Using skin-loving ingredients like retinoids, AHAs, BHAs, and niacinamide, pore minimizing serums can banish pore-clogging dead skin cells and resurface the skin to reveal a brightened, more radiant complexion. With that in mind, we rounded up an edit of the Top 10 pore minimizing serums on the market today.
A good Vitamin C serum can help fade discolorations, even out skin tone, shrink pores, and make dull skin more bouncy and radiant.
Hyaluronic acid serum tightens skin and minimizes pores so they shrink and become invisible over time. Smaller pores mean fewer clogs and breakouts.
Retinol promotes skin cell turnover and unclogs pores.
Studies show that applying retinol cream reduces pore size and keeps them cleaner, emptying the impurities that otherwise give an oversized appearance. Retinol is most effective when used as night cream.
Niacinamide reduces inflammation , which may help ease redness from eczema, acne, and other inflammatory skin conditions. Minimizes pore appearance. Keeping skin smooth and moisturized may have a secondary benefit — a natural reduction in pore size over time.
Products that increase collagen production — like vitamin C and retinoids — are a good choice. 2. Products that cause swelling within the skin deliver temporary improvement for large pores. This is how most “pore minimizing” products work, and many of these rely on vitamin C or glycolic acid to achieve their goal.
Niacinamide With Vitamin C Are a Winning Combination
This means that you're safe to use both niacinamide and vitamin C, either together in the same product, or combined from different products that you layer one over the other.
If you're wondering when to apply a vitamin C serum, the answer is both morning and night, after cleansing and toning. One study even recommends applying a vitamin C serum every eight hours, or twice daily for the pinnacle of protection.
Witch hazel acts as an astringent to help shrink your pores, soothe your skin and reduce inflammation.
Hyaluronic Acid for face is the best serum one can use since it DOES NOT clog pores, instead it holds up moisture. This moisture keeps the skin clear from entrapping pollutants and dirt in the pores, thus fewer acne breakouts.
Can I use niacinamide and hyaluronic acid together? Yes, you can indeed! Hyaluronic acid and niacinamide deliver impressive hydrating benefits for the skin.
Don't Mix: Niacinamide and vitamin C. Although they're both antioxidants, vitamin C is one ingredient that's not compatible with niacinamide. "Both are very common antioxidants used in a variety of skincare products, but they should not be used one right after the other," says Dr. Marchbein.
Hyaluronic acid and niacinamide:
Hyaluronic acid and Niacinamide are a great pair as both are water-based treatments. When used together, always go with applying hyaluronic acid first, followed by Niacinamide. By following this, you would be able to attract plenty of hydration first.
Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, added that retinol reduces the tendency of cells and keratin debris to clump together and clog up pores, making it especially helpful for those with oily and acne-prone skin.
“AHAs and BHAs dissolve the connections between your cells and the surface of your skin to essentially 'unclog' pores,” says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Retinol has similar benefits, but it's stronger than niacinamide. It's also known to cause irritation, redness, and dry skin. Pairing the two ingredients is safe and can make retinol easier to use. Niacinamide helps hydrate the skin, which reduces the risk of irritation caused by retinol.
Being oil soluble, salicylic acid can penetrate deeper into the skin layers, but it can also dehydrate and irritate skin. Niacinamide, on the other hand, reduces inflammation and boosts skin's natural moisturization. Niacinamide is a very accommodating ingredient.
While the two ingredients are similar, they also have their differences. "Because it's a mild acid, vitamin C also gives you more of an exfoliating and brightening effect than niacinamide," says Dr. Lee. "Niacinamide has a greater impact in terms of hydrating the skin."
More to love, it's easy to apply and absorbs quickly, leaving no residual tackiness. As advertised, this contains retinol. CeraVe doesn't reveal the amount included, but based on its positioning in the ingredient list, it's likely around 0.01%.
1. SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream. Formulated with the highest concentration of 1.0% pure retinol and botanical extracts, this cream is enhanced with the latest stabilization and delivery technologies to preserve retinol potency and ensure maximum efficacy and stability.