If you’ve ever zoomed in on your front-facing camera and thought, “Whoa, when did my pores get this big?” You’re not alone. Large pores happen to the best of us. Typically, you’ll notice them on your cheeks, across the T-zone, and on your nose. The good news is that you don’t have to accept large pores, you can make them look smaller. In this article, we’ll explore what causes large pores, how to shrink pores with smart daily habits, and a simple Eight Saints routine that keeps skin smooth, refined, and calm.
What Are Pores?
Pores are tiny openings in your skin that naturally release oil and sweat. They’re part of your skin’s natural cooling and moisturizing system. You need pores, but sometimes they start to become bigger. “Enlarged pores” can happen for a few reasons:
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Genetics. If your parents had visible pores, you may have them too. That’s normal because of genetics.
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Oil production. If your skin produces an excessive amount of oil (sebum) then the oil can stretch pores over time, especially around the nose and forehead, causing them to appear larger.
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Clogged pores. When oil mixes with dead skin cells and grime, the pore can look bigger and darker as a whitehead or a blackhead develops in the clogged pore.
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Loss of firmness. As you get older, your skin loses collagen and elasticity, which causes your pores to look more pronounced.
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Lifestyle and environment. Heat, humidity, heavy cosmetics, and even the way you cleanse can make pores look larger.
You can’t “erase” pores. But you can minimize the look of large pores on your face and nose by keeping them clean, balanced, and supported with the right ingredients.
The Big Question: What Causes Large Pores?
Let’s break it down in plain language:
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Excess oil. Oil is good, until there’s too much of it. When oil pools inside the pore, it pushes on the pore wall outward, which makes the opening look larger.
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Dead skin buildup. If dead skin sticks around, it eventually mixes with oil and creates a tiny plug. That plug shadows the pore and makes it noticeable, which is what most people refer to as a blackhead or whitehead.
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Aging and sun exposure. Over time, skin naturally loses springiness as collagen production slows down. Think of a stretched-out T-shirt collar. The sun just speeds that along, which leads to less firmness and more visible pores.
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Harsh scrubs and stripping cleansers. Ironically, “squeaky clean” can backfire when it comes to skincare. If you strip your skin of its essential oils then it often produces more oil to compensate.
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Makeup that doesn’t play nice. Heavy or occlusive makeup can settle into pores and call attention to them. IT can also mix with your skin’s oil production and clog pores and cause breakouts.
Once you see the pattern that’s leading to your enlarged pores then the plan gets simple: balance oil, unclog your pores gently, support firmness, protect from sun, and keep your routine consistent.
Myths to Skip (So You Don’t Waste Time)
Okay, if you have enlarged pores then you’ve probably been exploring what to shrink your pores. Here are several myths that surround enlarged pores
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Myth: Ice closes pores. Pores don’t open and close like doors. Yes, the cold can reduce swelling and make them look smaller for a bit, but it’s only temporary.
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Myth: Scrubbing hard shrinks pores. Over-exfoliating causes irritation and more oil production, which makes pores look worse.
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Myth: You can get rid of large pores forever. You can’t remove enlarged pores forever, but you can refine them so they’re barely noticeable.
The “Why” Behind A Pore-Minimizing Routine
You don’t need perfection to overcome enlarged pores. However, you need consistency. A light, daily routine checks every box: clears buildup, balances oil, brightens, and hydrates without heaviness. When your skin is clean, calm, and supported, pores look smaller, especially those stubborn large pores on the nose which are always the worst.
Below is a simple routine using Eight Saints products. The entire skincare routine is gentle, effective, and fast. The key is to stick with it morning and night. Give it a couple of weeks and you’ll notice a smoother texture and a more even look.
The Routine for Minimizing Large Pores (Morning + Night)
Step 1: Cleanse—But Keep It Kind
Product: Down to Earth by Eight Saints.
Morning and night, start fresh. Down to Earth is a gel cleanser that effortlessly lifts away oil, sunscreen, and daily grime without stripping your skin’s natural barrier. That matters when it comes to learning how to shrink pores. When your cleanser is too harsh, skin rebounds with extra oil, which can make enlarged pores more visible.
Massage a dime-size amount into your damp skin for 30 to 45 seconds. Rinse with lukewarm water. Then you’ll want to pat, don’t rub, your face dry.
Remember that clean pores look smaller. It’s that simple. A balanced cleanse clears the surface of your skin without triggering the oil surge that leads to clogged pores.
Step 2: Tone—Refine Without the Sting
Product: Coast Is Clear
A great toner preps skin for the rest of your routine. Coast Is Clear effortlessly lifts away leftover impurities from your skin’s surface while helping refine its texture. After application, your moisturizer will sink deeper into your skin’s surface for effectiveness.
Apply the toner directly to a cotton pad or your palms and press it into the skin, forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. Focus a little toner extra on the T-zone to help shrink the pores.
When skin is balanced and refined, pores don’t look huge. Toner keeps things smooth and fresh so pores don’t look congested and instead appear much smaller.
Step 3: Treat—Brighten and Support with Vitamin C (AM)
Product: Seeking C
Vitamin C is a pore’s best friend for a few reasons. It brightens skin’s dullness, helps even out the look of dark spots from past breakouts, and supports the skin’s overall look and feel. When your skin looks firm and luminous, pores fade into the background substantially.
Press a few drops of Seeking C onto clean, toned skin in the morning. Give it a minute to sink in before applying your moisturizer.
Bright, resilient skin diffuses light better. That optical effect alone reduces how noticeable pores look. And when skin feels supported, it behaves better even better with far less oil chaos and fewer clogged pores.
Step 4: Moisturize Smart—Featherweight by Day, Water-Gel by Night
AM Moisturizer: Daydreamer
PM Moisturizer: Night Shift Hydration Gel
If you’ve been skipping moisturizer because you’re worried about oil, let’s fix that. Dehydrated skin overproduces oil, which can make pores look bigger. The trick is choosing textures that hydrate without heaviness.
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Daydreamer is lightweight and comfortable under sunscreen and makeup.
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Night Shift Hydration Gel is a cooling, water-gel format that gives thirsty skin what it needs without an occlusive feel.
Morning, smooth on Daydreamer after Seeking C. At night, apply Night Shift Hydration Gel as your final step.
Balanced hydration keeps oil levels in check and prevents that “tight then greasy” cycle that leads to clogged pores, shine, and enlarged pore appearance. Calm, hydrated skin gives you a much smoother look.
Daily Sunscreen (AM) Is A Must
Sunscreen doesn’t shrink pores overnight, but it protects the collagen and elasticity that keep pores looking tight and refined. Think of it as preserving your progress. Apply a broad-spectrum SPF every morning as your last step. Rain or shine. Your future face will thank you.
How to Shrink Pores: Habits That Actually Work
Let’s stack the little wins:
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Cleanse twice daily, not five times. Over-cleansing backfires and can lead to more problems. Stick to morning and night using Down to Earth.
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Keep your toner gentle and purposeful. Use Coast Is Clear to keep texture smooth and pores refined.
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Support brightness and bounce. Vitamin C serum, such as Seeking C, helps skin look luminous and even out skin tone with smaller pores.
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Hydrate without heaviness. Light layers win. Day use Daydreamer. Night us Night Shift Hydration Gel.
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Sunscreen - use every day. It preserves your skin’s firmness and helps keep pores from looking larger over time.
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Wash your makeup brushes. Dirty tools cause clogged pores because they can leave debris buildup on your skin’s surface. Quick clean weekly.
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Go easy on long-wear, heavy formulas. If you love them, great, but give skin regular breaks and cleanse well.
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Hands off. Squeezing only stretches pores and invites more issues such as clogged pores and breakouts.
A Closer Look: Large Pores on Nose
The nose is truly oil central on your face. There are more sebaceous glands in that area, which means more oil and more opportunity for buildup.
Here’s how to keep large pores on nose under control:
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Spend an extra 10–15 seconds cleansing around the sides of the nose with Down to Earth.
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Press Coast Is Clear into those creases with a clean cotton pad.
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Use a tissue to blot midday shine instead of powdering over oil.
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Treat the area gently. No digging with nails and absolutely no harsh scrubs.
You’ll see that consistent, small tweaks beat any quick-fix strip that leaves skin irritated.
“Get Rid of Large Pores”: What’s Realistic?
Let’s set expectations you can feel good about. You can absolutely reduce the appearance of enlarged pores. You can make the texture look smoother. Makeup can sit better. Shine can stay in check longer. What you can’t do is remove pores entirely. And you don’t need to. Instead, you can learn how to shrink pores.
The goal is skin that looks refined and healthy. When your skin barrier is happy, pores stop shouting for attention, and that’s a win because your skin will look better.
Ingredients That Play Well With Pores
You’ll see these themes echoed in the Eight Saints lineup:
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Balanced cleansers. They lift oil and impurities without stripping (hello, Down to Earth).
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Gentle refiners. Toners that smooth and prep without a sting (Coast Is Clear).
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Antioxidants like Vitamin C. Brighten the look of skin and support a more even tone (Seeking C).
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Lightweight hydrators. Moisturizers that keep water in and excess shine out (Daydreamer, Night Shift Hydration Gel).
That mix helps prevent clogged pores, balances oil, and keeps texture looking smooth.
Troubleshooting: When Pores Still Look Large
If you’re doing the basics to shrink your pores and still feel stuck with big pores then try these gentle tweaks:
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Check your water temperature. Hot water can irritate and trigger oil production. Lukewarm water wins when it comes to washing your skin.
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Watch your hair products. Heavy oils and sprays can migrate onto your forehead and cause clogged pores and breakouts around the hairline.
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Rethink your powder habit. Blotting papers remove oil without stacking on more oil products.
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Clean pillowcases and phone screens. Little things matter. Build-up = breakouts and more visible pores.
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Give it two full weeks. Skin likes routine. Stick with the same core steps before you judge.
If you’ve been wondering how to shrink pores without turning your bathroom into a lab, now you have your gameplan. Keep your skincare routine simple and consistent. When you’re ready, build your pore-refining routine with Eight Saints products. Trust us, your skin will thank you with smaller pores and a smoother, blemish free texture.