"Sorry you have to look at my skin, it's dry/oily/got acne/etc." This is by far one of the most common statements I receive when looking at a clients skin during a skin analysis during a facial, especially with first-time clients. Most of the time it has something to do with having pores, not even having blackheads or whiteheads, just by simply having them!
Let me start off by stating one simple fact. Every single person on this planet has pores. You do not need to apologize by having them! That's like apologizing to the mechanic for having a car that needs an oil change. Please never feel as though you have to apologize for having skin that has pores. Your pores are beautiful! They serve multiple important functions. Our culture has manipulated you into thinking beauty comes from your pores being a certain size, which is simply not true or unattainable. Pore size is determined by your skin type and any conditions you might have and largely that's based on your genes!
Oily skin types tend to have larger pores because of the sebum secreted from your oil glands, which can make pores larger. There is nothing wrong with that. What we do suggest is exfoliating to help keep those pores clean so they don't develop into breakouts, whiteheads, and blackheads.
Dry skin types tend to have smaller pores because their skin naturally does not produce the same amount of oil as an oily skin type. We still recommend you exfoliate but with something milder like an enzyme versus a scrub. Also adding in an oil-rich serum to give your skin the oil it needs for vibrancy and nourishment.
Dehydrated skin is a skin condition that will affect your pores in a negative way. Your pores are struggling for moisture and the pores shrink to hold in as much moisture as possible. Plus when it comes to doing extractions, removal of blackheads from the pores, it will make that process more challenging. Drink your water and eat water-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables. Also, if your skin is dehydrated you want to be gentle with your exfoliation and use moisture-rich products with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid.
Lastly, over-exfoliation often seems like a good idea to help with reducing pore size but it is absolute NOT!
Example: I had a client 10 years ago tell me she was jealous of her sister-in-law's pores and that they were non-existent! I asked her, do you know what her routine was? Her response, "Every morning she went to the kitchen, grabbed a handful of almonds and put them in her blender. When they were halfway crushed she'd take them to the bathroom and use them as a scrub with her cleanser." This is a terrible idea! Her sister-in-law was actually creating a layer of scar tissue on her skin! The poreless/porcelain look of skin is unhealthy and not natural.
Why am I telling you all of this? Your aesthetician does not care that you have pores. We love it! It means you are healthy and your largest organ (your skin) is functioning. Do we have products that can help cleanse your pores, minimize the appearance of your pores? Absolutely we do. Do we offer extractions to help cleanse your pores, services to help give you healthy skin? Absolutely we do. We want to help keep your pores healthy and your skin looking your best!
Please do not hesitate to call to schedule an appointment at Spa Western and we will do everything we can to assist you in you skincare goals, and remember, you are beautiful and your pores are normal (and please, just eat the almonds...don't scrub with them)!