7 Ways to “Shrink” Your Nose Pores

You can make your nose pores appear smaller by cleansing twice daily, moisturizing, and exfoliating. These tips will help unclog your pores so they become less noticeable.

Every guy has wondered whether size matters. But there’s one part of your body where smaller almost always seems better: the pores on your nose.

You have 20,000+ pores on your face alone. Pores are the openings of hair follicles, which are attached to sebaceous glands that produce oil to keep your skin hydrated. Pores come in many sizes. But if yours are the size of craters, you’re probably on a mission to get rid of them. 

Spoiler alert: You technically can’t “shrink” your skin pores, but keeping them clean and unclogged can make them appear smaller. In this article, we’ll explain why the pores on your nose look big and give you science-backed tips to make them less glaring.

Why Do You Have Large Nose Pores?

Nose pores are naturally bigger than the pores on other parts of your skin. That’s because the sebaceous glands on your nose are larger (blame Mother Nature). However, if those pores get clogged with sebum and dead skin cells, it creates little “plugs” that harden, which expand the follicle walls.

Bottom line: The culprit behind large pores isn’t the pores themselves, but the gunk stuck inside. Here are 6 reasons your nose pores are jammed with junk.

1. Genetics

Just like your height and hair color, having enlarged pores (especially on your face) can be baked into your DNA. 

2. Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, that usually means your sebaceous glands are on overdrive. This excess sebum production leads to clogged pores on your nose, which causes them to expand.

3. Dry Skin

Ironically, having dry skin can make your pores appear bigger due to an increase in oil production. If your face is dehydrated, your body reacts by creating more sebum, which gets lodged in your pores.

4. Heat & Humidity

Heat expands your skin pores, so if you’re in a warm or humid climate, your nose pores might be more noticeable. 

5. Lack of Exfoliation

If you don’t exfoliate your face, dead skin cells, dirt, and oil can accumulate inside your pores, causing them to expand.

6. Sun Exposure

Sun damage from UV rays breaks down the collagen in your skin and thickens your skin cells. This causes the pores to dilate, which makes them more noticeable.

How to “Shrink” Nose Pores

As much as we’d love to defy the laws of nature and magically shrink your nose pores, it’s not gonna happen. That said, you can try these home remedies to keep your pores clean and unclogged, which can reduce their appearance.

1. Wash Your Face with Cold Water

Washing your face twice a day clears away dirt, dead skin cells, bacteria, excess oil, and other impurities that clog your pores. You should wash your face in the morning and again before bed, ideally with a gentle cleanser and cool water. (Hot water dries out your skin and expands your pores).

2. Moisturize Twice Daily

Applying a moisturizer keeps your skin hydrated so it doesn’t overreact and churn out more oil than necessary. If your goal is to reduce the size of your pores, use an oil-free, gel-based moisturizer. Avoid heavy creams like the plague—those will clog your pores and make them look even bigger.

Revival is the ideal moisturizer for keeping your pores clean, thanks to our blend of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid—both of which control sebum production and strengthen your skin.

(Yes, you still need to moisturize oily skin.)

3. Exfoliate Twice a Week

Exfoliating is like hitting the reset button on your skin. It clears away your old, dead skin cells which block your pores. Whether you use a chemical exfoliant or physical exfoliant, most guys should aim to exfoliate their face twice a week. But if you have super greasy skin, you may need to give yourself a good scrub 3-4 times per week.

4. Wear Sunscreen

We get it, you want to look like a bronzed god. Just beware that too much sun exposure can turn hydrated, healthy skin into beef jerky. Unless you want your pores to widen, wear broad-spectrum sunscreen if you’re planning to catch some rays.

Don’t take our word for it though. A study in Dermatologic Surgery found that people who used sunscreen every day had better skin texture and clarity within three months.

5. OTC Skin Care Products

Skin care aisles are flooded with products that promise to shrink your pores. Here are a few that might actually help your cause:

• Clay Face Masks: Clay helps pull the plugs out of your pores. You can use these masks 2-3 times per week.
• Nose Strips: Using a strong adhesive, nose pore strips are designed to remove blackheads (a buildup of sebum and dead skin cells). This can make your pores appear temporarily smaller.
• Retinol: This vitamin A derivative can make your skin appear tighter. Available as a serum, retinoids can also pump the skin around your pores, making them less noticeable.
• Salicylic Acid: This is a popular chemical exfoliant commonly found in acne treatments. It removes dead skin cells by drying them out, so you need to complement it with a moisturizer to maintain proper hydration levels.

6. Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion uses a blend of small crystals to remove the top layer of your skin. It’s basically like sanding your face. That might sound rough (literally) but it can be very effective at removing excess oil and debris, which subsequently minimizes the appearance of pores.

You can do microdermabrasion at home once a week, but your best bet is to have a professional do it for you.

7. Chemical Peels

Chemical peels use glycolic acid to remove the top layer of your skin, which might be bogged down with dead skin and other debris. This can make your complexion softer and more even.

Pamper Your Pores with PrettyBoy

Real talk: You don’t need an expensive lineup of skin care products to get GQ-level skin. Whether your goal is to minimize your pores, get your grease levels under control, or slow the signs of aging, we packed all the stuff you need into Revival: the best lightweight moisturizer for men.

While other brands dilute their formulas and raise their prices, Revival consolidates your skincare routine into one pump. We could keep running our mouths, but we’ll let the derms do the talking: In a blind survey of 50 dermatologists, Revival was the highest-ranked moisturizer by a long shot.

Grab a bottle and see why Revival is loved by dudes and doctors alike.