We'll tell you what to do if you have this problem.
Enlarged pores—small holes in the skin that release oil and sweat—may seem like a teen problem, but they're actually one of the hidden signs of aging skin.
The bad news: You can't change the number of pores you have or their natural size, which is determined genetically and can get larger over the years. “Collagen, which strengthens pore walls to make them appear tighter, breaks down as we age,” explains Shari Marchbein, MD, a dermatologist in New York City.
Good news: There are solutions to reduce their appearance (and give you a more youthful-looking face), from quick-acting pore-enhancing treatments to in-office pore therapy.
Wash your face regularly (and thoroughly)
It's no surprise that minimizing pores starts with good skin care, and one of the easiest ways to minimize pores is to always cleanse them thoroughly. However, according to a GH study, 12% of women do not use facial cleansers regularly. “When dirt clogs pores, they expand and appear larger. So it's important to always cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser, especially before bed, to remove excess dirt and oil, explains Margarita Lolis, MD, a dermatologist in Hackensack, New Jersey.
“To cover all areas of the face, including the hairline and around the nose, where dirt can accumulate and clog pores, apply cleanser from the middle of the face up, then down the hairline and around the perimeter just below the chin,” says senior beauty lab chemist Good Housekeeping Institute Sabine Wiesemann. Using a facial cleansing brush has shown in GH Beauty Lab testing that it can help provide an even deeper clean.
In addition to daily cleansing, always use clean makeup brushes (clean them at least once a week) and never touch your face with your fingers. Your complexion (and your makeup brushes!) will thank you.
Weightless care: veil
This is a universal product that allows you not only to provide the skin with proper care, but also to give you a feeling of freshness, as well as keep your makeup flawless throughout the day. The secret of the veil lies in the unique technology of its creation, due to which it provides effective hydration, regenerates hydrobalance and promotes faster renewal of epidermal cells, thereby healing microdamages. By regularly using the veil, you will forever forget about such troubles as peeling and the feeling of “tightness” that often occurs after washing.
Of course, it’s not always worth chasing trends, and even if you decide to try multi-misting, you don’t need to immediately throw away your favorite booster or facial toner. It’s enough just to introduce the right thermal or floral water into your daily beauty regimen and you will certainly notice positive changes.
While you are choosing the product you need, don’t forget to share our article on social networks.
Exfoliate your skin twice a week
Unlike cleansing alone, exfoliation helps remove and cleanse dead skin cells that can clog or block pores. "Exfoliation can be achieved in several ways, both physical (such as facial scrubs or a cleansing brush) and chemical (products with gentle acids that promote cell regeneration)," says Joyce Imajierobo-Ip, MD, a Dedham dermatologist. , Massachusetts, and consultant for HydroPeptide.
Look for gentle cleansers that contain low concentrations of salicylic (0.5-1%), lactic or glycolic acid (2.5-5%), which will stimulate cell turnover and keep pores clear.” You can also try using a prescription topical retinoid, which can increase cell turnover, thereby exfoliating pores and making them appear smaller.
“Cocktail” for skin care from the inside
Let us warn you right away: before using any medications, be sure to consult your doctor. We will only list those substances that help maintain the required level of moisture in the body:
- Antioxidants. They fight free radicals. For those who don't know, if you don't fight them, they will damage the cell membrane, resulting in water loss. One of the most popular antioxidants available to each of us is green tea.
- Anti-inflammatory substances and foods. Inflammation leads to the formation of free radicals in the skin, which, as you remember, lead to loss of moisture. At this stage, add oatmeal, ginger and turmeric to the grocery basket.
- Hydrophobic substances (for example, ceramides, these are found in spinach and brown rice), which, again, retain fluid and support the protective function of the skin.
- Lecithin to strengthen cell walls. There is quite a lot of it in buckwheat, peas, beef, eggs, and caviar.
What else could you eat to look younger? We tell you: Products for old age: what you need to eat to avoid wrinkles.
And a few more rules
Drink water at room temperature, because cold drinks put additional stress on the body. As a result, we waste energy, and this, again, leads to loss of moisture. This is such a vicious circle.
You've probably heard that the best way to start your day is with a glass of water with lemon. This is true. During the night, our body becomes severely dehydrated. It turns out that in the morning he urgently needs to be supported with warm water. And vitamin C will also charge you with energy. Finally, another way to get hydration without drinking eight glasses is to eat foods that are high in water content. These are cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, watermelon, orange and other fruits and vegetables.
So, we’ve sorted out the healthy foods, but what shouldn’t you eat? It’s sad, but barbecue (and not only) is prohibited: Muesli, milk and 5 other products that kill youth.
Moisturize your skin twice a day every day
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You already know what can happen to your skin if you stop moisturizing it (dryness, flaking, irritation). Enlarged pores are another problem. "It's important to use a high-quality, non-comedogenic facial moisturizer twice daily," says Dr. Imajierobo-Ip. Regularity is key in this case, so you should apply the product morning and evening. "If you leave your skin without hydration, it will react by producing excessive oil, which can clog your pores," he says.
Wash your face with soda and take off. The story of Yogi Dasha
I have been teaching yoga for many years and I am always happy when among my students there are specialists who help people and share their experience. When Dasha first came to our class, I didn’t take her seriously.
The girl brought with her several bottles of sparkling water, which shocked all our experienced yogis. Soda doesn't go well with yoga. Drinking it due to the large amount of gases is not recommended, as it causes even greater thirst and leads to an imbalance in the body. Many of us thought that Dasha was an inexperienced practitioner. Experienced yogis did not attach much importance to her words when she admitted that she washes her face with mineral water every morning.
Later it turned out that Daria is an experienced cosmetologist and is also well versed in yoga practices. According to my new friend, some oriental beauties have been treating skin problems with mineral water for a long time.
Daria admitted that she sometimes adds mineral water to the bath before bathing. In her opinion, tap water dries out the skin, while soda, on the contrary, refreshes and invigorates.
Apply sunscreen every day
Daily use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher is an essential part of any skin care regimen for healthy skin and anti-aging, including preventing enlarged pores. “Ultraviolet radiation not only causes sun damage like wrinkles and dark spots, but it also breaks down collagen and elastin, causing pores to widen,” says Dr. Solis.
“The best way to prevent enlarged pores is to protect yourself from the sun.” Some sunscreens can make skin look shiny or oily by emphasizing pores, so choose an oil-free or lightweight gel formula with a matte finish.
Garden on your dressing table: floral water
The product with such a romantic name is created by steam distillation and is based on the base of one or more plants. Such cosmetics do not contain heavy essential oils, but at the same time they retain valuable substances, providing more gentle and gentle care. Since the properties of floral water are determined by the plant from which it is made, it is necessary to select the right product individually, knowing exactly the characteristics of your skin. For example, a product based on rose petals helps cope with the first signs of aging and prevents rosacea, and if the base is olive, then such water perfectly nourishes and moisturizes the epidermis.
Choose a mask that suits your skin type
They're not just a good way to relax, face masks can also tighten your pores over time. “Home treatments such as facials and peels work with consistent long-term use,” says Dr. Imajierobo-Ip. Incorporate once or twice a week into your beauty routine. If you have large pores and oily skin, masks containing ingredients like clay or charcoal will work best for you.
For other skin types, "multitasking" by applying these formulas to the T-zone (forehead, nose and chin), where pores tend to be most visible, is best.
What can be substituted at home?
Thermal water is a miracle of nature; its proven composition is difficult to replicate on your own. But a distant analogue can be created! You will get something like a light tonic.
The first option is herbal : take an infusion of linden, green tea or chamomile, add 2-3 drops of essential oil (you can opt for peppermint oil or rosemary oil).
Shake the resulting mixture and pour into a spray bottle. You can also safely use hydropath as a replacement for thermal water. Its disadvantage is that it should not be carried in a purse, but rather stored in the refrigerator.
In addition, there is a common brand of mineral water, which is quite close in its properties to thermal water - this is “Essentuki No. 17” .
Add a little lemon juice and a couple of drops of mint oil to the mineral water.
All you have to do is find a convenient bottle! And homemade thermal water is ready.
Consider laser treatment
To permanently reduce the size of your pores, see a dermatologist who can recommend professional laser treatments. “A series of treatments using non-ablative lasers builds collagen, resulting in smoother skin and smaller pores,” explains Dr. Lolis.
Another option is Fraxel laser treatment, which resurfaces the skin and reduces the appearance of enlarged pores, explains Ellie Summers, a medical esthetician at Tribeca MedSpa in New York City. “Fraxel technology uses heat to create controlled microscopic wounds in the skin to stimulate the body to produce new collagen, resulting in a smoother texture and clearer pores.”
Tap, melt or mineral – which water to choose?
We have dealt with tap water in its original form - it is not recommended to use it without preparation, either for drinking or for washing. After filtering, it becomes quite suitable for any purpose, but in search of a better alternative, beauties and cosmetologists tried many other types.
One of the most accessible is rain or melt, depending on the season. Its main advantage is its natural softness. It is believed that water obtained by melting snow has biostimulant properties, and its molecular structure is similar to water in the body's cells, so it easily penetrates tissues and activates metabolic processes.
Some models and actresses use exclusively mineral water to wash their hair. It contains many useful substances that have a beneficial effect on the skin. This is an excellent and affordable nourishing and restorative product. It is better to use water collected directly from the source. In the store you need to choose a non-carbonated type or completely release the bubbles from the bottle. The optimal salt content is up to 500 mg/l. In summer, water can be collected in spray bottles and moisturize the skin. Microscopic sprays refresh, moisturize and provide micro-massage. Sea water is not inferior in usefulness to mineral water. It actively nourishes, soothes and treats rashes and redness. It can be frozen and cubes can be used to rub the face in contrast.
Skin is a kind of indicator of the general condition of the body. Any health problems, stress or poor nutrition cause her condition to worsen. Using good water for drinking and washing will maintain its natural elasticity and beauty.
Contraindications and harm of thermal water
The beauty of this natural product is that it can be used at any age, for almost all diagnoses. The only thing you need to be careful with is allergies. There is a minimal risk that the body will react negatively to such a cosmetic product.
If you have skin diseases, you should use water only after consulting your doctor.
Thermal water recipes for the face
Having figured out what this product is, many are wondering whether it is possible to prepare an analogue of industrial production products at home. You can find tips on how to make thermal water on the Internet. And yet, it is worth understanding that it will not be possible to exactly replicate a product created by nature. Although you can get a useful product that will help maintain water-salt balance and eliminate inflammation and irritation on the skin.
The simplest option is to buy high-quality mineral water and leave the bottle open overnight. Along with the gases, some salts will leave it. After this, all that remains is to pour the liquid into a convenient spray bottle to spray on your face.
You can use the following thermal water recipe. For it, in addition to mineral water, you will need the healing stone shungite and dried linden blossom.
Preparation takes place in several stages:
- Shungite is filled with mineral water. For a 100-gram stone, take 3 liters of water without gas. Let it steep in a glass jar for three days.
- On the last day, prepare a decoction of 1 teaspoon of linden blossom, pouring it with water from a jar of shungite (100 ml). It is important to keep the infusion in a steam bath for five minutes.
- After the broth has cooled, it is filtered several times.
- Next, you need to combine simple shungite mineral water with linden infusion in equal proportions. Do-it-yourself thermal water is ready!
