enlarged pores and the products you can use to treat them, read ahead.
What are pores, anyway?
Pores are essentially tiny holes that sit on the surface of your skin and allow body fluids like sweat and oil (sebum) to pass through. They’re also considered the opening to hair follicles, which is why, if you look closely, you may notice a hair or two coming out of a pore.
Everyone has pores—even people with the clearest of skin—and you can find them on pretty much every part of your body since they’re a necessary way for your body to regulate its own temperature and release toxins. Some people just happen to have more prominent pores than others, and they’re more noticeable in areas like your forehead, nose, and chin (the T-zone). Also, there’s a misconception that pores can open and close, depending on how you treat your skin. This isn’t true, as your pores are always open since they allow your skin to breathe.
What causes enlarged pores?
The true cause of large pores can be attributed to your genetics, but there are a handful of other factors that can make your pores appear larger. The biggest thing is sebum production. Sebum is another word for oil, and it’s naturally produced by your sebaceous glands to keep your skin healthy and moisturized. Sebum typically passes through the pores to get to the surface of the skin, but if your body produces a high amount of sebum (aka you have oily skin), said excess oil can sit in your pores, causing them to appear slightly larger.
But you don’t have to have naturally oily skin for your pores to appear larger. If you regularly wear heavy complexion makeup like foundation, concealer, blush, etc. without washing it off or exfoliating (more on that later), these products can sit on your skin and build up in your pores, making them appear larger. This also goes for oily skincare products (the formal term for this is “comedogenic”) that can sit on the surface of the skin and lead to clogged pores and, in some cases, acne and blackheads.
Also on the list of things that can increase the prominence of pores is aging. As you get older, your skin is more likely to lose elasticity (what stops your skin from sagging) and produce less collagen naturally. When this happens, your pores can become wider or more open since the
area around the pore isn’t being supported as much. Sun damage and excessive sun exposure can also cause your skin to age faster, so spending a lot of time in the sun without wearing proper sun protection can also contribute to loss of elasticity and the “growth” of your pore size if you’re not careful.
How can I reduce the appearance of large pores?
So now that we’ve covered the basics of what pores are and how and why they tend to appear larger at times, the million dollar question is this: can you actually shrink your pores? Not exactly.
Technically there’s no real way to shrink your pores or make them smaller, but there are things you can do to make your pores at least look smaller, and that starts with keeping them clean! You can start by regularly washing your face at the beginning and end of every day, especially if you frequently wear comedogenic makeup and skincare products. You may have also heard of things like steam treatments for opening the pores and loosening the dirt and gunk that’s stuck in them. These don’t actually open up the pores, since again, your pores are always open, but they do make the skin softer so that it’s easier to extract impurities without damaging your skin.
Probably the best way to clear out your pores at home is by exfoliation, and that’s precisely where our Centella 3% PHA Gentle Liquid Exfoliating Serum comes in.
What are PHAs?
PHAs are short for polyhydroxy acids, and while they’re in the same family as fellow chemical exfoliators, AHAs (alphy hydroxy acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acids), they’re slightly different.
PHAs can exfoliate away dead skin cells while also removing excess dirt and oil. The most common PHAs are gluconolactone, galactose, and lactobionic acid. Unlike AHAs, the molecules in PHAs are a bit larger, meaning that they don’t penetrate the skin as deeply and are less likely to cause irritation, so if your skin leans on the more sensitive side, this is a good type of exfoliant to turn to.
Our Centella 3% PHA Gentle Liquid Exfoliating Serum is a soft, non-sticky, liquid formula that uses PHAs to gently clear away dead skin while also clearing excess oil, makeup, and other
types of dirt from the pores, effectively getting rid of blackheads and acne while reducing pore size. It also contains vitamin C to help the skin maintain a bright, radiant complexion, and thanks to calming centella, which can reduce inflammation and redness, it’s gentle enough to be used daily.
This serum can be used in two ways. If clogged or enlarged pores are what you’re trying to target, apply the serum to freshly washed skin two to three times weekly to remove any buildup. If issues like blackheads, acne, or clogged pores are what you’re trying to prevent, you can use the serum once or twice weekly.
There’s actually a lot you can do to prevent your pores from appearing enlarged, it all just depends on what’s causing them to look that way in the first place. The bottom line? A regular skincare routine featuring a solid exfoliant, like a PHA, is one of your best defenses against clogged or enlarged pores.
Everything You Need to Know About Large Pores — and Exactly How to Treat Them
If you’ve ever examined your skin in a close-up mirror and seen nothing but a collection of large pores staring back at you, don’t panic—we’ve all been there. Pores are perfectly normal (you actually have them all over your body), but pore size can vary person-to-person, and your pores can often appear larger depending on things like how old you are, genetics, and how much oil your skin naturally produces. The reality is that you can’t actually reduce the size of your pores no matter how hard you try, but there are ways you can make sure that they appear smaller like regularly cleansing, and most importantly, exfoliating and clearing away clogs using gentle acids.
In case you’re in need of a refresher on what causes enlarged pores and the products you can use to treat them, read ahead.
What are pores, anyway?
Pores are essentially tiny holes that sit on the surface of your skin and allow body fluids like sweat and oil (sebum) to pass through. They’re also considered the opening to hair follicles, which is why, if you look closely, you may notice a hair or two coming out of a pore.
Everyone has pores—even people with the clearest of skin—and you can find them on pretty much every part of your body since they’re a necessary way for your body to regulate its own temperature and release toxins. Some people just happen to have more prominent pores than others, and they’re more noticeable in areas like your forehead, nose, and chin (the T-zone). Also, there’s a misconception that pores can open and close, depending on how you treat your skin. This isn’t true, as your pores are always open since they allow your skin to breathe.
What causes enlarged pores?
The true cause of large pores can be attributed to your genetics, but there are a handful of other factors that can make your pores appear larger. The biggest thing is sebum production. Sebum is another word for oil, and it’s naturally produced by your sebaceous glands to keep your skin healthy and moisturized. Sebum typically passes through the pores to get to the surface of the skin, but if your body produces a high amount of sebum (aka you have oily skin), said excess oil can sit in your pores, causing them to appear slightly larger.
But you don’t have to have naturally oily skin for your pores to appear larger. If you regularly wear heavy complexion makeup like foundation, concealer, blush, etc. without washing it off or exfoliating (more on that later), these products can sit on your skin and build up in your pores, making them appear larger. This also goes for oily skincare products (the formal term for this is “comedogenic”) that can sit on the surface of the skin and lead to clogged pores and, in some cases, acne and blackheads.
Also on the list of things that can increase the prominence of pores is aging. As you get older, your skin is more likely to lose elasticity (what stops your skin from sagging) and produce less collagen naturally. When this happens, your pores can become wider or more open since the
area around the pore isn’t being supported as much. Sun damage and excessive sun exposure can also cause your skin to age faster, so spending a lot of time in the sun without wearing proper sun protection can also contribute to loss of elasticity and the “growth” of your pore size if you’re not careful.
How can I reduce the appearance of large pores?
So now that we’ve covered the basics of what pores are and how and why they tend to appear larger at times, the million dollar question is this: can you actually shrink your pores? Not exactly.
Technically there’s no real way to shrink your pores or make them smaller, but there are things you can do to make your pores at least look smaller, and that starts with keeping them clean! You can start by regularly washing your face at the beginning and end of every day, especially if you frequently wear comedogenic makeup and skincare products. You may have also heard of things like steam treatments for opening the pores and loosening the dirt and gunk that’s stuck in them. These don’t actually open up the pores, since again, your pores are always open, but they do make the skin softer so that it’s easier to extract impurities without damaging your skin.
Probably the best way to clear out your pores at home is by exfoliation, and that’s precisely where our Centella 3% PHA Gentle Liquid Exfoliating Serum comes in.
What are PHAs?
PHAs are short for polyhydroxy acids, and while they’re in the same family as fellow chemical exfoliators, AHAs (alphy hydroxy acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acids), they’re slightly different.
PHAs can exfoliate away dead skin cells while also removing excess dirt and oil. The most common PHAs are gluconolactone, galactose, and lactobionic acid. Unlike AHAs, the molecules in PHAs are a bit larger, meaning that they don’t penetrate the skin as deeply and are less likely to cause irritation, so if your skin leans on the more sensitive side, this is a good type of exfoliant to turn to.
Our Centella 3% PHA Gentle Liquid Exfoliating Serum is a soft, non-sticky, liquid formula that uses PHAs to gently clear away dead skin while also clearing excess oil, makeup, and other
types of dirt from the pores, effectively getting rid of blackheads and acne while reducing pore size. It also contains vitamin C to help the skin maintain a bright, radiant complexion, and thanks to calming centella, which can reduce inflammation and redness, it’s gentle enough to be used daily.
This serum can be used in two ways. If clogged or enlarged pores are what you’re trying to target, apply the serum to freshly washed skin two to three times weekly to remove any buildup. If issues like blackheads, acne, or clogged pores are what you’re trying to prevent, you can use the serum once or twice weekly.
There’s actually a lot you can do to prevent your pores from appearing enlarged, it all just depends on what’s causing them to look that way in the first place. The bottom line? A regular skincare routine featuring a solid exfoliant, like a PHA, is one of your best defenses against clogged or enlarged pores.