God Gave You Those Pores For A Reason.
Really though, when and WHO decided that we didn’t want visible pores? It can feel like I truly don’t understand beauty standards for someone who has made an entire living within the beauty community.
We have these little (sometimes large) oil factories working for us every single day to do a very important job, and we are all like “Nah, let’s get rid of that. How can we get rid of that?” I can think of a lot of body parts that we prefer bigger (ahemm. . .), but why, when it comes to the body’s natural self-lubrication are we just like “No Bro, you’ve gone too far.”
I have had many a client conversation in my treatment room on the very subject, and what I find is that sometimes as skin health improves - the pores can become even more visible (well yeah, because you can see them now that we have cleared away 12 years of dead skin off the surface) and the client’s frustration with size continues.
So pores? What's the deal? Let me break it down for you in a physiological sense, and give you my opinion on what God was likely thinking when she decided to put these things on the body –
“Dang girl, you fire. Let me cool that down for you!”
Ever do a super sweaty workout and feel like you just detoxed your entire 20s out of your body? You can thank your pores for that; they’re the reason why sweat leaves the body, and they keep our temperature regulated so we don’t overheat. Sweat glands are your body’s built-in AC Unit. They release sweat onto the skin to pull heat away from your body. Your pores are the little vents through which heat escapes. Without them, we would overheat and trust me – it wouldn’t be a good thing for us. Even something as simple as a light jog could end in danger.
“Hey boo, don’t crack up on me. I got you!”
In addition to being openings for our sweat glands, our pores also deal with our oil glands as well. They allow the oil to flow as your body's form of self-lubrication. Without them, we would be brittle, itchy, and likely to literally CRACK. If we didn’t have oil glands or pores to vent them, we would need to baste ourselves like a Thanksgiving turkey… All. Day. Long.
Additionally, oil from pores strengthens our skin’s barrier. We would not only speed up the aging process, but also be more prone to damage from external elements and inflammation.
“I love you the way you are, but bitch you could use a deep clean.”
We humans can be pretty toxic (in dating and inside our bodies). I can’t help you with that F-boy or F-girl, but I can help you understand why your pores need to help filter toxins and waste from your body, so that you can hopefully have a better relationship with them. While your liver is working overtime as the main source of detoxing the body, our pores help the process along by allowing salts, urea, and other waste items to be released.
But okay, okay… I know, I KNOW.
You’re still convinced that yours are the worst, and you probably came here looking for some insight or a magic formula to wipe them from your face.
So here are some tips for you to at least help maintain them, keep them clean, and take care of them the way they take care of you–
Keep them clean.
Dirt, makeup, and SPF residue can block the pores, which can even lead them to literally stretch out and become even larger than before. I recommend using a cleansing balm (ask us about the best option for you at your next appointment) before your regular cleanser to draw some of those impurities back out of the pores.
Evict the dead skin when it dies.
The turnover rate for the natural skin shedding cycle is different for everyone, but it slows down with time. If your dead skin is not flaking off and is remaining on the face for longer than it needs to be, it’s likely mixing in with your natural oils and clogging your pores. Regular exfoliation prevents dead skin cells from settling in the pores and makes sure things don’t get backed up. It’s just a bonus that you will also have a brighter and smoother complexion when your exfol game is on point!
Protect the Ecosystem at all costs.
Bacteria (like the ones that cause acne) can thrive in our pores and can trigger inflammation and pimples. Hypochlorous Acid has changed our lives in the studio, and we can barely keep it on the shelves because not only does it kill bacteria, but it promotes healthy immune function in the skin, making it stronger and therefore more able to protect itself.
Get a Hydrafacial.
Hydrafacials are like pressure washing for the skin. They get in there, loosen clogged pores, suck out dirt and debris through a hose, and put it in a waste jar so you can see it (before I dump it down the drain). If you haven’t had one, clients say they love that squeaky clean feeling – there’s just nothing like it!
Ready to love your pores? Come in for a Hydrafacial session!
