The Good, The Bad & The Lovely

Next to blemishes, visible pores are probably the most unbecoming and annoying skin imperfections. Hiding your pores isn’t about what brand of makeup you wear or how little or how much foundation you use, it’s about finding the right pore minimizer that zeroes in on keeping those pesky pores as petit as possible.  Here is a guide to some of my favorite pore minimizers, natural and over the counter, because when your skin is as oily as mine, having a good minimizer is just as important as having a good moisturizer.

1. Nars Pore Refining Primer
This mineral-based primer is great for instantly minimizing pores while reducing oil and shine. Your skin will be smooth for hours, leaving your natural or made-up face gorgeous and glowing.

2. Origins Zero Oil Pore Purifying Toner
I love Origins and their all-natural philosophy. Keeping that same philosophy with their pore minimizer, this toner is packed with saw palmetto, mint and salicylic acid. Expect mattified skin and tighter, smaller pores.

3. DIY Pore Treatment
A method both your skin and wallet will appreciate, shrinking your pores doesn’t always have to be done with creams or topical solutions. One of my favorite DIY pore treatments is as simple as draping a towel over my head while standing over steaming water. Put essential oil or witch hazel on your skin for a smoothing effect.

4. Burt’s Bees Deep Pore Scrub
Say goodbye to dead skin and shrink pores at the same time. Burt’s Bees willow bark and ground peach stones cleans skin, leaving pores smoother and less defined.

5. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
More than just a pore minimizer, Smashbox’s foundation primer helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines as well as unwanted shine. Thanks to this product’s fabulous formula, your skin will benefit from shine-free, blemish-reduced skin. Vitamin C and peptides help even skin tone while and promote collagen production. There’s a reason why this primer won Allure magazine’s Best of Beauty Award for Best Primer.