Pores, pores, horrible pores!

We all know that fine lines and wrinkles come with ageing, and you’re probably familiar with age spots as well (technically hyperpigmentation), but what about enlarged pores? Yes, it’s another thing to add the list of skin woes. Now, as part of my job I spend a lot of time examining my skin. I may look as vain as the Queen in Snow White, but most of the time I am peering into a mirror it’s to see if some product or another has worked.

Lately, being the wrong side of 40, I started to notice slightly enlarged pores on my nose and chin, the places you would expect to get them. You also can expect a thickening of the skin when you are older, particularly in the chin area, but I think that’s quite a few years off yet! Anyway, I sent out a beauty SOS for anything that might help my pores – and this is what I got back…

So, I felt it only right to try the products, and communicate my results to the world (or the readers of this blog at least). So, let’s start at the top with, some masks, peels and scrubs…

Origins Modern Friction (£31) is one of my favourite skincare products. It will bring out the spots though, so don’t use it before a night out! It’s very soft to use, but am not entirely convinced it is the best weapon in my war on pores. Alpha H Liquid Gold (£31.50) is an AMAZING product. It contains glycolic acid, so works like a peel would – you use it every other night, and not if you have sensitive skin.Again it’s not specifically targeting those pores, but if you use this for a couple of weeks, you will notice a brighter skin, trust me! Use it in conjunction with the Alpha H Smoothing and Perfecting Mask (£46) which is like an exfoliator, and really hydrates and plumps.Bliss’s Steep Clean 15 Minute Facial (£35.80) is a really deep cleansing mask/wash, which has two different layers which combine to activate the exfoliating enzymes. It helps with blackheads. I have a few round my nose, and using this a few times a week really helped shift them! Finally, the Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser (£10). Not sure if this is really great for pores, but it felt lovely to use, and cleansed away all my makeup – which is important!

So, it was then onto pore minimizers, or mattifiers, and serums, oh and one other facial wash in this selection of pore-busters. BeneFit’s The Porefessional (£23.50) is a fab product, but I have to say it was beaten by Clinique’s Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector (£19) as my favourite minimizer, or mattifier, as I would call them. Both of these are balms you can pop on under or over makeup to gibe you a more matte finish, and they both do the job, but the Clinique one just edged it for me. I used it in Invisible Bright, and it comes in two other shades as well.  I used that in conjunction with the Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Correcting Serum (£38) (pictured below), which I really enjoyed using, but used it topically on my nose and chin. It says you will get results in two weeks, and I honestly have to say I did – on my chin in particular. It’s sort of like an exfoliating serum, but you’d never know it was doing that! Love it! . I then moved onto using the Sisley Global Perfect Pore Minimizer (£119), which will be out in September. It is BRILLIANT! Yes, it is hugely expensive, but it really, really worked for me – I’ve used it for a few weeks now, and I am noticing big differences in my pores already and my skin feels and looks smoother and brighter. I love it. I wasn’t too keen on the The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimizer (£7.50), mainly because of the smell, but it does give nice results, and my friend who has oily skin really loved it, and she likes the smell! It’s brand new, out later this month. Finally here, I tried Institut Esthederm Gentle Deep Pore Cleanser (£26.40), but I think it was a bit much for my skin. I did feel completely cleansed after using it, but I didn’t like the drying-down, tightening effect, because all over, I don’t think my skin is oily enough for this one. If your skin is oily, I think you would love the effects and results of this product.

Finally, Etat Pur Melting Moisturizing Cream (£7.80) which is an amazing little product – it adapts to seasons.  You may not think it, but your skin changes depending on the time of year, and this cream, which is good for skin that s combination to oily in winter, normal all year round, both day and night, or dry to very dry in summer all benefit from this cream. I found it light and lovely to use, but not sure if it’s a pore-buster. I used it with the Citric Acid (£11.60) from the range, which is proven to tighten dilated pores, and I enjoyed the combination, but I do think I have to try it for longer to get the full benefit. The Melvita Purifying Mask (£19) contains green clay and green tea, and is best popped on for 10 minutes when you are in the bath, as steam helps it work. I loved this. Felt natural, didn’t tighten and I will be using this once a week for  few weeks to come.

So, this pore-buster has found some amazing products out there that actually have produced results. Do you have any favourites?