Wondering how to shrink pores naturally? Well, we’ve got some bad news and some good news. To start with the bad news: You can’t really shrink your pores – unless you’re willing to undergo several treatments at the dermatologist’s office.
For the most part, though, it’s generally agreed that pore size is caused by some factors that are outside our control. Damn genetics!
The good news? There are a lot of things you can do to make your pores look smaller, as well as to prevent them from growing larger. And this doesn’t consist of slathering on makeup in order to hide your pores.
No, we’re talking about a number of clever strategies that take the pore size you’ve been given and make it appear much, much smaller.
The best news is that you can do all this without expensive – and painful – sessions at the dermatologist’s office. In fact, you can start right at home. Armed with know how and the best pore tightening tools and tips, you’ll be well on your way to smaller, tighter, less visible pores.
Here’s your guide on how to shrink pores naturally!
Steam to open and detox pores
The biggest culprits behind big pores are controllable factors like dirt, oil and dead skin cells that build up inside your pores to make them look larger and more visible.
So the first thing you want to do is keep your pores clear and free of these culprits and facial steaming is an all-natural, effective way to do it.
Face steaming is simply a very gentle skin treatment that opens your pores so you can clean out excess oil, dirt and grime. Here’s how it works: the moisture from the steam softens the surface layer of dead skin cells, which helps to free dead cells, dirt, bacteria and other debris as well as soften hardened sebum inside your pores.
The warm humidity from the steaming also increases blood circulation and perspiration, allowing your pores to detoxify wastes and toxins . This is why you get a rosy glow after steaming, like you just exercised.
Extra perk? The gentle pore cleansing and opening created by the warm steam allows your skin to better absorb any other products you use after the steaming.
How to do it?
WITH A FACIAL STEAMER
- Panasonic EH-SA33-P Pink | Nano-e NanoCare Facial Steamer 100V 50-60Hz (Japanese...
- Pink
This facial steamer is small but powerful – it goes up to 40 degrees C (104 F)!
WITH HOT WATER
- An Intoxicating Blend Of Organic, Radiance-Boosting Flora To Detox & Renew Your Skin
- Beauty Steam Opens The Skin's Pores For Deep Cleansing & Hydration
- Formulated To Bring Vitality To Your Skin, Ridding Your Pores Of Dirt & Dead Skin,...
Skin Owl has a pre-prepared skin potpourri blend to aid detox and soothe skin!
You have two options. You can get your own facial steamer to use at home for this very purpose. Or you can go the DIY route by heating a pot of water to create your own steamer.
Once it’s hot, take it off the heat, and lean over the pot with a towel draped over your head, to hold in the steam. BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET TOO CLOSE! Steam the skin for about five minutes.
To take it up a notch, you can mix in dried herbs like rose, lavender, chamomile and comfrey to create a spa-like experience. Skin Owl's Organic Beauty Steam is an already prepared blend of organic herbs to detox and rejuvenate your skin!
Do a regular pore shrinking mask to clear and tighten
Facial masks don’t just feel luxurious, they’re great for clearing out your pores and reducing excess oiliness, which helps your pores look smaller and tighter. After all, there’s nothing worse than that look of oil oozing out of large pores.
There are a lot of facial masks on the market, but the best pore shrinking mask ingredients are Clays and Activated Charcoal.
Activated charcoal has been used for years in the treatment of drug or alcohol overdoses because it has the unique ability to be able to combine with toxins in our bodies – it essentially ‘traps’ these impurities and prevents their absorption into our blood. Activated charcoal works in the same manner on your skin, drawing toxins and grime out that would otherwise clog your pores.
Clays have the same sort of absorbent nature and when mixed with water, swell to become a porous sponge that can draw out and soak up the gunk residing in clogged pores. Used regularly, these masks can keep the skin free of oil and dead skin cells, leaving pores tighter and skin looking clearer and brighter.
How to do it?
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
- HIGHEST QUALITY: Made of 100% pure activated charcoal, our powder is all-natural food...
- MADE IN THE USA: Our product is made from US Hardwood - natural activated carbon at...
- IDEAL FOR DETOXIFICATION & CLEANSING: A food grade, natural, organic material; it’s...
BENTONITE CLAY
- Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is a deep pore cleansing facial, hair and body mask
- 100% Natural Calcium Bentonite Clay that’s great for facials, body wraps, clay...
- Shrink-wrapped with a non-tear Calcium Bentonite Clay security sticker on the lid
We recommend everyone – seriously, everyone – who’s struggling with oily skin and enlarged pores to have a jar of Activated Charcoal powder and Bentonite Clay at home. Because with just these two ingredients, you can create an endless variety of DIY pore shrinking masks.
You can combine them together and with natural ingredients like oats, yogurt, witch hazel as well as essential oils like Tea tree oil and Thyme oil. The variety is never-ending!
You can also opt for ready-made pore shrinking masks that contain a cornucopia of pore-clearing, pore-tightening ingredients. Find the best pore minimizing masks here!
Take skin supplements to tighten pores from the inside out
You already know that one of the biggest culprits of large pores is when dirt, grime and excess sebum collect in your pores. Another contributing factor is age. As you get older, your skin loses its elasticity, which can cause your pores to look bigger.
There are a number of things you can do to tighten your skin but one of easiest, most natural options is through supplements. The best ones to firm and tighten your skin from the inside out?
FISH OIL
- 2000 milligrams of fish oil delivers 1400 milligrams of Omega-3 fatty acids per...
- The best Omega-3 Fish Oil for adults- helps to support heart, brain, eye and immune...
- Made from fresh, wild-caught fish so you get up to 3x more Omega-3 fatty acids....
COLLAGEN
- Collagen is one of the most important nutrients needed to ensure the health and...
- Each scoop contains 11grams of Type 1&3 Collagen Peptides with 18 Amino Acids...
- Flavorless and mixes easily - use it in your favorite recipes (smoothies, soups, Keto...
VITAMIN C
- Features Non GMO Vitamin C – Beware of low-quality vitamin C supplements and where...
- Vitamin C With Bioflavonoids & Rose Hips – Protect yourself all season long with...
- Supports Collagen For Hair, Skin, Nails & Joints – Often going under the radar, vit...
- Fish oil. Fish oil isn’t just good for your heart and joints, it’s also really beneficial for your skin. As you get older, your skin’s production of new skin cells and fibers decreases. That’s where fish oil steps in – it’s been proven to rebuild skin cells, improving overall skin firmness.
- Collagen. You knew this one would make the list, right? Collagen is a protein made of amino acids found in the skin – and it’s a very important protein that provides plumpness and elasticity. We naturally lose collagen as we get older, leading to thinner, saggier skin that can make pores appear larger. So it’s smart to supplement, especially since it’s been shown to improve skin elasticity. Make sure you go for collagen hydrolysate (CH) as it’s the most effective kind.
- Vitamin C. This famous skin vitamin in a must have since it must be present for the body to form collagen.
Exfoliate to keep pores clean and clear
Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Skin continually sheds dead cells. These cells often become lodged in pores, adding to the debris that enlarges these pores. That’s why exfoliation is crucial since it removes pore-enlarging dead cells, reducing the chance of buildup.
If your skin can take it, work in a gentle exfoliation every day or every other day. For more sensitive skin, make exfoliation a one to three times a week event.
When we say “exfoliation” – we don’t mean rough, abrasive scrubs like St. Ives Apricot Scrub. No, it’s best to stick to exfoliators that contain a proven sloughing ingredient that doesn’t scrape off dead skin but rather gently breaks down dead skin cells to remove them from your pores. Alpha hydroxy acid (AHAs), beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) and even fruit enzymes are best for this.
How to do it?
PORE-FECTING PAPAYA ENZYME MASK
- One 0.3 oz. single-use Alba Botanica Hawaiian Pore-Fecting Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask
- Five-minute treatment dissolves away dull skin and impurities
- Made with pore-refining pineapple and skin-brightening papaya enzymes
RESURFACING PUMPKIN ENZYME MASK
- Beauty product
- This item is not a tester
- Packaging may vary
There are tons of great, gentle and effective natural exfoliators you can get your hands on that use natural ingredients like papaya enzymes and pumpkin enzymes.
And of course, you can also whip up DIY exfoliator right at home. Some smart natural ingredients include yogurt for its gently exfoliating lactic acid content, raw papaya or raw figs mixed with small exfoliating beads like colloidal oatmeal or rice powder.
