Find out how much you really know about caring for your pores-“True or false” quiz-
The whole point of your daily skincare routine is to keep your skin looking beautiful.
But are misconceptions actually leading you astray?
Is everything you know about pore care actually wrong?Take our “true or false” quiz to find out right now!
Q1. Applying a hot washcloth to your face will open the pores.
Q2. Applying cold water or chilled moisturizer to your face will close the pores.
Q3. To clear clogged, darkened pores on your nose, you should scrub hard when washing your face.
Q4. If blackheads are a concern, it’s best to use pore strips every day.
How many questions could you answer? Now let’s look at the right answers and the reasons behind them.
Q1. Applying a hot washcloth to your face will open the pores.
A1. True
Pores do open as the skin’s temperature rises. If you cover your face with a hot washcloth before washing it, the steam and heat will open your pores, making it easier to remove the dirt and sebum trapped inside. The heat from the hot washcloth will also raise your skin’s temperature, so the skincare products you apply afterwards will permeate faster and be more effective.
Preparing a hot washcloth is really easy. Dampen and wring out a washcloth, then heat it in a microwave for between 30 seconds and one minute. Taking care to avoid burning your fingers, remove the washcloth from the microwave, open it out and let it cool a little, and then place it over your face.
Q2. Applying cold water or chilled moisturizer to your face will close the pores.
A2. True
Your pores open and close in response to the air temperature, so splashing your face with cold water or spritzing it with chilled moisturizer will definitely have a pore-tightening effect. However, the effect is only temporary, so this in itself is not enough to keep your pores clear. Your skin reacts to cold by increasing its blood-flow to warm itself up, so over-cooling your face could actually result in opening your pores.
Q3. To clear clogged, darkened pores on your nose, you should scrub hard when washing your face.
A3. False
Clogged, darkened pores are mainly caused by two processes. In the first process, dirt and excess sebum adhere around plugs of sebum lodged in pores. The excess sebum oxidizes on exposure to air, turning black and darkening the pores. In the second process, sunburn or other stimulus causes the pores to produce excess melanin, which darkens them. If your pores have been darkened by sunburn, the problem cannot be solved by washing your face. Even if your pores have been darkened by oxidized sebum, scrubbing your face hard is not a good idea. The best approach is to help your skin solve the problem itself, by encouraging it to raise its skin-cell turnover to a normal level. To do this, make a good lather with your facewash product, and wash your face gently, so as not to irritate the skin.
Q4. If blackheads are a concern, it’s best to use pore strips every day.
A4. False
Besides removing blackheads and dirt lodged inside your pores, pore strips also remove more skin cells, oil and moisture than is necessary, from the surface of your skin. This stresses your skin, so it’s best not to use pore strips more than once every two or three weeks. And after using pore strips, don’t forget to hydrate your skin more generously than usual!
How many questions did you answer correctly? If you’ve been doing things wrong due to misconceptions about skincare, be sure to take this opportunity to rethink your routine.
