Your pores allow your skin to breathe, secretes necessary oils, and eliminate toxins. Every day, your pores fill with dirt, sweat, and dead cells. If you don’t clean them out properly, they’ll get clogged causing blackheads, whiteheads, or acne breakouts. Here are 10 natural ways to clear your clogged pores so your skin looks and feels healthy.
What are pores?
Pores are small little openings on your skin. It’s where your body’s oil gets released to help your skin stay moist. When your pores are healthy, they keep your skin healthy and glowing. It’s important to treat your pores right to make sure you don’t cause damage to them or your skin. This means you don’t pick at your pores to clear them out. This can cause scarring and other damage.
Here are five interesting facts you may not know about your pores
- Large pores are hereditary
- As you age, your pores look bigger
- Dry skin also makes your pores look larger
- If you clean your skin too much, the pores will produce more oil
- Regular cleansing will help reduce the appearance of your pores
Here are ten natural ways to clean out your clogged pores without damaging them
1 – Homemade baking soda scrub
One natural way to keep your pores cleaned out is a baking soda scrub. It’s slightly abrasive so it can help you remove dead skin, dirt, and sweat from your pores. Here are some natural baking soda recipes to clean your pores.
Baking soda and facial cleanser
Mix 1/2 teaspoon baking soda with your regular facial cleanser. Wash your face as you usually do and rinse. Use this once or twice a week.
Baking soda and organic honey
Mix some organic honey with baking soda in your hand. Massage your face with this mixture, and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes. Then rinse with warm water and pat your skin dry.
 Baking soda and water
The simplest way to create a baking soda scrub is to mix two tablespoons of baking soda with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water to make a paste. Apply the paste onto your skin using circular motions. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. Use this a couple of times a week. If your skin is getting too dry, use it only once a week.
2 – Steam cleaning
You can also use steam to clean your pores. It opens up your pores removing dirt, sweat, and other toxins that clog your pores. It’s easy to steam clean your face. Heat up water in a saucepan on your stove. Once it’s steaming, remove it from the stove. Drape a towel over your face and lean over the saucepan of steaming water for five minutes. Then wash your face with a natural exfoliant like the baking soda recipe or an exfoliant that you already use. The combination of the steam and the exfoliant will gently clean out your clogged pores.
3 – Charcoal masks
Have you heard about charcoal masks? They act like a magnet that pulls the clogged dirt, oil, and old makeup out of your pores. There are many versions of charcoal masks on the market. Be sure to purchase a good name brand. Some are liquid and some are premade masks for one-time use. One word of caution about charcoal masks is that charcoal really dries out your skin. So, it may be best to use it not more than once a week.
Slather the charcoal mask on your face and allow it to sit for 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water and pat your skin dry with a clean towel. Be sure to put moisturizer on your face after using a charcoal mask.
4 – Visit a professional esthetician
Estheticians provide professional facials to improve your skin tone, remove blackheads, and help you look years younger. They are specifically trained to not damage your skin. These professional facials are multi-step treatments that usually involve cleaning, exfoliant, and nourishment. When they are done, your face looks radiant and glowing. You’ll look younger, too. Look for good deals on facials and always choose a professional esthetician with good reviews to do your professional facial.
5 – Professional extraction (don’t try this at home)
You can have your acne pimples and blackheads removed by a professional at a salon or at your dermatologist’s office. They use a special tool to do this. They may steam your face first to loosen the blackheads or pimples. Then they will use an extractor to open the pimple and remove the infection inside of it. If you’re using a salon, be sure they have good reviews and are qualified to do this so they won’t damage your skin causing scarring or infection.
Learn how to treat yourself with a charcoal face mask.
6 – Homemade oatmeal cleanser
Oatmeal is an effective natural exfoliant for your skin. It’s gentle and can clear out your pores because of its fibrous nature. Mix 3 tablespoons of oatmeal with 2 tablespoons of water. Mix so it turns into a paste. If it’s too dry, add more water. Put the paste on your face and massage for a few minutes. Allow the paste to dry completely. Then rinse off with warm water, massaging your face again as you rinse. Pat your skin dry with a clean towel.
7 – Tea tree essential oil
Studies found that topical 5% tea tree oil can work to treat mild-to-moderate acne. It can also unclog pores. Tea tree is a mild antibacterial topical oil. You can apply it directly to blackheads or mix it with a carrier oil such as almond oil or jojoba oil. Then apply it to your skin where you have breakouts. Use it once or twice a week to clear your pores.
8 – Pore clearing strips (but they are very short term)
Pore strips are trending right now. They are adhesive strips that temporarily remove trapped dirt and oil in your pores. They need to be repeated often since your pores fill up quickly. It won’t provide a permanent fix to your pores, but you’ll feel like your pores are clean.
9 – Egg masks
Egg masks are a cheap, easy way to improve your skin tone and clean out your pores. They tighten your pores, remove dead skin on your face, and clean out your pores. Here is a great pore cleansing egg white mask.
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
Mix these ingredients and put them on your face. Allow the mask to dry completely, usually 15 to 20 minutes. Gently peel off and then rinse with water. Your skin will feel tighter, and brighter, and you’ll look younger.
10 – Lemon juice cleaner
Lemons contain citric acid, which is a great cleaning agent for your skin. Simply squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl. Add warm water and apply it to your skin. Your skin will look brighter and feel completely clean. Be sure not to use this cleaner too often since it’s very drying.
Basic daily skincare
Studies suggest that you should have basic skincare routines. These skincare routines include
- Protecting- Daily sunscreen to protect from ultraviolet rays
- Cleansing- Depending upon your skin type, cleaning should be done at least daily.
- Exfoliating can reduce clogged pores and replace your skin’s brightness
- Moisturizing- Choose a good moisturizer that keeps your skin from looking dried out.
Radiant skin is a sign that your skin is healthy. As you age, the radiance decreases so these practices are essential to keep your skin in good shape.
How can you minimize your pores?
You can’t really reduce the size of your pores, but you can minimize the way they look. Here are some steps to minimize their appearance.
- Wear sunscreen. Aging and the sun can thicken the outer layer of your skin, making it look leathery and dried out. This causes your pores to look larger than they really are.
- Remove makeup every evening before bed. Use a gentle cleanser to keep your pores clean.
- Cut down on the oil. Oily-looking skin emphasizes your pores.
- Exfoliate to remove dead skin and clean out pores.
Final thoughts on cleansing clogged pores
Be diligent to follow a daily skincare routine that can keep your skin looking its best. Part of a good skin routine is to clear out your pores to rid them of the dirt, grime, and dead cells that build up. There are many natural exfoliants you can use using things that you have in your kitchen like eggs or oatmeal. Tea tree oil is effective to remove blackheads.
Steam cleaning is also a good way to clean out your pores. If you seek out professional help, just be sure the person you choose is qualified so they won’t damage your skin. Your skin is so important to how you look and feel. It’s worth the extra effort to keep it looking its best all the time. Try out one or two of these 10 suggestions to clear your clogged pores.
