The Best Skincare for Pores for a Matte, Airbrushed Look
The best skincare for pores typically includes products that make pores appear smaller by exfoliating your skin to unclog pores. The truth is, you cannot get rid of pores. You can, however, reduce their appearance. Pores play an important role in helping the skin to release sebum to leave it naturally moisturized. That being said, we can still strive for smooth skin.
What skincare tightens pores? Whether it’s a cleanser, toner, or moisturizer, there are plenty of skincare products out there that can help to reduce the appearance of pores. Ahead, the best skincare for large pores and which ingredients you should be looking out for. Plus, the best skincare routine for clogged pores to leave skin looking airbrushed.
What are Pores?
Pores are small openings to the hair follicles that appear as tiny dots on the surface of your skin. There are two types of pore: one releases sebum and the other releases sweat. Pores enable sweat and sebum to move from the glands to the skin’s surface, helping to keep it supple and hydrated.
Large pores happen due to clogged pores. When the pore becomes filled with excess oil, impurities, dead skin cells, and product residue, it stretches the pore, making it appear larger.
What Skincare is Good for Large Pores?
Exfoliation is one of the best treatments for large pores. While you can’t technically shrink your pore size, you can decongest the pores to make them appear less visible. And the way to do this is with the right skincare ingredients. Here are some of the best ingredients to include in your skincare routine to combat the buildup of excess sebum and dead cells for smaller looking pores.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that gently exfoliates the skin. Because it’s oil-soluble, it penetrates deep into pores and removes dead skin cells. Salicylic acid dissolves the bonds between your skin cells to clean out and unclog your pores, making it highly effective at the reducing the appearance of pores. At the same time, it helps to banish blackheads and whiteheads by decongesting the pores.
Glycolic Acid
This alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) is another good option for minimizing pores. It helps to remove dead cells and unclog pores, which can reduce their appearance. What’s more, it can help to improve skin texture while tackling hyperpigmentation. Glycolic acid is water-soluble so it doesn’t penetrate as deeply as salicylic acid. However, it still does a good job at sloughing away buildup to clean out gunk and detox the pores. Plus, it offers a subtle brightening effect to diminish dullness and leave skin with a healthy glow.
Retinol
While it’s widely known for its anti-aging benefits, retinol is also one of the best skincare for pores. It increases cell production which, in turn, unclogs pores. By spurring cell turnover and production, fresh new skin cells replace old ones. Retinol also increases collagen production, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines, giving skin a plump appearance.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil has been proven effective in treating acne and large pores. While acids are usually recommended when it comes to targeting pores, jojoba oil works just as well. Because it’s so similar to sebum, jojoba oil supports a healthy oil balance while helping dissolve blackheads and whiteheads. It also prevents excess sebum production, which stops your pores from getting clogged. Jojoba oil is an excellent option for people with dry skin and sensitive skin as it doesn’t strip or irritate the skin.
Black Charcoal
Black charcoal deep cleans the pores by drawing out toxins and impurities while absorbing excess oil. In turn, it can help improve skin texture and pore size while preventing blemishes. It can also act as a mild exfoliant by removing dead cells on the surface of the skin, decongesting the pores.
Best Skincare for Pores
As for which products to use, we’ve gone ahead and created a list of some of our favorite pore-refining products that will help you achieve smooth, radiant skin. Ahead, the best pore minimizing products that will lead you on the path to matte-like skin.
Truly’s Glass Skin Set
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If you have dry or sensitive skin and large pores, Truly’s Glass Skin Set is the perfect choice. You get: a 2-in-1 cleansing balm + makeup remover plus a facial serum—a 2-step routine to leave skin baby-smooth. Formulated with jojoba oil and niacinamide, this duo balances oil production, melts away impurities, and leaves skin fresh, radiant, and clear. Suitable for all skin types.
Why we love it:
✓ Visibly reduces pore size
✓ Lightweight and gentle on skin
✓ Vegan, cruelty-free, fragrance-free
Truly’s 24K Black Soap Luxury Butter Impurity Cleanser
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All the dermatologists recommend salicylic acid for minimizing pores. With a base of sugar blended with salicylic acid and African black soap, you get the benefits of both chemical and physical exfoliation to give your pores the ultimate power clean.
Why we love it:
✓ Targets breakouts, large pores, and dark spots
✓ Perfect for oily skin and acne-prone skin
✓ Vegan, cruelty-free, clean
Truly’s KP Treatment Routine
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Those rough bumps on your upper arms (AKA, KP or strawberry skin) occur when keratin clogs your pores. Truly’s KP Treatment Routine is a long-time bestseller that features a winning lineup of hydrating, exfoliating, and barrier-bolstering products to cleanse the pores and balance oil for irresistibly smooth, nourished skin. Powered by retinol, glycolic acid, vitamin C, and niacinamide—all the greats for tackling large pores.
Why we love it:
✓ Effectively clears pores and refines skin
✓ 3,000+ five star reviews
✓ Vegan, cruelty-free, clean
Truly’s Black Jelly Blemish Body Serum
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Looking for a quick fix for enlarged pores? Dab on this lightweight, quick-drying serum that draws out impurities with tea tree, black charcoal, and witch hazel. It gives skin a clean, healthy feeling while improving the appearance of acne scars.
Why we love it:
✓ Lightweight and flash-absorbing
✓ Deep cleans with antimicrobial, antibacterial ingredients
✓ Vegan, cruelty-free, clean
Truly’s Bodne Routine
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This 4-step body acne set targets breakouts and large pores with a powerful blend of glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid. Each product in the routine works to deeply clean and purify, resurface, and hydrate every inch of your body to reveal clear, glowing skin.
Why we love it:
✓ Rapidly clears blemishes and reduces pore size
✓ Features resurfacing key ingredients such as AHAs and BHAs
✓ Vegan, cruelty-free, clean
Truly’s Super Star Bundle
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Blur pores and brighten skin in just three easy steps. Truly’s Super Star Bundle features a face mask, serum, and pimple patches that work in tandem to resurface, absorb impurities, and boost collagen production for smoother, plumper skin. Packed with retinol, vitamin C, plant collagen booster, aloe, and hydrocolloid to improve skin tone and texture while combating dryness.
Why we love it:
✓ Resurfaces and regenerates to improve skin texture
✓ A pore-minimizing lineup of retinoids and antioxidants
✓ Vegan, cruelty-free, clean
Large Pores Before and After Pictures
Tips for Minimizing Pores
Aside from using the best skincare for pores listed above, there are a few other ways to reduce the appearance of your pores. For starters, try to minimize sun exposure and apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher before leaving the house. UV radiation breaks down collagen and elastin which can expand the pore size. That’s why it’s essential to always use sun protection.
If you’re looking for a quick fix, consider makeup primer. Makeup primer doesn’t just help your makeup stay in place. It also smooths the surface of the skin which can make pores look less noticeable.
Clay masks are another good option for shrinking the pores. These impurity-absorbing face masks prevent grime and excess oil from clogging your pores to temporarily tighten pores. They’re especially good for those with oily or combination skin.
Another important tip: stick to using oil-free moisturizers. Unless those oils include non-comedogenic ones like jojoba oil, it’s best to stick to oil-free formulas that won’t clog your pores.
How to Use the Best Skincare for Pores
According to board-certified dermatologists, it’s best to cleanse your skin morning and night to prevent buildup and ultimately clogging. If you have oily skin, you can use an AHA or BHA cleanser every day. If you have dry or sensitive skin, stick to using these acids 2-3 times per week to avoid irritation. Alternatively, opt for gentle pore-minimizing ingredients like jojoba oil or fruit enzymes to gently exfoliate.
It’s also important to moisturize every day to prevent skin from drying out and producing excess oil to compensate which can lead to clogging. Opt for a non-comedogenic face cream or a serum formulated with glycerin or hyaluronic acid to drench skin in moisture and keep the skin barrier strong.
Most importantly, stay consistent with the best skincare for pores routines above to ensure you keep your pores clean, tight, and less visible.
