Many people struggle with and really hate having large pores. So do we! There are some facts about pore size you need to know so you can see a noticeable difference—and you also need to know what’s not possible.

For the most part pore size is genetically determined, and when that’s the case, there isn’t much you can do to change that condition. But what about when pores become larger from factors not dependent on genetics? Now THAT’s where the right skin-care products can change things for the better.

Here’s what can happen to make pores larger: When a pore of any size has its follicle lining filled with excess dirt, excess oil (it’s actually wax inside the pore but “oily” on the surface), and dead skin cells, the pore swells and, you guessed it, looks more apparent. Even worse is the wax on the surface of the pore can oxidize, which causes it to turn black and, voila, you get a blackhead. These are the main reasons why women with oily skin often complain of having large pores (the excess oil is causing their pores to enlarge beyond their genetically determined size).

The solution? If your pores have become enlarged due to trapped debris and excess oil production, you need to take steps to remove the debris and restore a normal flow of oil from the pore lining on to the surface. A well formulated BHA product (active ingredient: salicylic acid) is a brilliant way to do that. The salicylic acid penetrates the pore lining, dislodging what’s trapped inside and causing your pores to enlarge. Once the trapped contents are free and with ongoing use of a BHA product to keep obstructions to a minimum, your pores will go back to their regular size. All together now: Woo hoo!

What else can you do? Well, it may surprise you to learn that certain products with cell-communicating ingredients (think retinol and niacinamide) can also help to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores. No, they won’t make your natural pore size shrink to that of a baby’s, but cell-communicating ingredients can “talk” to other cells and convince them to maintain a normal pore lining. This can also help you see a reduction in pore size!

Many Paula’s Choice customers have commented that our Skin Balancing Toner is a helpful addition to their skin-care routine due to its ability to help minimize the appearance of pores. When used with a well formulated BHA exfoliant and water-soluble cleanser as part of a comprehensive skin-care routine, you don’t have to live with enlarged pores, and that’s great news! Of course there are other products we recommend on Beautypedia.com but the customer reviews for this toner are too good to not share!

For stubborn clogged pores and blackheads it can help to physically remove the plug. You can do this yourself if you’re careful and don’t overdo it or you can have an esthetician do this for you. Paula wrote about how to do this here.

Lastly, do keep in mind that pore size and how your pores are perceived by others is never as horrible as you may think. First, other than your esthetician, it’s doubtful anyone is examining your pores with the same intensity that you are (well, except for Paula who uses a 10X magnifying mirror but up close and in person you’d never think that Paula has large pores).

Second, everyone has pores and without a great skin-care routine, everyone will experience some degree of pore clogging. Even those with naturally small pores and dry skin may find their skin has small, white bumps due to a buildup of dead skin cells in the pore lining. For someone with dry skin and clogged pores, once again a well formulated BHA product (preferably in a lotion base) is a brilliant option.

Now that you know the truth about pore size, you can take steps to make sure your pores stay clean and free of the debris that causes them to become enlarged. Go ahead—let the truth set your clogged pores free!

“You’re going to be mad when you see me,” my teenager said somewhat sheepishly. She called me on her last day on the East Coast, where she’d spent the summer competing on a swim team and volunteering at a community service camp.

“Oh really?” Thinking she’d gotten a piercing or a tattoo, I braced myself for whatever could come next. “And why’s that?”

She sighed. “My skin is out of control. I didn’t bring any of Paula’s stuff with me and now I look awful.” She went on to explain that with so many activities this summer, she’d completely neglected her skin. School would be starting soon, and I could hear the despair in her voice.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure that with Paula’s products we can get your skin back in shape in no time.” She agreed, but sounded skeptical and defeated.

When she got off the plane, I was thrilled to see her, but I could see why she was so upset about her skin: An inch-wide ring of blackheads and pimples bordered her hairline and jaw, her forehead was an oil slick of blemishes, and her cheeks and nose had layers upon layers of flaky, dry skin. Turns out that not only had she stopped using the Paula’s Choice CLEAR Anti-Acne system, but she’d also failed to wear sunscreen on her face all summer long!

I actually gasped.

No wonder her face was a mess! Having to combat acne is work enough, but giving your skin sun damage to repair on top of it? That’s definitely a losing battle. I tried not to lecture her—in fact, I didn’t need to lecture her. The evidence was right there on her face, and she knew it.

That night, like a magician with a bag of tricks, I pulled out Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Carbon Mask, Hydralight Moisture-Infusing Lotion and an entire CLEAR system: cleanser, exfoliating toner and topical benzoyl peroxide. We started with the cleanser, then applied the mask to the oily and blemished spots, let it dry, and then rinsed. She immediately felt a difference in her skin. Progress!

We then applied regular strength CLEAR Targeted Acne Relief Toner, followed by the 2.5% benzoyl peroxide Acne Fighting Treatment. (Even though her skin was in critical condition, I didn’t want to risk irritation with the extra-strength versions). After everything had dried, we applied the Hydralight Moisture-Infusing Lotion to her cheeks. She looked in the mirror and a smile broke across her face—an actual smile!

After one week of this routine (with the mask applied every other night and our Skin Balancing Daily Mattifying Lotion with SPF 15 every day) her skin is well on its way to recovery. She had to write down the exact order of her routine, but her diligence has paid off: The blemishes are receding, blackheads are going away, and her dry, flaky skin is all but gone. Her skin isn’t flawless, but it’s getting there, and the boost to her self-esteem is undeniable.

She starts high school in two weeks, and I’m so glad that her skin will be one less thing to worry about!  And, yes, I’ve already put a big bottle of SPF 15 in her backpack.

It almost goes without saying, but since starting to work for Paula, I’ve begun using her products religiously. Sure, it’s taken me a little while to figure out my skin’s preferred product cocktail, but now I wake up each morning unable to believe that the skin I’m looking at belongs to me. Talk about employee benefits!

Now that I’ve committed to my new skin care ritual, I’ve also started to think differently about why I take such good care of my skin. At first, it was thrilling simply to see what my face looked like as it became increasingly blemish-free, as the blackheads that used to pepper my nose became barely perceptible, even in the scary high-magnification mirror. Finally, products that work! Soon friends and family took notice and started to comment, and it felt great. But the more time I spend caring for my skin, the more I am beginning to understand that it’s not just about the way you look, it’s also about the way you feel.

As trite as that sounds, a simple self-esteem boost isn’t exactly what I mean (though it is a lovely byproduct of clear skin). Like I imagine most people do, I used to perform my skincare ritual leaning over the sink, staring at myself in the mirror, focusing on every blemish, hating the enormity of my forehead with my hair pulled back, and cursing fine lines and the beginnings of crow’s feet as I dabbed them with creams. But I’ve started doing something different: Instead of obsessing in the mirror about fixing every flaw as I apply products, I close my eyes while I put them on. The experience is amazing.

With my eyes closed, I can really appreciate the elegant, silky textures of these incredible products as I use them, as well as the softness of my skin – something easy to overlook when you are fixated on only the negative (and, let’s face it, we can always find something negative to fixate on). But I’m learning that reaching complexion perfection isn’t the sole point of skincare, far from it. Whether we choose to acknowledge it (most cosmetic companies certainly do) skincare really is a uniquely tactile experience, and it’s one worth relishing daily. Just by closing my eyes, I can think less about skincare as a way to simply look better and more as a way to feel better – on the inside and out.

Below is the daily routine that I am currently using:

AM
Skin Balancing Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin Balancing Toner
Blemish Fighting Solution (2.5% benzoyl peroxide)
Barely There Sheer Matte Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20

PM
One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Oil/Combination
Blemish Fighting Solution ((2.5% benzoyl peroxide)
2% BHA Liquid
Super Antioxidant Concentrate for All Skin Types

I know “mineral” makeup remains a popular choice for many women. There are some great mineral makeup options available for those who are fans of this type of product. But without question this is one cosmetic product where the claims has spiraled out of control and taken on a fairytale life of their own (and I don’t mean Aesop’s Fables, because at least those have a good homily at the end, the story behind mineral makeup is all lies and puffery to the max!).

I read an article about mineral makeup in the April issue of Day Spa magazine. This is a publication that is tailored for estheticians and other spa professionals (the ones that are going to be selling you the myth). There were so much false, ridiculous information I lost count. In fact, I couldn’t even finish the article; it was that bogus. Here are a few of the big lies the article intended to position as key selling points and benefits of using mineral makeup, followed by my response.

• Cleopatra started the mineral makeup trend centuries ago, so once again modern-day women can learn from the ancient wisdom of this Egyptian ruler.
  Does anyone still believe that Cleopatra had such forward-thinking knowledge of beauty? The woman lived at a time when products resembling what we refer to as mineral makeup were impossible to make. And if they dug up iron oxides, titanium, and other earth minerals they had no idea these were contaminated with toxic minerals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. Cosmetic-grade ingredients are what are allowed today, and they’re purified to remove contaminants. And ancient wisdom? The Egyptians sacrificed human beings to their gods, buried family members alive with the king, and had hordes of slaves. Clearly an advance civilization we should learn from! Puhlease!!!
• The spa industry likes mineral makeup as something that sets them apart from the cosmetics industry at large.
  Perhaps that was true several years ago, when the only place to find mineral makeup was in small salons and spas carrying such lines as Youngblood or Jane Iredale. That’s definitely not the case anymore—mineral makeup is everywhere, from small cosmetic lines sold at Ulta to brands known worldwide such as Estee Lauder and Lancôme and Neutrogena and Maybelline. If anything, these non-spa cosmetic lines have improved mineral makeup considerably while many spa brands seem to be resting on their laurels and have not kept up with new technology.
• “Mineral makeup is all-natural and there are no by-products created during their production.”
  This one is patently false. Although the minerals in mineral makeup may have begun as a natural source, the process that turns titanium into titanium dioxide or bismuth into bismuth oxychloride is anything but natural—and it certainly produces by-products as they are chemically manipulated and manufactured to be suitable as cosmetic pigments and binding agents. Remember, in most cases these naturally-occurring minerals must be purified to remove harmful elements that, while also natural, aren’t what you’d ever want to put on your face.
• Mineral makeup is a green alternative to chemical-based cosmetics.
  This is a big selling point used by many lines selling mineral makeup exclusively. They attempt to scare consumers into believing that mineral makeup is the only safe, pure option and everything else is laden with “chemicals”. The word “chemicals” is used to inspire fear (and it works remarkably well, at least based on the emails we get) even though the basic truth is…..EVERYTHING is made up of chemicals! Yes, even natural ingredients are composed of chemicals (so many, in fact, that in some instances a synthetic version of a natural ingredient is actually safer and more beneficial because the potentially harmful chemicals are not included). Please don’t fall for the “chemical-free” claim many mineral makeup brands promote. It’s a lie, and the consumer is being duped big time.
• Bismuth oxychloride is “one of the best ingredients because it helps clear bacteria and heal skin”.
  The quote above is from the owner of a small mineral makeup company, and she is soooo wrong! Bismuth oxychloride is a synthetic ingredient that has no substantiated research anywhere proving it has antibacterial properties or has any healing effect on skin. It is used in mineral makeup due to its opacity and pearlescent finish, plus it adheres well to skin. In contrast, zinc oxide (another ingredient in some mineral makeups) has healing properties for wounds and there is documented evidence to support this (Sources: Wound Repair and Regeneration, January-February 2007, pages 2-16; and September-October 2006, pages 526-535) but lots of cosmetic companies use zinc oxide, this is hardly unique to mineral makeup!
• Mineral makeup helps keep skin hydrated.
  Anyone with dry skin who has tried mineral makeup without the benefit of a moisturizer underneath knows what a bunch of bunk that statement is! Traditional loose powder mineral makeup is composed of absorbent materials that are incapable of hydrating skin. Some of the ingredients may have natural water content, but their absorbent nature won’t transfer that water to your thirsty skin. Even it did, skin needs more than water to rebuild its barrier and reduce dryness. Believing that mineral makeup is the least bit hydrating is akin to thinking you can scrub away acne and blackheads. In both cases, it just isn’t going to happen.

There’s more, but I am sure by now you’re getting what a puff piece of reporting this story is—and this is the type of garbage well-meaning estheticians read, believe, and then pass on to their clients. Misinformation begetting misinformation, but hey, it’s selling product so why not? I’m not out to bad-mouth any esthetician. Even with their skills and experience, they can be just as prone to hyperbole as the rest of us. But if you are an esthetician and you read this blog, please think twice before jumping on the mineral makeup bandwagon for the reasons listed above. Mineral makeup has its place and certainly its proponents, but it doesn’t deserve its prefabricated status as the safe and natural.