Excess oil, dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria can clog pores and make them appear bigger. Taking care of your face is crucial, but sometimes you can become obsessed. Though, it turns out that too much care is not good and some of our daily beauty routines and habits harm our pores way more than any external factors could.
The Elite Indian loves discovering new beauty tips for our readers and this time we feel the urge to warn you about these things that you might be doing to your skin. Make sure to make note of them!
1. Frequent use of oil blotting papers
Oil blotting paper can be a situation saver during hot days when our skin tends to get extra oily and sweaty. Though, using it over and over again will do more harm to your skin than good. In reality, a thin oil layer is necessary for your skin. By removing it constantly you force your skin to produce more of it. This leads to clogged pores and enlarges them.
2. Forcibly extracting blackheads, whiteheads, or pimples
Yes, it can be really satisfying to pop pimples, but it should be done safely. There is bacteria on your skin and popping a pimple exposes a wound to this bacteria. If you force a pimple to pop that is not ready to be extracted yet, you let bacteria get into the inner layers of your skin. This can make the situation even worse since the irritation will spread, resulting in enlarged pores and scars.
3. Too much exfoliation
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Exfoliating helps to remove dirt, dead skin cells, and excess oils that can block your pores. This simple action is refreshing and can make your pores appear smaller. Though, you only need to do it 1-2 times per week. Over exfoliating can lead to dry skin and open pores, that, without a natural layer of oil, will absorb dust from its surroundings. This will make your pores larger.
Also, washing your face more than 2 times a day will remove the natural oil layer. This skin is sensitive to outside dust and dirt, which can lead to inflammation and acne.
4. Letting your skin get dry
Dry skin leads to wrinkles and makes you look older. Also, dry skin causes pores to flatten out and look bigger. So, not only is it harmful for your pores, but it also makes you look older! Luckily, it’s easy to prevent — choose a good tonic water and moisturizer for your skin type and apply them on your face daily.
5. Using pore-blocking products
There are some extremely popular products that are used in skincare, but shouldn’t be used on your face. Cocoa butter, coconut oil, and lanolin cream have pore-clogging properties. They might be good for keeping your skin moisturized, but they can also cause blemishes and keep dirt inside the pores. Pimples like this can stretch your pores out. It’s better to find a good face cream and use these oils on your body instead.
6. Retouching your makeup too often
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During the day your makeup might naturally wear off. There is no harm in retouching it a little bit, but you should not do it fanatically. Your skin produces oil and by constantly dabbing your skin with powder, you will create a layer of oil, dirt, and makeup. This constant preening means that skin breakouts and acne will be guaranteed!
7. Eating harmful food
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Dairy products, alcohol, and foods that are high in refined sugar, that are spicy, or that are fried are harmful for your skin. They can trigger inflammation in your body and lead to acne-prone skin. Acne weakens your sebaceous glands and hair follicle openings which makes your pores bigger. So, a good diet plan is always an awesome option to take care of the condition of your skin.
8. Not using sun protection
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Sun exposure is harmful for your skin in many ways. It thickens the skin, removes the collagen, elastin, and water from it, and leads to tissue shrinkage. This causes the edges of your pores to stretch and look saggy. So, a sun protection cream is a must have!
Do you have enlarged or small pores? Do you have your own tricks to reduce your pores’ appearance? Let’s share them in the comment section!
