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What are Different Methods of Pore Cleansing?

Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

The three main methods of pore cleansing rely on three kinds of skin cleansers. Those three varieties are facial cleanser, facial exfoliator, and facial masques. A basic cleanser will help to remove topic dirt and oil from the skin. This is an important routine that should be done at least once a day in order to keep pores clear, to reduce the risk of infection in the pores, and to keep the oil and dead skin from building up in the pores. For those who have particularly oily skin or conduct daily activities that causes them to sweat heavily or get a bit dirty, the face may require cleansing twice a day.

Exfoliation is a process that can be done once or twice a week depending on the skin's level of sensitivity. A facial exfoliator buffs the skin, sloughing away dead skin cells and cleaning deeper into the pores than a basic facial cleanser can. An exfoliator can help to remove excess oil and any dirt that has built up in the pores. The required frequency of this type of pore cleansing will depend not only on how sensitive the skin is, but also the amount of oil that the skin produces.

A pore refining cleanser can be used to minimize pores.
A pore refining cleanser can be used to minimize pores.

Another option in pore cleansing is facial masques. Masques are products that are intended to be left on the skin for an extended amount of time. Depending on the ingredients in the masque and the purposes that it is supposed to serve, a facial masque may be left on the face anywhere from five to 30 minutes. There are masques for all purposes. Some are intended to hydrate the skin, others are intended to firm the skin.

Using an exfoliant can help minimize pore appearance.
Using an exfoliant can help minimize pore appearance.

For the purposes of pore cleansing, a facial masque intended to offer deep cleansing or pore refining is the best choice. These sorts of masques are often made with clay that is left to dry on the skin. As the clay dries, it pulls dirt, oil, and dead skin cells out of the pores. Sometimes these masks include plant-based ingredients such as seaweed, corn, or oatmeal. Once the masque has been left to treat the skin, it is usually rinsed away with warm water or wiped from the skin with a wash cloth that has been soaked in warm water. There are also some pore cleansing gel masks that are peeled from the skin after they dry, thus lifting dead skin cells and dirt out of the skin.

Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.

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Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.

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    • A pore refining cleanser can be used to minimize pores.
      By: rufar
      A pore refining cleanser can be used to minimize pores.
    • Using an exfoliant can help minimize pore appearance.
      By: kubais
      Using an exfoliant can help minimize pore appearance.
    • A basic cleanser used in the morning and at night can help keep pores clean and free from infection.
      By: moonrise
      A basic cleanser used in the morning and at night can help keep pores clean and free from infection.
    • Facial masques can also cleanse the skin.
      By: bertys30
      Facial masques can also cleanse the skin.