How To Conceal The Appearance of Large Pores and Best Pore-Minimizing Products

I wish I could tell you that great skincare or luxurious facials can make large pores completely disappear, but the harsh reality is that you simply can’t get rid of them. Not all is lost however, there are some simple ways to diminish their appearance and achieve flawless, air-brushed skin. For me, the pores on my cheeks are my trouble area. Partly because of genetics and mostly because of my combination skin. When not managed properly, these enlarged pores make me feel very self-conscious about my appearance. I feel like they can age me and make me look worn-out. I’m not a dermatologist, but I love learning about skincare and wanted to share with you the steps and products that have helped me.

Here is how I keep my pores in check …

How Do Large Pores Come About

First things first: everyone has pores and pores are not ‘bad’. They secret the skin’s natural oil, known as sebum, which helps your skin feel soft and smooth. Occasionally, pores become clogged with excess sebum, dead skin cells and other impurities (makeup, dirt, grime), which make them appear larger than usual.

How To Prevent Pores From Clogging

Maintaining a consistent skincare routine specifically curated for your skin type is an important step to keep your pores from clogging. You should cleanse (double-cleanse at night if you’re wearing makeup or spf, more on that in a previous post here), tone the skin and moisturize at a minimum. Gently exfoliating 1-2 times per week is also something that will help unclog pores and refine the texture of your skin. Opt for non-comedogenic products whenever possible. That simply means the formulas won’t clog pores.

Best Pore-Minimizing Products

Now that we’ve established that we just simply can’t make large pores completely disappear, let’s focus on what we can do to diminish their appearance. Here are some of THE best pore minimizers I’ve come across, broken down by category:

Also shown in the photo is the NuFace Micro-Current Tonic device covered in a previous post here.

Cleansers:

When it comes to unclogging pores, an exfoliating cleanser will work best. But not all exfoliating cleansers have been created equal! I have had my fair share of dealing with textures and formulas that were just too abrasive and rough on my sensitive skin, thus causing more damage. The Fresh Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash is one of my current favorites. It’s made with real strawberries and sugar and it’s gentle enough to use daily. Another great option is the Elemis Superfood Blackcurrant Jelly Cleanser, a soft exfoliator with a glycerine base. Both products are excellent multi-taskers, cleansing the skin and gently removing dead skin cells from the surface. I don’t use these cleansers daily. I like to alternate between the two and use them 2-3 times per week. And I do share them with my husband, as men too should cleanse and exfoliate!

Cleansing Device:

The Foreo Luna is a highly innovative facial cleansing device using T-sonic technology designed to go deep into the layers of the skin. It gently cleanses, extracts dirt and impurities and unclogs pores. I use it 1-2 times per week on those nights when I don’t use the exfoliating cleansers mentioned above. I have an entire post dedicated to it: what it is, how it works, how it’s different than the Clarisonic and how I use it. See my previous post here. It’s stepped up my cleansing routine and I highly recommend it!

Toners:

Toners seemed so unimportant to me back when I first got into skincare. But have since become an intrinsic part of my daily routine. Not only does a toner remove the last traces of impurities from the skin, but it also refines the pores. Try Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant with Salicylic Acid. It’s a gentle facial toner that unclogs and shrinks enlarged pores on the face, visibly reduces redness and evens out skin tone. I use it a few times per week in the evening and it’s made such a difference!

Treatment Products:

There’s no secret that our skin changes as we age. Treatment products, such as serums, contain actives that can penetrate deep within the layers of the epidermis, resurfacing and re-texturizing the look of the skin. There are several different products that I have on rotation throughout the week. Most of these I’ve mentioned in prior posts: Sunday Riley Good Genes (see here), Sunday Riley Luna Oil (covered here), Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Serum (reviewed here) and Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol (previously mentioned here). Every few months, I like to use the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Peel Pads. This is a daily two-step formula containing a blend of AHAs/BHAs aiming to improve skin texture and deliver anti-aging actives. A while back I took the Dr. Dennis Gross 14-day skincare challenge and loved the results. My sensitive skin had no adverse reaction to these daily peels and my skin looked more radiant and smooth. I’ve been thinking about doing the challenge again and documenting my experience on the blog. Stay tuned!

Masks:

Masking is always a good idea! Use a mask to tackle your pores, while you relax, unwind and replenish. My favorite pore minimizers are the Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial Mask and the Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask. Simply put, the Drunk Elephant Sukari mask delivers the results of a facial but in 20 minutes and within the comfort of your home! Formulated with a 25% AHA / 2% BHA mixture of glycolic, tartaric, lactic, citric and salicylic acids, this mask visibly smooths texture, softens and improves the natural radiance of your skin. I like to use it once a week and follow with an essence and a hydrating serum such as the Drunk Elephant B-Hydra (reviewed here) or the Skinceuticals HA Intensifier (reviewed here) before moisturizing. The Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask is my most repurchased face mask to date. I covered it in a previous post here and prefer to always purchase it from here. 

Moisturizer:

One of my favorite moisturizers, perfect for the warmer months, is the Tatcha Watercream. It’s a dual-purpose cream that moisturizes and minimizes pores while providing your skin with long-lasting hydration. I use it in the morning.

Sunscreen:

The Supergoop Smooth + Poreless 100% Mineral Matte Screen SPF40 is another multi-tasker and my current favorite face spf. It works not only to provide broad spectrum protection from the harmful sun rays, but it also primes the skin for makeup application. It comes in universal tint color that seamlessly blends into the skin, blurring pores and fine lines. You have to try it! The formula is lightweight, has no spf scent, no white cast and leaves a soft-focus matte finish.

Makeup Primers:

A super quick way to conceal the appearance of pores is via the use of a blurring primer! These products are miracle-workers, smoothing the skin and making pores disappear in a snap! I’ve tested quite a few primers over the years. The ones that stood out the most to me are the Tatcha Silk Canvas, Dermalogica HydraBlur Primer (previously mentioned here) and Chanel Le Blanc Multi-Use Primer. These products are lightweight on the skin and work wonders at improving texture. They minimize pores and fine lines, imparting a luminous finish to the skin.

Do you struggle with your pores the way I do? What products have helped you diminish their appearance? Please do share in the comments below.

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