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While it’s not possible to actually minimize your pores, there are plenty of great products on the market that can help minimize their appearance. “A pore minimizer is a product or procedure that helps the pores appear smaller,” says Nazanin Saedi, M.D., a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and department co-chair of the Laser and Aesthetics Surgery Center at Dermatology Associates of Plymouth Meeting in Pennsylvania. Pore minimizers “remove the dead skin cells and also unclog the pores which make them appear smaller.”
The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab conducts thousands of in-Lab and consumer tests on skincare products, including facial peels, scrubs masks, toners, serums and primers that can minimize the appearance of pores. In the Lab’s most recent facial peel and face scrub tests, scientists analyzed changes in consumers’ skin, including measuring pore size, parsing through nearly 3,000 data points to find the products that actually minimize the appearance of pores. Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best pore minimizers to get the smoothest skin possible as recommended by Beauty Lab pros, GH editors, Dr. Saedi and Roberta Del Campo, M.D., medical advisor for Babor and the founder of Del Campo Dermatology in Miami.
Our top picks:
You can read more about how we evaluate pore minimizers in our Lab and consumer tests — plus everything you need to know to shop for your perfect pore minimizer — at the end of this guide. “Two factors that contribute to the enlarged appearance of pores are high sebum production and skin laxity due to aging,” says GH Beauty and Health Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler, so you’ll need to know which ingredients to prioritize when shopping, depending on your skin type and goals. And if you’re looking for more ways to achieve bright, smooth skin, check out our guides on how to get the smoothest skin ever and how to get glowing skin.
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Best Overall Pore Minimizer
Clear Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution
- Gently exfoliates
- Manages blackheads
This Paula’s Choice leave-on exfoliator is gentle yet effectively unclogs pores thanks to a 2% salicylic acid formula. The salicylic acid does double duty clearing out pores and stopping blemishes in their tracks, and this product is a favorite of GH Beauty Lab Chemist Danusia Wnek. “Salicylic acid is a wonderful ingredient for unclogging pores,” she says. “This salicylic acid toner does a really good job of keeping blackheads at bay and minimizing the appearance of pores.”
• Size: 4 fl. oz
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid
• Skin type: Acne-prone
Best Value Pore Minimizer
Fresh Skin Scrub Apricot
- Well-priced
- Contains natural exfoliants for deep cleansing
- Leaves skin feeling smooth
St. Ives’ classic creamy scrub won a 2022 GH Beauty Award thanks to its deep exfoliating benefits. Beauty Lab and consumer testing both found it to effectively remove dirt and oil and minimize the appearance of pores. “My skin has never felt smoother or [looked] brighter,” and “it gave my skin a glow,” two testers said.
• Size: 6 oz
• Key ingredients: Apricot, walnut
• Skin type: Acne-prone
Best Pore Minimizing Serum
Power Serum Ampoules Retinol
- Has both anti-aging and pore-refining benefits
- Eco-minded packaging
Babor’s clean formulas are effective and luxurious, even garnering them a GH Sustainable Innovation Award. These retinol ampoules target signs of aging such as uneven skin texture (read: enlarged pores) in a seven-day system. Dr. Del Campo recommends retinol for minimizing the appearance of pores: “I call it Drano for the pores,” she says. “In combination with tripeptides, these two powerful ingredients can help to minimize the appearance of pores.”
• Size: 0.06 oz each (seven total)
• Key ingredients: Retinol
• Skin type: Aging
Best Drugstore Pore Minimizer
Acne Fighting Putty Primer
- Well-priced
- Contains salicylic acid
Wearing a primer is one of the quickest fixes to minimize the appearance of pores. This acne-fighting primer contains salicylic acid to help refine the appearance of pores in addition to covering them up. “I like the thick putty texture for smoothing over pores, and it contains pore-blurring spherical powders,” says Butler.
• Size: 0.74 oz
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid
• Skin type: Acne-prone
Best Pore Minimizing Primer
Evercolor Poreless Face Defender
- Multitasker
- Works on all skin tones
Made with a translucent formula, this multitasking makeup instantly diffuses the appearance of pores and can be used at the beginning or end of your makeup routine. “This unique clear balm works both as a makeup primer or as a finishing step to blur imperfections like pores,” says GH Beauty Director April Franzino. “Think of it as a soft-focus filter in a compact!”
• Size: 0.46 oz
• Key ingredients: Dimethicone, silica
• Skin type: All
Best Pore Minimizing Toner
Glow Tonic
- Brightens
- Contains calming ingredients to soothe skin
Pixi’s exfoliating toner relies on glycolic acid to gently accelerate cell renewal, which helps minimize the appearance of pores. It also contains ingredients like glycerin, urea, ginseng and aloe vera to soothe and hydrate the skin. Butler likes its glycolic acid formulation, saying, “It’s easy to incorporate in a nightly skincare routine to gradually exfoliate skin and prevent congested pores. I especially like that it’s affordable and available at the drugstore, so it can be picked up anywhere.”
• Size: 8.5 fl. oz
• Key ingredients: Glycolic acid
• Skin type: All
Best Pore Minimizer for Large Pores and Wrinkles
Rapid Reveal Peel
- Improves skin texture, tone and radiance
- Multitasking formula also reduces visible spots
- High consumer satisfaction
- Some testers found tubes hard to open
Get the benefits of a professional-grade peel in the comfort of your own home. This Beauty Lab-tested and consumer-loved peel helps treat both pores and wrinkles. In Beauty Lab and consumer testing, it earned the best scores for improving skin tone, smoothing skin, brightening skin, improving wrinkles and making pores less visible: 100% of consumers agreed that their skin tone was more even and their skin was smoother and brighter, while 75% of consumers agreed fine lines, wrinkles and pores were less visible.
• Size: 1 fl. oz
• Key ingredients: Lactic acid
• Skin type: Normal, dry
Best Pore Minimizer for Hyperpigmentation
Adapalene Gel
- Prescription-level retinoid available over-the-counter
- Well-priced
- Treats acne and dark spots
Adapalene, a retinoid, helps clean pores deeply and even skin texture and tone, including preventing and reducing dark spots caused by acne. It’s great on all skin tones, including darker skin tones that are prone to scarring and hyperpigmentation, according to one clinical trial, that found “Adapalene gel 0.1% is an effective, well-tolerated topical therapy” for all skin tones. “It helps increase the cell turnover, unclog pores and eventually reduce their appearance,” says Dr. Saedi.
• Size: 0.5 oz
• Key ingredients: Adapalene
• Skin type: Acne-prone
Best Pore Minimizing Cream
Daily Moisture
- Lightweight
- Can be used under makeup
Though not tested by the Beauty Lab, this SkinCeuticals daily moisturizer is a consumer favorite. Its unique formula includes botanical extracts; the brand reports that this helps minimize the appearance of pores, and consumers agree. “This is my everyday moisturizer on my face,” one reviewer writes. “It’s lightweight, absorbs easily and doesn’t feel greasy or clog pores. Makeup goes on nicely after it.”
• Size: 2 fl. oz
• Key ingredients: Algae and botanical extracts
• Skin type: Normal, oily
Best Pore Minimizing Peel
TimeWise Repair Revealing Radiance Facial Peel
- Non-irritating
- Easy to use
A GH Seal holder, Mary Kay’s facial peel was also a top Beauty Lab performer in facial peel testing. It’s made with a high concentration of glycolic acid yet was least likely to sting skin in Lab testing. It earned the best lab scores for improving skin texture and diminishing pores, in addition to getting a perfect score for not causing redness. Testers agreed with these findings; one tester said, “I liked that it did not irritate my skin. It was easy to use and my skin looked brighter after one use.”
• Size: 1.7 oz
• Key ingredients: Glycolic acid
• Skin type: All
Best Pore Minimizing Mask
Cellular 3-Minute Peel
- Non-stinging
- Gives immediate results
La Prairie’s peel is meant to be used quickly: the three-minute peel is recommended for once-a-week use for best results. In Beauty Lab testing, it performed highly across multiple categories: 100% of testers reporting no peeling or flaking after application. It also earned the best Lab score for improving skin tone and radiance in addition to top consumer and Lab scores for making pores less visible: After two weeks, 62.5% of testers agreed that pores looked less visible. “I saw immediate results,” one tester raved. “My skin looked smoother and brighter as soon as I washed off the product (even my family noticed a difference). And, the results remained for days.”
• Size: 1.4 oz
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid
• Skin type: All
Best Natural Pore Minimizer
Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator
- Doesn’t overdry skin
- Effective cleanser and makeup remover
- Some testers found formula to be oily
This face exfoliator is loaded with natural seaweed; the brand notes that the seaweed is packed with vitamin C, vitamin B12, potassium and iron for skin health. In Beauty Lab testing, it earned the best consumer score for reducing the appearance of pores and not overdrying skin. “My skin felt so soft after I used it and I could look in the mirror and see a difference after the first use,” one tester raved. “By the end of the week I felt like my skin looked brighter, tighter, clearer, smaller pores, smoother – I have used many scrubs but this one truly worked!”
• Size: 3.3 fl. oz
• Key ingredients: Seaweed, jojoba beads
• Skin type: Oily
Best Nose Pore Minimizer
Pore Purifying Clay Mask
- Removes excess sebum
- Includes natural ingredients
Revision’s pore purifying mask lives up to its name: With pore-refining ingredients like salicylic acid and tea tree oil, users have found it visibly reduces the appearance of pores. “I have only used this twice and I have seen a reduction in the size of my pores,” one reviewer writes. “Helps to control oil and does not feel drying or tight.” Dr. Saedi is also a fan of this mask. “It contains salicylic acid to help penetrate the pores and help reduce oil production,” she notes. She adds that the clay also helps reduce oil production.
• Size: 1.7 oz
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid
• Skin type: All
Best Blackhead Remover and Pore Minimizer
Instant Detox Mask
- Works quickly
- Targets pores, blackheads and oil production
Achieve instantly smoother and tighter skin with Caudalie’s fast-acting face mask. It tightens pores, absorbs excess oil quickly and is one of Wnek’s favorite products for improving pore appearance. “Of all products I use, this one is the best at minimizing the appearance of my pores,” she says. “It’s a nice clay mask that not only soaks up extra oils but also temporarily shrinks the appearance of pores and blackheads.”
• Size: 2.5 fl. oz
• Key ingredients: Caffeine, pink clay
• Skin type: All
Best Pore Minimizer for Oily Skin
Skin Perfecting Oily Skin Liquid Facial Exfoliant
- Chemically exfoliates
- Brightens skin
- Some customers found the formula too strong
A GH Beauty Award winner, this 7% glycolic and citric acid blend liquid exfoliant combats skin congestion, dullness and clogged pores. Beauty Lab data evaluation found that it helped even out skin tone over four weeks of daily use. “I noticed this product has left my skin feeling fresh throughout the day,” a Walmart reviewer says. “My pores even appear smaller.“
• Size: 4 oz
• Key ingredients: Glycolic acid, citric acids
• Skin type: Oily
How we choose the best pore minimizers
The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has tested thousands of skincare products over the years, including facial peels and scrubs, which have been proven for their ability to reduce the appearance of pores. For the most recent facial peel tests, the GH Beauty Lab recruited eight women ages 30 and above to test peels at home. We analyzed their skin in our Lab with a Visia Complexion Analyzer to track changes in testers’ pores, skin texture, visible spots, and wrinkles before and after two weeks of use, collecting more than 1,500 data points.
For face scrubs and exfoliators, we Lab evaluated each product’s performance with consumer testers, tallying 1,375 survey data points: testers gave feedback on multiple factors, including whether the products reduced the appearance of their pores. For this story, we chose top-performing products from those tests, as well as favorite picks from dermatologists, Beauty Lab experts and editors.
What to look for when shopping for the best pore minimizer
Our pros say to look for products with ingredients that help reduce the appearance of pores. Here’s what to prioritize:
✔️ Exfoliating AHAs and BHAs such as glycolic acid and salicylic acid are often go-to ingredients in an acne skincare routine due to their oil regulating properties, and for the same reason, they help in reducing the appearance of pores as well. “It’s possible to regulate skin oiliness and reduce the buildup of dead skin cells and sebum in the pores by using exfoliating acids,” says Butler.
✔️ Niacinamide “can also reduce sebum production,” says Butler, so “using products that contain niacinamide can improve the appearance of enlarged pores.”
✔️ Retinol or a retinoid can increase collagen production, says Butler, so if you have enlarged pores and skin laxity due to aging, look for a product that contains one of these anti-aging powerhouses.
✔️ Wear primer: GH Beauty Lab Chemist Danusia Wnek relies on her favorite primer to hide pores and create flawless-looking skin. Wearing primer “fills the valleys of my pores very well and creates a nice, smooth base for makeup,” she says.
What is the most effective pore minimizer?
Exfoliating acids are going to be your best friend when it comes to actively minimizing the appearance of pores. “AHA and BHA exfoliating toners both work well,” says Butler. She likes to look for products with a high concentration of salicylic acid or glycolic acid.
Opt for a primer if you’re looking to topically blur the appearance of pores. Primers can act like spackle to cover up pores to create a smooth base for makeup. “Makeup products such as primers can conceal enlarged pores by way of tiny spherical particles that scatter light in all directions to blur the appearance of the skin’s surface,” says Butler.
Do pore reducers really work?
Yes — while you cannot reduce the actual size of your pores, you can reduce their appearance. “Pore size is genetic so you cannot permanently change the size but if you tighten and firm the skin and remove all debris within the pores will appear smaller,” says Dr. Del Campo.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
GH Beauty Assistant Catharine Malzahn authored this story and works closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to help deliver fact-based, science-backed beauty coverage. For this article, she interviewed two dermatologists to gather the best information on pore minimizers and tried several of the recommended products. While writing this article, she worked with Chiara Butler, a Health and Beauty Reviews Analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, who provided product recommendations and expert advice on minimizing the appearance of pores.
Dr. Nazanin Saedi is a board-certified, fellowship trained cosmetic dermatologist. She practices at Dermatology Associates of Plymouth Meeting in Pennsylvania and is the Department Co-Chair the Laser and Aesthetics Surgery Center. Dr. Roberta Del Campo is the medical advisor for Babor and the founder of Del Campo Dermatology in Miami.
Beauty Assistant
Catharine Malzahn is the Beauty Assistant at Good Housekeeping where she works closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to support, pitch and write beauty content.
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