The strategy for perfect pores must begin with an internal focus. Otherwise you'll be playing a frustrating game of whack-a-mole. Remember that game? You think you're doing well by hitting a poor defenseless mole on the head, but little do you know, there are thousands more hiding deep beneath the surface just waiting for you to wear yourself out. I could not have made any traction in my skin care journey if I hadn't first identified foods that triggered flare ups. For me, it was wheat. Perhaps you are sensitive to dairy, sugar or fried foods? I love fried foods, but I know that eventually, my body will use my skin as a method of elimination of the greasy oils. I might not break out, but my skin looks terrible as extra stress are placed on my pores. Not a good look. Do yourself a favor, identify the foods that trigger your skin and avoid them.
No matter how many products you use, you won't experience healthy skin unless your water intake is right. Water, my friends, will allow those slip ups from time to time without devastating consequences. Without enough water, you can pretty much give up on your hopes of having smooth, clear skin. Once you get your water intake right. The you can being the process of clearing out your pores.
The easiest, most effective method of pore cleansing is a good facial steaming session. When my skin was at its worse, I attempted an experiment where I steamed several times a week. My skin glowed as a result. All the stuff just beneath the surface was coaxed out and soon my skin looked darn near perfect. Don't limit yourself to only experiencing steam cleansing at the spa. Get your own high quality steamer and treat yo' self. Once the pores are opened up by the steam, it's the perfect time to do a deep clearing mask. My favorite mask of all time is the GlamGlow. It's what a pore cleansing mask was meant to be. Seriously, it works. It's not the cheapest product but, it's well worth it's weight in gold. If you want to whip up you own batch of this mask DIY style, check out this post.
Oil production, dirt and makeup are constantly waging war against our pores. That's why I thank God every day for my Clarisonic Plus. Congestion can get really bad on my nose. Within days of being out of town, my nose gets all bumpy. After one or two uses of my Clarisonic, my nose is back in the game. I can no longer live without this tool. I can't.
Once we've got all the internal stuff covered, it's time to create a smooth external surface. Removal of the top layer of skin is essential if you want the look of flawlessness. Chemical peels do just that. I love the convenience of Dr. Gross Alpha Beta peels for daily removal of dead skin and to improve overall texture. If you need a little more help to look extra perfect, try a primer that erases pores like Benefit's Porefessional. I've heard it referred to as "Magic in a Tube." Lots of great reviews for how this product erases and hides pores. This is a must have for everyone of us. Why walk around with troubled looking skin if you don't have to?
Bye bye pores.
