Everything you should know about your skin’s texture

Your body naturally releases sebum through your pores to keep your skin protected and hydrated. But trouble arises when your sebaceous glands, triggered by factors such as extreme dry conditions, hormonal imbalances, diet, or even the wrong products, gets knocked out of balance to produce more oil than your skin actually needs. This causes pores to expand with trapped dead skin and excess oil, appearing large and unsightly.

But first, do a quick skin check

Pores on your T-zone are usually more noticeable and produce more oil than the ones on the rest of your face.

Try looking closely in the mirror. Zoom in on your T-zone, where most of your sebaceous glands are — you may able to spot stretched pores as well as blackheads and whiteheads.

Wash your hands, then gently feel your skin. If you feel a coarse or uneven texture, your pores are likely enlarged and congested.

In comparison, try running your fingers along the inside of your forearms — does the skin feel soft, smooth and bouncy? That’s likely because the skin there is shielded from sun exposure and has intact collagen and elastin support.

To protect your skin from UVA rays, make sure your sunscreen says ‘broad spectrum’ or has a ‘PA++’ rating on top of being at least SPF30.

• Sun damage

  There are a hundred good reasons to stay out of the sun, and pore care is one of them. UVA rays can penetrate deep into your skin to break down collagen and elastin, the two main proteins that give skin its structure. When they break down, the underlying tissue shrinks and pulls your pores downwards, making them sag and appear bigger.

• Dehydrated skin

  It may sound counterintuitive, but your skin can be both oily and dehydrated at the same time. Unlike dry skin, which produces minimal oil, dehydrated skin is caused by a lack of moisture. This lack of moisture causes your skin to appear dull, rough and flaky.

• Genetics

  We all have different skin types, and some are more prone to large pores than others. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, you’re likely to have large pores due to an excess of sebum production.

• Goodbye, old skin cells

  Your skin naturally sheds dead surface cells, but sometimes it needs a helping hand. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) are known to help your skin do that as well as help unclog your pores to reveal smoother, younger-looking skin beneath.

• Clean, then clean again

  Maintain small pores by keeping them clean with a double cleanse at the end of the day. First, use a cleansing oil to remove makeup and oil-based impurities, then wash your face with a gentle cleanser. This removes excess oil and residual dirt from your skin.

• Don’t mix up moisture and oil

Facial oil can be tricky to manage. While excess oil causes the appearance of large pores and breakouts, stripping your skin of all oils can aggravate your sebaceous glands to produce even more sebum.

Stay away from harsh cleansers or ultra-rich moisturisers, and instead look for gentle products to help manage that fine balance of oil and moisture your skin needs without clogging your pores. Lightweight serums, gels, and milky lotions have a good balance of both to keep your skin happy and moisturised.

With the right care and products, you can help your skin fight against the appearance of enlarged pores and roughness for smooth, flawless-looking skin.