My Personal Pore Reform

A few weeks ago, I saw an esthetician for the first time in, well, a very long time… My poor skin has been long-overdue for some TLC.

It takes awhile to find your go-to’s when you relocate, though; you know?

One of my favorite things about sitting for an hour-plus with any type of expert is that it’s an excuse to ask them all kinds of questions, and getting a facial is no exception. (Side-note, I went to Natalia at Channing’s Spa on Oak Street (in Chicago). She’s a gem – as is Cheryl who does the most amazing brows!)

If you’ve never had a facial, the extraction part can be a bit painful. (This is when they essentially pinch your pores to remove dirt, oils and the like.) I was doing my best not to wince as she was removing impurities from my chin, focusing instead on her verbal definition of “the easiest, best thing you can do for your skin at home – exfoliating.”

Since then, I’ve been doing my best to maintain that post-facial glow. At-home exfoliation is an important step in this process that many of us tend to overlook. But, I mean, where do you start? Product-wise, what’s worth your time and money?

So when Murad reached out and asked if I’d like to test-drive their new Pore Reform skincare solution set, I jumped at the opportunity – and took it as a sign (of skin care fate).

I’m all about beauty experiments this month, it seems. (Did you catch my Argan oil test-drive last week?)

We’ll start with my favorite product from the line:

In addition to my normal cleansing routine, I’ve been integrating Murad’s Skin Smoothing Polish cleanser – using it approximately three times per week. I have sensitive skin, so I need something that is gentle yet deeply exfoliating. This is an intense cleansing formula that helps to remove embedded impurities and relieve congested pores and blackheads. It also visibly tightens them and balances oil production, so your skin isn’t overly-oily. It makes your skin feel super-smooth, too.

In addition to a handful of good-for-you ingredients (jojoba beads to exfoliate, witch hazel as a stringent, omega-6 fatty acids), the Skin Smoothing Polish has pomegranate seed extract, which provides powerful antioxidants to prevent radical-free skin damage. Perfect for us gals (and guys) living in busy cities with free radicals and all those other gross air pollutants.

All-in-all, with the two or three times each week that I’ve been using Murad’s Pore Reform cleanser, I can honestly say I’ve noticed a difference in the size of my pores and the overall vibrancy of my skin.

As a side-note: Natalia also told me I only need to be washing my face once per day (with a cleanser – all other times with just water), which came as a surprise to me. This is largely due to the natural balancing or the oil productions in our skin.

The final step in my new skin care routine is to apply Murad’s Invisiblur Perfecting Shield – an all-in-one-type of product that “treats, blurs and protects.” It’s this awesome primer/treatment serum that has invisible sunscreen technology, so it protects your skin while combating signs of aging. (I’m almost 30, so these are both really important to me!) I don’t wear much make-up during the day due to SoulCycle, so a one-product-fits-all is a really good solution for me to even further simplify my beauty routine. The biggest difference I’ve noticed immediately is in the smoothness and texture of my skin, but the product is also said to diminish lines and wrinkles with continued use over time.

In addition, it doesn’t give you that weird forehead flash from photography, which is a personal pain-point. I have oily T-zones, and as you can see in the photo below, that’s a struggle for me!

All-in-all, I’ve been genuinely loving my new skin care routine — and mainly because it’s helped me maintain that radiant, post-facial glow. My only complaint is that I wish I’d tried the brand sooner.

Have you tried any products by Murad? You can find them online or in-stores at Sephora — including their latest Pore Reform line.

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Thanks to Murad for partnering on this post.