Get the Look: how to smooth skin and shrink pores without scrubbing

Hailey Bieber and other stars have embraced natural, unfiltered skin on social media while quarantined. PARIS, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 25: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Hailey Bieber attends the Saint Laurent show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2020/2021 on February 25, 2020 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Cosmetic acids let you smooth skin and shrink pores without scrubbing. Rachel Marie Walsh reports.

Showing your skin’s natural texture on Instagram is a thing these days — a celeb-led trend. You may have seen Hailey Bieber share her regimen on Instagram but how does Jennifer Lopez look so flawless in high res? And who knew Victoria Beckham has a face full of freckles? Refining the skin’s surface until pores don’t show is not a personal goal for everyone. There’s certainly more to life than posting extreme close-ups of your face online and no one actually needs to exfoliate. Your skin renews its surface naturally every 28 days and it is not harmful to leave it alone. The acids involved in speeding things up can be so confusing. If you are interested in that starry glow, however, you might want to try FAME.

Fortifier: Nicotinic Acid

Did you know that ingredients that benefit the brain can also improve the skin? As Dr Nicholas Perricone’s been saying since the 90s, this is because both organs are made of the same tissue. Foods such as wild salmon (Fionn mac Cumhaill didn’t eat farmed fish) and watercress, a leaf medieval Irish monks called “pure food for sages,” which feature in his anti-ageing diet, are natural skin boosters. Nicotinic acid (niacin) is used in the treatment of some forms of schizophrenia for its reparative effects and appears in cosmetics as niacinimide, a water-soluble form of the compound.

Boots Ingredients Niacinamide Serum, €6.99 at boots.ie

Niacinimide is tolerated by even the most sensitive types and the benefits are impressive. We’re talking smaller pores, reduced redness, a stronger moisture barrier and a brighter complexion. It can also improve how skin regulates oil production. Boots Ingredients Niacinamide Serum, €6.99 at boots.ie, is a bargain. The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, €5.90 at boots.ie, contains even more niacinamide.

Anti-Ager: Retinoic Acid

I am sure many of you are bored of reading about the wonders of Vitamin A ingredients, known collectively as retinoids. Perhaps you’re a bit disillusioned. All over-the-counter retinoids must be converted to retinoic acid by the skin before they have any effect. My experience is that the products promising but failing to deliver any of Vitamin A’s benefits often contain a form that makes little or no impact. Retinyl palmitate, for example, is the weakest form. It is easily tolerated (the most potent forms of retinol can be irritating), but is unlikely to satisfy anyone keen for Vitamin A’s anti-ageing effects. Lack of marketing regulation confuses things further, as all store-bought retinoids tend to be called “retinol” on posters and packaging, even if the milder form of the ingredient appears on the ingredients list.

A product with the word 'retinol' on the ingredients list gives you the best shot at Vitamin A’s benefits without prescription. As mentioned, irritation can be an issue while your skin gets used to retinol. The Ordinary’s retinol serums include warnings (of high irritation, moderate or low irritation), so you can choose what you’re willing to tolerate at theordinary.com. It also helps that The Ordinary is affordable because even retinol takes time to generate results. Some dermatologists estimate an 8-12 week adjustment period — similar to the time it takes for a new oral supplement to make a change.

Moisturiser: Hyaluronic Acid

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Hyaluronic Acid Capsules Hydra-Plumping Serum, from €50 at boots.ie

Hyaluronic acid also gets heaps of positive press. It is as widely tolerated as niacinamide. HA has restorative abilities over time and boosts moisture content and plumps skin from first use. You’ve probably found a product you like at this point but if you like to use ceramides too, Elizabeth Arden’s Ceramide Hyaluronic Acid Hydra-Plumping Serum Capsules, from €50 at boots.ie, is a blend of the two in Arden’s signature biodegradable pods.

Exfoliants: Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids

PSA's Heroine Superfood Glow Toner, €31.50 at beautybay.com

PSA’s Heroine Superfood Glow Toner, €31.50 at beautybay.com exfoliates with mandelic acid and also includes niacinamide. Betas like salicylic acid are best for oily types and a good starter acid for sensitive skin. They exfoliate inside the pore’s lining, shrink pores and reduce inflammation. If you’ve never tried an acid exfoliant before I recommend starting with a fragrance-free beta such as Paula’s Choice Skincare CALM 1%