Having pores on our faces for some reason seems to be a heightened topic of beauty conversations.

Our entire body is covered in pores, so why are we only concerned about the ones on our face?

Every single pore has a purpose and was designed to be visible.

Granted some people have bigger pores than others. Some places on our bodies have larger pores, for me, I have larger pores on my nose. Nowhere else on my face are my pores visible.

There is a reason they are there and they are to help our skin regulate moisture.

There are 2 types of pores on our skin, oily pores and sweat pores.

Pores on Our Face

The ones which are seeming to be a cause for concern for makeup wearers are the ones on our faces. The pores on our faces are oil pores and they produce sebum. Sebum is a waxy type substance our bodies produce to help protect our skin.

Depending on your skin type will explain why your pores are a certain size.

If you are someone who suffers from oily skin, especially an oily T-zone it is highly likely you have large pores in this area.

Someone who has dry skin is likely to have smaller pores in this area. If you have dry skin you are producing less sebum.

Much like our skin type our pore size is something that is genetically predetermined. There is nothing that can be done to change our pore size permanently.

Enlarged Pores

There are a number of lifestyle factors which can enlarge our pores. Dehydration is a key factor we can help eliminate by drinking more water.

Much like the rest of our skin, UV exposure can damage our skin and thicken it. This is especially on our noses as this is a place we commonly get sunburnt, I know I do. If you have been in the sun without any SPF you might find you have larger pores than normal. Your pores will stay like this while the skin tries to repair itself and produces excess sebum to keep the area moisturised.

Ageing skin is another factor you might notice your pores have got larger. As we lose the collagen our skin naturally produces our skin sags making our pores stretch and appear larger.

Smoking is one of the top contributing factors to having large pores. You will often find that smokers have larger pores along with wrinkly skin more so than non-smokers. This is due to the toxic chemicals being put into your body by smoking and restricting blood flow.

An incorrect skincare routine can enlarge your pores. Using an overly oily product on an already oily area can cause build-up. This build-up will sit in our pores and make them look larger until they are cleansed.

Reduce Pore Size

There isn’t a permanent way to shrink your pores.

This is something you need to maintain if it causes you concern.

If you are looking to take some steps to shrink your pores try drinking more water.

Daily cleansing is an absolute must. If you have oily skin washing your face and cleansing twice a day is a good idea. Rather than leaving the sebum sitting on your face for the full 24-hour cleanse as part of your nighttime routine. This will also help avoid sudden breakouts .

Hopefully, these tips will give you some ideas on what to do to improve the appearance of your pores. I now ensure my T-zone especially is always cleansed properly and day to day my pores do look better.

Like most topics relating to skincare, there isn’t a quick fix.

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