Pores are the tiny openings where a hair follicle surfaces on the skin and there are thousands of them all over your body. Open pores are blocked by sebum, or skin oil, and are most likely to occur in the areas where oil secretion is highest, such as your nose, says the Good Skin Health website. Some of the most common causes of open pores are oily skin, sun damage--which causes the skin to harden and trap impurities--and poor skin care. A number of home remedies can help reduce or prevent open pores, however you should seek the advice of a skin expert before trying them.
Step 1
Steam your face regularly to open the pores and loosen the dirt and oil trapped in them, says the Daily Glow website. Fill a clean tub or your bathroom basin with hot, but not scalding, water then lean over it. Cover your head with a towel to trap the steam and allow it to work for up to 10 minutes. To maximize the benefits, try to keep your face relaxed and breathe deeply. You may also want to add a few drops of tea tree oil, which is a natural astringent that dries out excess sebum.
Step 2
Exfoliate your pores. Open pores are more sensitive, so use a gentle exfoliator. SteadyHealth.com suggests making your own by mixing rice flour, a few drops of lemon juice and honey into a paste. Gently massage this into your nose using small circular movements then rinse with warm water. The rice flour acts as a fine scrub that will gently clean out your pores; the lemon juice is a drying agent that will remove excess sebum; and honey will moisturize your skin. Lemon can irritate sensitive skin, so test it on a small patch of skin before applying more liberally.
Step 3
Apply a pore-shrinking mask. According to the Beauty and Personal Grooming website, egg whites are a natural way to tighten the skin and shrink enlarged pores. Lightly beat an egg white in a bowl until it is stiff enough to apply to your face without sliding off. Pat a thin layer over your nose and other affected areas and allow it to dry and tighten. Wash the egg off with warm water--which will open your pores--then splash your face with cold water to close the pores again. If you do not have sensitive skin, the Beauty and Personal Grooming website suggests adding a few drops of lemon juice to the egg whites.
Things You'll Need
- Towel
- Rice flour
- Lemon juice
- Honey
- 1 egg white
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