Beautiful skin is simple, once you use products that are right for your skin.
If you suck on a lemon, or drink a red wine with lots of tannins in it, you will experience “astringency” when the inside of your mouth puckers up. It is caused by chemicals that make your tissues contract – in this case, tissues on the inside of your mouth. The same chemicals are often used to minimize pores. They are known as astringents, and their basic quality is their ability to contract tissue, causing pores to minimize. And like astringents that you drink, their effect is temporary.
When you realize that minimizing pores is going to be a long-term project, it becomes more important to avoid harsh chemicals in the products you are going to be using every day. I have always favored natural products.
Some astringents, like alcohol, can be very drying, which seems helpful if you have oily skin that is breaking out, but repeated use of drying chemicals on oily skin can actually result in even greater output of oil, leaving you worse off than when you started. And if you have dry skin, alcohol is not a good option at all. So it is better to use natural astringents like witch hazel, cider vinegar, and rose water, that you can vary according to your skin type.
Aside from the appearance factor, large pores are vulnerable to infection and irritation. Again, natural astringents can provide protection from breakouts because they contain antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Cider vinegar is a case in point. In addition, they are slightly acidic and help to restore the skin’s acid mantle by balancing the skin’s pH, a first line of defense against infection.
A good facial toner made from astringent hydrosols will balance the skin’s pH, minimize pores, and be an enjoyable and refreshing part of your daily routine.
