How to Open Your Pores and Clean Your Face at Home

Source:Typef.com

Feb 23, 2011 / By Heather Vecchioni

Photo: Jupiterimages/Pixland/Getty Images

Clean pores are the key to glowing, clear and healthy skin. Pores are ideal spots for dirt, oil and other blemish-causing substances to grow, which is why opening them and cleaning them out is essential if you want luminous skin that brings all the boys to the yard. Sure, you can go to the spa and drop major coin to give your skin some serious V.I.P. treatment, but you can also open your pores and clean your skin at home for a fraction of the cost.

1.

Soak your skin with steam. Sit a large pot on the stove and fill it with water. Bring the water to a boil and stick your face over the top of the pot. Place a towel over your head to increase the impact the steam has on your face. Sit here for about 10 or 15 minutes to allow the heat and moisture to open your sponge-like pores. Move away from the steam if it becomes too hot for you to handle.

2.

Wash your face with cleanser. A gentle cleanser will remove the gunk and other buildup in your pores that cause the unsightly blemishes. Wash your face upon waking up and when you go to bed. You can also wash again if you exercise or experience extra sweat or oil on your face.

3.

Exfoliate your skin with a gentle scrub once or twice a week. Dead skin cells often fall into pores, causing them to become clogged and blemished. Removing the cells before they have a chance to clog your pores is a good way to prevent any unsightly pimples. Exfoliating also removes the cells that dull your appearance, allowing your more youthful cells to glow and brighten your skin tone.

4.

Tone your T-zone. Your T-zone is your forehead and nose -- the areas that most often experience blemishes. Applying toner to your skin helps to get the debris that hide deep down in your pores. Toner also helps close your pores, which protects them from blemish-causing substances, such as dirt and oil.