How I got rid of uneven skin texture and large pores

Skincare is a journey that changes direction every decade! Spoiler: The products you used in your teens are probably not doing anything for you now.

Finding a new skin care routine isn’t necessarily the solution. In my most recent experience, resetting my skin with minimal skincare products for my skin type and letting it rest has proven the most effective.

Though I don’t have acne scars, I do have a couple of scars from when I had chicken pox as a kid, which can leave a similar mark as ice pick scars caused by acne. Luckily this means I can tell you all about the holy grail products I am currently using to improve my skin texture! These products and healthy skin tips will help you perfect your skincare routine and even out your skin tone. 

Details about my skin: dry skin, enlarged pores, age spots caused by sun damage, skin a dull color, deep pox scars

 

If your skin is suffering from inflammation, allergic reactions, or sensitivities, reducing what you are doing to your skin is extremely beneficial, as well as not using as many active products. Addressing excess oil, congestion, sun exposure, or slow cell turnover are other considerations. These factors all play on your skin texture, pore size, hydration, and brightness. 

 

Let’s get into what this strategy actually means step by step

 

1. Clean and Protect

If you noticed any of the symptoms I listed above, it may be time to stop everything and go back to basics! This means clean your skin, moisturize, and protect. Full stop. Do not treat with anything until you are able to clear any active skin issues. 

When I interviewed celebrity Dermatologist Dr. Albon with La Roche-Posay, she said, “The idea is that less is more….”

Consider using a mineral sunscreen so you don’t have any chemicals absorbing into your skin. Sunscreen is the ultimate protector when it comes to discoloration.

It’s also a good idea to consider diet as a source of skin reactions as well. Common culprits are processed foods, dairy, and too much salt and sugar. Dr. Perricone describes sugar as “a burst of inflammation throughout the body.”

2. Heal

Just like any part of the body, you have to get back to square one before you can start making changes. You wouldn’t expect your leg to start running a marathon if it’s broken, right? 

My favorite way to go back to basics is to use Potency710’s Gold Serum (always read ingredients before using). This serum uses a high amount of CBD and jojoba oil, which are both anti-inflammatories and antioxidants. 

This product has become a one stop shop for a lot of my issues and has helped me get my glow back. You could just stop your journey here. My experience has been that good! You can use the code THEVANILLAPLUM for the member’s pricing.

I’ve also been using niacinamides for tighter pores and better texture and to reduce inflammation from a weak skin barrier. I like to use Dermageek’s night cream to seal in Potency No. 710’s serum at night. It’s a pretty inexpensive cream and very basic but it really has made my skin look smoother–even in my 30’s.

 

---

UPDATE:

A full routine I’ve found to be very healing is Arcona, which I’ve found to be great with the hormonal mess left behind postpartum. I like to use these four products in my routine:

1. Kiwi Cream Bar

2. Trial Pads (at night if I’ve been wearing makeup/sunscreen)

3. Alternate 2 days/week Glycolic Acid and their Vitamin C 3 days a week for brightening

4. White Ice Hydrator to seal it in.

*ZIIP Halo device on problem skin mode (in the app)

---

 

 

 

 

3. Exfoliate

There are three ways to exfoliate: Mechanical, physical and chemical. Medical expert to Vogue and Dermatologist, Dr. Mona Gohara, says to start with exfoliating once a week and work up to 3x (max) a week if your skin can handle it.

My favorite way to exfoliate is with a lactic acid mask. It’s gentle and reveals healthier skin slower, but so worth the results!

Lactic Acid is my favorite method because it doesn’t dry out my sensitive skin. I’ve fallen head over heels in love with Arcona’s Berry Gommage and The Ordinary’s Lactic Acid 5%+HA. If you need something slightly stronger, but still have sensitive skin, Arcona’s Gentle Solution mixes Lactic and Glycolic and it’s amazing! I use it at night 2-3x/week and it keeps the rosacea away.

If my skin texture feels “rough” I sometimes use a physical exfoliator. My go-to is Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant made from rice enzymes and sometimes just a rough washcloth used gently will do the trick on those rough spots like the nose.

4. Treat

If you’re ready to treat your skin with more active ingredients, your moisture barrier should be intact and your acid mantle at the appropriate skin pH of 4-5.5. Your skin should not be dry, red, or flaky. If your skin looks healthy, you may be ready for some active ingredients. This does not mean put everything on all at once or you’ll be right back where you started.

Microneedling

First off, NEVER do peels and microneedling together. After scouring the internet and doing my research, the recommendations that I’ve gathered are to space microneedling 4-6 weeks apart and chemical peels should be more than 2 weeks out from your microneedling. Shamim Shakibai, MD told Real Self, “It depends on which acid and strength…I usually want a full 2-4 week interval to ensure proper healing if a client has had a more intense chemical peel.…”

Microneedling is great because you aren’t manipulating your skin’s pH with a bunch of hydroxy acids and other acids to encourage collagen and elastin. Instead, you are creating micro injuries that your skin must repair by healing itself. Sounds bad, but the skin responds to these micro injuries with skin renewal stimulated by the needling.

I’ve been using the Derminator 2, by Sarah Vaughter, to heal my chicken pox scars. The texture of my skin is more even with every use, but just like anything, it takes time. You can read about my microneedling experience here.

I’ve done 3 treatments spaced 1.5 months apart. I’ve seen my wrinkles disappear, my skin feels more toned, looks more even, and my pores appear smaller. 

Please keep in mind that this is a treatment typically done in a dermatologist’s office. I opted to do it at home after my esthetician told me she didn’t think she could get me results. While she was using multiple needles, turns out the single needle technique allows me to reach my deep scars best.

Update: I just wrote about How to use red light therapy as a great addition to your routine. I highlight what red light therapy does and how to use for each issue.

 

Vitamin A

Retinol and retinoids are Vitamin A (antioxidants) that work by increasing epidermal turnover. This means dead skin cells get removed by stimulating collagen production. 

There’s been a bit of a debate on whether or not this is considered an exfoliator, though, technically speaking, it is not. I use Vitamin A regularly with growth factors at night and my pores have shrunk to what they were in my early 20’s. (It has also thickened my skin a bit, which is great for under eye circles!)

If you need to keep your Vitamin A as non-drying/irritating as possible, consider a plant-based source. 

Though I’ve tried other plant-based Retinols, so far, none have been quite as effective as Mandy’s Gold Serum.

 

Growth Factors

Growth factors are not hormones. You can read about it here.

I use Skinmedica’s TNS Essential Serum regularly and consider this a Holy Grail item. It’s a must-have for my smoother, smaller pores.

For a plant-based source, check out Bioeffect, which is made from Barley EGF. It has impressively helped heal my skin after microneedling.

 

Niacinamides

I don’t currently use Niacinamides, but it’s well-known as a texture miracle worker. I had to consult Reddit and my friends for this one. The Ordinary kept getting brought up for large pores! So I’m including it as a Holy Grail item. 

I love my experience with The Ordinary because they keep their products simple. Rather than creating mixes that can create adverse reactions with your skin, they leave the “mixing” to you. It’s a great company to use when you want to try out a new ingredient to see how your skin reacts. 

If you want to read more on how to improve your skin texture, read How To Use A Microneedling Pen at Home and How I Got Rid of My 11 Line Wrinkles.

Also check out my review of the ZIIP microcurrent device and red light therapy which cleared up my rosacea for good.