Our skin is sort of like a sponge. It has bazillions of tiny little holes or pores. Now, the bigger your pores, the more problems you’re going to face. What happens is dirt, grime, and sweat get stuck in these pores, making your skin the perfect breeding ground for all sorts of nasty bacteria. That’s why you get pimples and blackheads and other horrible stuff on your skin. So, it’s necessary for you to help close those pores, so that the bacteria don’t get into your skin in the first place!
Your pores tend to be largest on your forehead, your nose, and your cheeks. That’s why most of the blackheads and pimples tend to happen in those exact areas of your face. We know how important skin care is. We also know that most artificial creams and solutions may contain ingredients that might harm you in the long run. So we searched far and wide, and found these amazing tips on how to reduce pore size, naturally!
Suggested read: 12 superb home remedies to get rid of uneven skin tone
1. Wash your face
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This is the most basic and THE MOST important step that so many people tend to ignore! It might seem like pretty obsolete advice, when you’re suffering from acne that JUST WON’T GO! But trust us, proper skin cleansing really helps out in the long run. Wash your face up to 4 times a day. Your skin tends to secrete oil overnight, so your face tends to have more oil (that dirt can stick to) during the morning. So always wash your face properly after waking up!
Irrespective of whether you leave the house or not, your face will accumulate dirt and grime throughout the day. So try to wash your face every few hours. Finally, wash your face one last time before going to bed to get that last bit of gunk out. Of course, make sure you do not wash your face more than 4-5 times a day, because that will dry your skin out way too much, leading to even more skin problems.
2. Steam and exfoliate
You should exfoliate your skin every day! It will help scrub off the dirt and the gross bits off your skin, thus preventing any eruptions or black/whiteheads. The artificial microbeads in most face washes/scrubs might be harmful to the skin, so skip the store-bought face scrubs and go for a healthier, more natural option. Sugar, rice bran or ground almonds, are amazing exfoliators! Mix any of the three, with either coconut oil (for dry/combination skin) or with milk (for oily skin), and rub the mixture slowly, but deliberately in circular motions all over your face and neck and then wash off with lukewarm water (and soap if you’re using oil). Once a week, go for a proper steam to help unclog your pores and allow the soaps and exfoliators to do their magic!
3. Baking soda exfoliation
First off, if you have sensitive skin, then this might cause some irritation, so make sure you swatch the mix on a tiny patch of skin to see if it suits your skin. Baking soda helps balance the pH of your skin, and also helps remove dirt particles. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of warm water to create a paste. Apply this mixture on your face using circular motions and massage it gently into your skin for deep cleansing. Leave it on for around 30 seconds and then rinse the paste off with cool water. Use this mixture every day for a week (7 days) and then reduce the frequency to 3 to 5 times a week.
4. Apple cider vinegar cleanser
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Apple cider vinegar is nature’s gift to sucky skin. Seriously. Apple cider vinegar is a natural pH balancer (keeps your skin from becoming too dry or too oily) and is an extremely potent anti-bacterial and anti-microbial remedy. Although, always remember to dilute ACV before using it, to protect your skin. To make an apple cider vinegar cleanser, simply mix equal parts of ACV and water. Use a cotton ball to apply this mixture all over your face (especially in the areas where you tend to break out the most). Leave it on for a few minutes and then rinse it off with cool water.
Suggested read: The lazy girl’s guide to younger looking skin
5. Oatmeal, nutmeg, and garlic mask
Oatmeal might taste like snail brain, but it is a total bae when it comes to exfoliation. Nutmeg has excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that clean your skin like it’s nobody’s business. Garlic is an amazing pore minimizer and pimple reducer. In our fight against bad skin, garlic is our sassy little Iron Man that will cleanse your skin and prepare it against all that evil oil build-up. Simply mix half a cup of unsweetened oatmeal with a teaspoon of nutmeg and 2 teaspoons of garlic oil. This mixture is incredibly potent, so do a little swatch test on the inside of your arm to make sure it suits your skin. If it does, go ahead and apply it all over your pretty little face, rubbing in gentle circular motions. Leave it on for a few minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water. Use this scrub/mask daily for visible results!
6. Fuller’s Earth clay mask
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Fuller’s Earth is an absolute godsend for those with oily but sensitive skin. It cools your skin and makes it soft like a baby’s behind, all while deeply cleansing it of any impurities. Fuller’s Earth absorbs excess oil better than any oil-absorbing sheets/drops/whatever. It helps close pores, and, just as an added bonus cuz we love you, it also helps reduce blemishes, scars, and sun damage on your skin! Yay! Mix Fuller’s Earth with rose water to create a smooth, but not runny paste and apply it on your face and neck. Leave the mask on for around 25 minutes or till it dries completely. Take a wet flannel or towel and wipe it off, scrubbing gently. Wash off the remaining bits with cool water, and then apply a gentle moisturizer or toner on your face. Apply this mask at least twice a week for beautiful, soft skin!
7. Aloe, cucumber, and brown sugar mask
Aloe vera and cucumber have cooling properties that help adjust the pH levels of your skin and cleanse and hydrate it. Brown sugar is an excellent exfoliator. Mix equal parts cucumber pulp, fresh aloe vera juice, and brown sugar to form a thick paste. If your pores are especially large, then double up on the sugar content to help exfoliate your skin and really cleanse it of dead skin, dirt, and bacteria. Apply this mask on your face, leave it on for a few minutes, and then scrub away! Finally, wash it off with cool water, for fresh looking, healthy skin.
8. Yogurt
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Yogurt is very good for minimizing pores and reducing blemishes on your skin. It contains lactic acid which helps reduce your pore size, tighten your skin, absorb excess oil, and remove dead skin cells and other impurities from your skin. Simply apply some unflavored and unsweetened yogurt all over your face before taking a shower every day. Remember to leave it on for around 10 minutes to allow it to work its magic.
9. Egg white and lemon juice
Egg white face masks work great miracles for absorbing excess oil from greasy skin. The egg white and lemon juice face mask helps shrink large pores and tighten skin. You could use a variety of combinations of the two ingredients to help reduce pore size.
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a. Egg white face pack: Whip the white of an egg and spread it evenly all over your face. Wait for it to dry out completely, and then rinse it off. As the egg white dries, it pulls debris and other gunk out of pores and tightens the skin. Use this face pack once or twice a week for best results.
b. Egg white face mask: Whisk the white of two eggs and mix freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 of a lemon). Apply it evenly on your face. Leave it on for 10 minutes or till it dries out completely. Finally, rinse it off with water. Apply this mask a few times a week for gorgeous skin!
c. Egg white face scrub: Whisk the white of an egg and mix with it, 2 tablespoons each, of lemon juice and oatmeal. Apply it all over your face and leave it on for 30 minutes. Finally, scrub it off and rinse your face with cool water. Apply this scrub twice a week for visible results.
Suggested read: 25 most effective home remedies for glowing skin
10. Avocado
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Avocado is a superfood. So, there are at least a trillion benefits associated with eating and applying avocado! Mash half an avocado and mix it with olive oil (another beauty bae). Slather this goop nicely all over your face, leave it on for a few minutes, and then rinse it off with lukewarm water. You may then proceed to marvel at the perfection that is your skin.
So these were our top tips on how to reduce pore size naturally. Like most skin problems, this too roots from an unhealthy lifestyle. So, our absolute favorite tip on how to reduce pores would be to eat healthy and keep your skin clean and hydrated!
Featured image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
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