Spring Clean Your Pores: A guide to getting and keeping your pores clean

By Taylor Coleman

Spring is here! That means cleaning and organizing your home, office, and any other places you frequent to clear out the grime of winter and get ready to welcome spring! But don’t forget about cleaning your skin too! With all the winter slugging and moisturizing to fend off dry, flaky skin, your pores might need some serious love and decluttering! But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Read this guide on how to identify clogged pores and what to do to unclog them/prevent them from clogging.

The first thing to do, is to asses your skin and figure out whether you might have some clogged pores. They don’t always appear as pimples - there’s several forms that a clogged pore can take. When assessing your skin, you want to look for texture and/or dullness, blackheads, whiteheads, and blind pimples. Don’t know exactly what these are? Here are some definitions. Textured skin refers to areas on the skin that appear raised, bumpy, or uneven. If your skin feels rough and/or dry to the touch, this is a sign of textured skin. Blackheads occur when a clog widens the opening of a pore. A chemical reaction occurs between the pore's contents and the oxygen it's exposed to, making it appear black. Whiteheads occur when a clog in the opening of the pore causes a raised white or flesh colored bump. Pimples are caused by dirt and oil inside your pores leading to swelling, redness, and irritation of the skin. Blind pimples are deep pimples that form beneath the skin and lack a whitehead or blackhead.

Next, you need to identify what exactly is clogging your pores. Clogged pores can be caused by the following: dead skin cells, excess oil production, dry skin, cosmetics like foundation and concealer, and even certain skincare products. For example, ingredients commonly found in skincare products, like coconut oil and cocoa butter, are actually pore-clogging!

Now that we’ve identified what clogged pores look like and what might be causing them, it's time to discuss what to do to unclog them! There are several different ways to both unclog your pores and take preventative measures to make sure they stay unclogged. One way to do this is through double cleansing. Double cleansing refers to first washing your face with an oil cleanser, then with a water-based cleanser. There are 2 different kinds of oil cleansers that work for double cleansing: a liquid oil cleanser and a cleansing balm. Oil cleansing might seem scary, especially for those who have acne-prone or oily skin types, because typically, too much oil = acne and clogged pores. But fear not, for like attracts like! Oil cleansers help to break down the oil in your pores, along with any excess dirt, makeup, etc. It gets down to the deepest part of the pores to help draw out impurities and leave them nice and clean. It's important to choose the right oil cleanser, especially if you wear makeup and/or sunscreen. To properly double cleanse your face, start by taking 1-2 pumps of oil cleanser and massaging it into the skin (and if you wear eye makeup - over your eyes too, a good oil cleanser won’t burn!) in circular motions. Then emulsify with water, massaging for another 20-30 seconds, then rinse. After, take a few pumps of your water-based cleanser and massage it into your skin, again for about 30-45 seconds. Then rinse and pat the skin dry. Do this daily, especially whenever you’re wearing makeup and sunscreen, to keep your pores clean!

For dry skin types, try the Skin 1004 Mdagascar Centella light cleansing oil, or the Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm

For combination skin, try the Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil, or the Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm

For oily skin, try the Anua Heartleaf Cleansing Oil

Another way to unclog your pores is by using a clay mask. Clay masks help to draw dirt, oil, and other impurities out of the skin. This can help get rid of and further prevent the formation of whiteheads, blackheads, and acne.

Try the Isntree Real Mugwort clay mask or the Skin 1004 Poremizing Quick Clay Mask Stick

Another way to not only clean your pores, but to keep them clear is to exfoliate. There are two kinds of exfoliation: physical and chemical. Physical exfoliation is the use of abrasive
substances to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Chemical exfoliation is the use acids or enzymes to dissolve dead skin cells and other debris that might be clogging the pores or sitting on top of the skin. Most acids are classified as either BHAs or AHAs. AHAs, or alpha hydroxy acids, promote the shedding of dead skin cells on the skin’s surface by breaking down their bonds. BHAs, or beta hydroxy acids, lift dead skin cells, leaving smooth, exfoliated skin. Chemical exfoliants come in many strengths and overall, are more suitable for diverse skin types and everyday use, making them perfect for gentle daily exfoliation to keep your pores clean. Acids like salicylic and glycolic acid are most commonly found in skincare products.

Try the Cosrx One Step Clear Original Pad or the Cosrx AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid.

Other than exfoliation, how else can you keep your pores clear? You can do this by avoiding products that aren’t noncomedogenic. Noncomedogenic products are specifically formulated with ingredients that won’t clog pores, so using them is key to keeping them clear!

By following these tips, you’ll be sure to not only clean your pores for the spring, but to also keep them clear for seasons to come!