Beautiful Skin On a Budget: The Best Under $20 Products For Clear Pores
Alessandro Zeno/IMAXTREE.COM1/11In the beauty world, we consider “pore” to be the most evil of four-letter words, and one of the great mysteries of life is figuring out how to officially get rid of these tiny pockets of dirt and oil on our skin. Though there’s nothing you can do to make pores disappear completely, you can make them appear smaller with a strategic combo of the right products. But we won’t leave you hanging to fend for yourself in the middle of the drugstore aisle — we put all of the pore-reducing beauty cheapies to the test, so you don’t have to. Find your new favorite in the slideshow ahead, then cue this breakup playlist, because you’ll be bidding adieu to big pores for good.
2/11Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips
These new pore strips are like the Dysons of pore-vacuuming products. They have all the unclogging benefits of the original strips, but natural charcoal works to draw out dirt and oil that are trapped even deeper in your skin.
3/11Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm
Don’t let the cutesy packaging fool you: this gel-like balm truly works at exfoliating dirt and oil from your skin without scrubbing it raw. The special combo of charcoal powder, sea salt and egg yolk extract are magically self-heating, so it acts like a steamer you’d find at a spa.
4/11Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Antioxidant Cleansing Cloths
These convenient wipes drench your skin with good-for-you antioxidants and vitamins, while alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) gently exfoliate away makeup and dirt — perfect post-gym or to use as a pre-cleanse.
5/11Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation Serum SPF 30
People with large pores are all too familiar with the catch-22 of wearing foundation: you want the extra coverage to smooth out the appearance of pores, but most formulas clog them so much, they end up appearing even bigger over time. This serum foundation offers amazing coverage with its highly pigmented formula, yet the feather-light texture lets pores breathe.
6/11Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser
If you’ve ever given a tube of primer some serious side eye, we understand your doubts. It’s been hard to find a formula that evens out the texture of our skin without clogging our pores — until now. This silky primer blends seamlessly into all skin tones to control oil production and give your makeup a flawless no-makeup makeup look.
7/11Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask
We're obsessed with the different ways you can use this product: it’s gentle enough to be a daily cleanser, but benzoyl peroxide makes it strong enough to zap bacteria and blackheads as a face mask.
8/11Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask
It’s no secret we’ve fallen pretty hard for face masks. These limited-edition pods are filled with activated charcoal to clear out deep pores, and the single use design makes them easy for travel.
9/11Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Solutions Pore Refining Scrub
The number one commandment to clear skin? Thou shall wash your face every single day. And choosing a cleanser that exfoliates dead skin, shrinks pores and prevents acne with salicylic acid is a great way to get it done.
10/11Yes to Grapefruit Pore Perfection Brightening Peel
This peel is like the Swiss army knife of beauty products: grapefruit extract and vitamin C restores your skin’s glow while evening out your skin tone, shriveling the size of your pores and exfoliating your skin at the same time.
11/11Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge With Complexion Clearing Clay
Even the strongest face cleansers in the skincare game need a little assist from time to time. This odd-looking sponge might remind you of something you’d use at the kitchen sink, but it’s actually your secret weapon to drawing out excess sebum and dirt from your skin while cleansing. It’s infused with Korean konjac root and green clay, which are known to naturally absorb impurities.
