Please help me sort out my pores - desperate!

[ScaredyDog]

My pores are getting me down. Since I turned 30, my face seemed to turn into the surface of the moon :(

I was out last night and I looked in the mirror and I could have cried. I'm sure they are spreading across my cheeks and chin and getting worse.

Please, can someone recommend something (anything!) to minimise the look of my pores or to help shrink them? I've read that nothing really shrinks them :(

I've tried Benefit Porefessional (rubbish), primers, different foundation (but willing to try any recommended foundation) and I'm currently using a Dior oil cleanser that I thought was helping but it seems not.

If anyone has tried anything that has significantly helped the appearance of their pores, please, please tell me about it :)

I had exactly the same - am now 34 and it was getting crucial until I peared my skin care right down and started using the oil cleansing method with rosewater between times and oil to moisturize (most of the time). The improvement has been dramatic TBH.

laura mercier illuminating tinted moistutiser makes my skin look nice

Exfoliate regularly - can be a scrub or a chemical thing like a toner that contains exfoliant - Clarins do a good one. I use Shu Uemura moisturising lotion after their cleansing oil, which is confusingly named as actually a toner, it keeps my skin cells turning over and prevents pore cloggage. Also use Nutrogena pink grapefruit scrub for teen spotters a couple of times a week

Have you tried hot cloth cleansing? Works miracles for some. Again it's a means to an end - exfoliation.

Look for the ga thread! Glycolic acid. done wonders for my skin

salicylic acid has worked wonders for my skin. I am also using some retinol cream (not both at once!) and my skin has not looked this good in years. I have tried all sorts of creams and lotions, OCM and different exfoliators etc but nothing has been as good as these two items.

Hijack - is salicylic acid the one for enlarged pores or glycolic? I have dry skin but with huge pores and acne scarring so wasn't sure which to go for when I inevitably join the acidheads.

Acid and tretinoin cream will work. fact. Please dont spend money on over the counter products as they just don't do the job. Do a search to see if you have a clinic that stocks Obagi products near you. There products do exactly what they say.

I don't think there is anything that can actually shrink pores as your skin type is genetic but you can make them less congested. If they are oily I suggest Body Shop tea tree facial toner - just tightens them up and takes the oil away. On bad oily days I used to keep it decanted in a little bottle (travel, plastic) in my handbag so I could dab on mid day and it always made my face feel great.

Couple of questions and answers.

Procrastination what sort of oils do you use? I would be willing to give oil cleansing a try (the Dior oil cleanser surprises me in how drying - but not in a bad way - and tightening it is) but I'm terrified of it causing spots.

Other than my pores I have really good skin, no spots, no real wrinkles. So I'd be gutted it OCM turned me into a spotty mess. How have you found it spot-wise?

I already do exfoliate regularly, 2-3 times a week. Have never tried hot cloth cleansers as I've never read any reviews that convince me of their effect on pores. Willing to try if someone can recommend one that they have found helps with pores.

Obagi creams look really expensive :( I could spend that, but would probably want to try it first. Will make a few calls to clinics tomorrow.

Any recommendations on foundation please?

luvilee salicylic acid is for pores and acne, glycloic boosts natural collagen making skin look young. So... sorry correction OP look for salicylic acid thread :) honestly if my ga peel is anything to go by look no further and don't waste your money on products that won't work

Laura Mercier oil-free foundation. It's pricey but I keep coming back to this one as it doesn't look cakey.

bravuralondon.com/skin-peels/salicylic-acid.html here is a link to the acid. This is the company I used (and probably everyone else on mumsnet. I think they may have put there prices up v slightly after the mumsnet surge but still a bargain at £10

Apparently the new Bare MInerlas night treatment is meant to be great for open pores.