January 30, 2019

Hello beautiful,

It's Katie bringing you another week of tips, hints, styles, and trends to help you look and feel your best!

Sometimes it's hard to embrace your skin's natural texture. Everyone's skin is different from bumpy to smooth, and little to big pores. Pores are a structural part of your skin that unfortunately cannot be removed but they are by far one of the most annoying features. Did you know that your pore size is actually genetically determined? You can still minimize their appearance and effectively shrink them back to their normal state with the right treatments though. I've laid out some helpful hints in detail, below.

Until we meet again,
Katie

Questions? Comments? Email me at:katie@gophercentral.com

*-- How to Minimize Your Pores--*

1. Consistent Care: If you experience dry skin, you probably have smaller pores, while people with oily skin often have larger pores. Regular cleansing and appropriate moisturizing will reduce the appearance of large pores. Yes, even oily skin needs moisture. External factors like pollution, UV rays, and excessive cleansing can damage skin's moisture barrier, causing loss of moisture and an increase in oil production. As a result, your complexion can start to look overly shiny. That's right, refusing to moisturize can actually lead to your skin looking oilier.

A facial cleanser that contains glycolic acid and salicylic acid will help unclog the pores. Choose one that's gentle enough for daily use and wash your face with it morning and night. Adding a toner often helps, too. Toners and astringents are great for clearing away any residue the cleanser might leave behind. Being scrupulous about keeping your face clean is the number one way to reduce the look of large pores since it keeps them unclogged and free of excess oils.

2. Hands Off:I know. Sometimes you just can't look at that pimple anymore or you feel like that blackhead just keeps staring at you! But when those imperfections come out to play, it's a perfect time to practice your willpower! Don't ever squeeze or scratch your face. Squeezing can cause trauma to the surrounding tissue. You will end up with the same enlarged pores and markings all over! You will also end up spreading oils from other parts of your face or your hands, potentially causing more breakouts.

3. Refine: There are pore-refining creams that can speed up cell regeneration. These topical treatments stimulate cell turnover to bring new layers of skin to the surface faster. They also help keep the pores clean. As the new cells form, the skin takes on a smoother look and over time the pores appear to be noticeably reduced.

4. Makeup: If you wear makeup on a regular basis, choose a lightweight oil-free or oil-control formula. You may notice that your foundation makeup sinks into your pores, causing them to look larger. One easy solution is to apply a face primer before adding your foundation. The primer forms a barrier that gives you a smooth surface and prevents the makeup from migrating into pores and wrinkles.

Also make sure you are taking your makeup off with a makeup remover every night. Jumping in the shower and using soap and water isn't doing your face any justice. Makeup residue and the substances that make your make up can also cause many skin imperfections so you want to make sure you're thoroughly removing it.

5. Clean Your Makeup Brushes: Whenever you use your makeup brushes, they are collecting everything that is on your face. That's right- oil, dead skin cells, dust, and anything else clinging to your skin gets stuck in your makeup brushes.. This is a sure recipe for acne and larger pores. The best method for cleaning your brushes requires only water and either a gentle soap or brush cleanser. (How simple is that?)