PRODUCT REVIEW: REMEDY FOR PORE SIZE NIGHTLY ALL IN ONE TREATMENT - What does Salicylic Acid do? Can Salicylic Acid reduce pore size? Can I use Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide together?
REMEDY FOR PORE SIZE NIGHTLY ALL IN ONE TREATMENT
Pores are a pain. A real pain. And while they can be the bane of your existence, they’re actually the key to your skin health – or lack of skin health.
They’re also highly misunderstood. A lot of the confusion about pores is attributable to marketers who make consumers believe their products can shrink their pores through savvy (ahem, misleading) marketing.
The truth is nothing can shrink your pores. The size of your pores is the size of your pores. Over time, they do tend to stretch and become larger but that takes years.
That pore-enlargement process is why pores appear larger as you get older. And it’s why you’ve probably noticed the rather large pores on your grandparents’ noses. (Psst…it’s your fate, too.) And it’s a one way street. Pores get bigger, but they don’t get smaller.
And because there’s literally no way to alter the size of pores, you will never see a product claim that it will “shrink the size of pores” or literally “make your pores smaller”. It’s untrue; and a restricted claim by the FDA. That is, it’s illegal.
Instead, you’ll see claims like minimizes the look of pores and makes pores appear smaller. (Even “tightens pores,” really means temporarily tightens your skin.)
So if face serums for pores can’t shrink your pores, what do they do?
Well, they can clear them out of the gunk, dirt, sebum and product build-up that makes them look more prominent – makes them look larger than they actually are.
And the new Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment is one of these treatments. Despite the fact that it has the phrase “pore size” in the name, it doesn’t actually alter the physical size of anyone’s pores; instead, it makes the size of pores appear smaller. And it’s got the oomph to do that effectively.
My full product review appears below…
BEST RETINOL FACE CREAMS & SERUMS
I first discovered Remedy a few months ago when the brand came onto the scene. Founded by celebrity dermatologist Dr. Muneeb Shah, better known as Doctorly, the Remedy brand launched with two inaugural products, including the Remedy for Dark Spots Nightly All in One Treatment.
Packed with brightening and rejuvenating actives, the Remedy for Dark Spots is one of the best dark spot serums I’ve come across. There are very few face serums for hyperpigmentation that are as well formulated.
With 0.1% Encapsulated Retinol, Mandelic Acid, Tranexamic Acid, and a respectable 5% concentration of Niacinamide, the multi-purpose treatment doubles as my Retinol face cream.
In fact, it’s one of my favorite products – ideal for when I’m not in the mood for an extensive PM routine. Like when I get home too late and just want to brush my teeth and go to bed.
PRODUCT REVIEW: REMEDY FOR DARK SPOTS NIGHTLY ALL IN ONE TREATMENT
The second of the two products at launch was the Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment. It’s the subject of this blog!
As I said at the outset, pores are misunderstood. I actually consider daily pore maintenance to be an essential part of any serious pro-skin health routine. Yet no brand takes it seriously enough. The truth is, if you aren’t taking care of your pores, you aren’t doing what you need to do to optimize your skin health.
And you may even be impeding your skin health! Sure, a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a daily sunscreen are important to the health of your skin. But are they keeping your pores clear – or even clogging them? Clogged pores quickly and easily compromise skin functions.
The solution? High concentrations of Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide. They’re ideal for clearing out pores and keeping them from clogging.
If only skincare marketers understood how important daily pore maintenance actually is to skin health…
THE EFFICACY
TO ERASE DARK SPOTS FAST!
Before I get into my detailed Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment product review just below, I wanted to explore some of the most frequently asked questions about pore size and Salicylic Acid – the key ingredient technology behind Remedy’s new pore minimizing serum…
1. What does Salicylic Acid do?
The answer is – Salicylic Acid does a helluva lot! A beta-hydroxy acid, or BHA, Salicylic Acid exfoliates dead skin cells, treats and prevents acne, and keeps pores clear.
While Salicylic Acid is predominantly marketed as one of the best ingredients for acne-prone skin, it’s actually beneficial for all skin types. The reason it’s pigeon-holed for treating acne (and best for oily skin types), is that there are few actives as effective for acne-prone skin.
But the reasons it’s effective for acne aren’t specific to acne-prone and oily skin. Salicylic Acid helps to prevent acne because it clears out pores and keeps them from clogging. And that something all skins benefit from!
It achieves that by exfoliating dead surface skin cells that can become embedded in pores. And, because it’s lipid soluble, it can more deeply penetrate pores than other acids. It gets deep inside pores where it dissolves and dislodges the hardened sebum that traps dirt, pollutants and acne-causing bacteria.
Explore my top picks of the best Retinol creams and serums on the blog here.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic: Salicylic Acid topical gel, cream, lotion, solution; Healthline: Can Salicylic Acid Help Treat Acne?
2. Can Salicylic Acid reduce pore size?
No, Salicylic Acid cannot literally reduce the size of your pores. However, it can reduce how visible your pores appear.
According to Dr. Howard Sobel, New York City dermatologist and founder of Sobel Skin, “You can minimize the appearance of your pores, but because pore sizes are genetically determined, you can’t really shrink them. Your pores can get stretched out when they’re consistently clogged, which makes them appear bigger.”
Salicylic Acid is one of the best active ingredients for reducing the appearance of pores. The lipid soluble BHA more deeply penetrates pores than other common acids like Glycolic Acid.
Salicylic Acid gets deep inside pores where it dissolves and dislodges the hardened sebum that traps dirt, pollutants and acne-causing bacteria. This hardened sebum and embedded gunk causes pores to stretch out and appear larger than they actually are.
Explore my top picks of the best Retinol creams and serums on the blog here.
Sources: American Academy of Dermatology: What Can Treat Large Facial Pores?; Elle: Can You Actually Shrink Your Pores? A Dermatologist Weighs In
3. Can I use Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide together?
Yes, you can use Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide together! And you should. Both actives are highly effective at clearing out pores to prevent them from clogging. That’s in addition to the other powerful pro-skin health benefits of each!
Salicylic Acid exfoliates dead skin cells, treats and prevents acne, and helps to keep pores clear.
At optimal concentrations of 5% or more, Niacinamide unclogs pores, strengthens the skin barrier, regulates surface oil, brightens skin, and provides potent antioxidant defense against environmental skin aging.
Consider a Salicylic Acid toner like the Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant along with a potent Niacinamide serum like the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster. Catch reviews of each in my picks of the best Paula’s Choice products here.
Explore my top picks of the best Retinol creams and serums on the blog here.
Sources: Conscious Chemist: Can I Use Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide?; Naturium: Using Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid Together
4. How long does it take for Salicylic Acid to get rid of pores?
Forever! Salicylic Acid can’t get rid of pores or even shrink the size of your pores. What it actually does is help dissolve and dislodge the hardened sebum that embeds in your pores and traps dirt, pollutants, bacteria and dead skin.
All of these combine to clog pores and cause them to expand, making them appear larger than they are. They also lead to whiteheads and acne blemishes. In fact, blackheads are simply the dirt and pollutants trapped in hardened sebum inside pores.
A daily treatment like the Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant will help to keep your pores fresh and clear. Catch my product review of it on the blog here.
Explore my top picks of the best Retinol creams and serums on the blog here.
Sources: Healthline: Can Salicylic Acid Help Treat Acne?; The INKEY List: Everything You Need To Know About Salicylic Acid
5. Product Review
Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment
There are two things I never skip in my skincare routines no matter how tired I am – or how intense a migraine is: sunscreen and pore maintenance.
In the morning, I would skip everything except sunscreen if I had no other choice. And if it’s late and I’m just too tired for a full skincare routine, I will at least be sure my pores are clear before bed. That means a cleanser, Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid.
The new Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment is the perfect quick treatment for daily pore maintenance. And very likely the best pore serum on the market today! Not only does it contain high concentrations of two pore-health essentials – Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid – but it also packs a punch with 0.3% Retinol.
That concentration of Retinol elevates the Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment to a medium strength Retinol face serum – and is ideal as a daily Retinol treatment once your skin adjusts to it.
According to the Remedy brand, their 0.3% concentration of Encapsulated Retinol “promotes surface turnover, regulates oil, and helps unclog and minimize pores.”
Indeed, retinoids – and especially prescription-strength retinoids like Tretinoin – have long been prescribed by dermatologists for the treatment of acne. Retinoids like Retinol, and the increasingly popular Retinaldehyde, facilitate cell turnover to rid skin of dead surface skin cells. The dead skin cells that embed in pores and clog them up!
In tandem with Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid, the Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment provides a 360˚ approach to pore health. It’s got a light, silky texture that melts quickly into the skin.
But what I love most about it is that it combines everything I want in my pore maintenance routine in a single product. There have been many nights since I first came across the treatment several weeks ago that I’ve cleansed, swiped some of this on and gone straight to bed. The strategy is fine during the warmer months but as I head into the colder weeks ahead, I’ll simply seal it in with a moisturizer.
Don’t sleep on the Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment. You snooze, you lose. (And your pores will clog!)
6. Pros & Cons
What I like about it: The Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment is one of the most well-formulated and best pore treatments on the market today. There are very few serums that combine the three key actives for pore maintenance: Retinol, Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid. I love how easy it is to use. And how it contains the essentials I need before bed. It really is a “one and done” product for skin health no matter your skin type.
What I don’t like about it: I like everything about it.
Who it’s for: All skin types.
SHOP THE BLOG: Want to try it for yourself? Purchase the Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment for $38 here.
FIND OUT WHICH SERUM PERFORMED BETTER – AND BY HOW MUCH!
The Ingredient List of the Remedy for Pore Size Nightly All in One Treatment:
cci|sb|aacne|h, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Squalane 
sii|emo 0 1, Propanediol solv|h, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer vc, Glyceryl Stearate emo|emu 0 1-2, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, Coco-Caprylate emo, Salicylic Acid exf|aacne|so|pres, Retinol cci, Perlite, Fomes Officinalis (Mushroom) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract aox|so, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract aox|so|sb|perf, Kinetin, Ceramide NP sii, Tocopherol aox 0-3 0-3, Silica vc, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emo, Sodium Polyacrylate vc, Polysorbate 20 emu|surf 0 0, Polysorbate 60 emu|surf, Cetyl Palmitate emo 0 0, Laureth-23 emu|surf 0 3, Sorbitan Isostearate emu 0 1-2, Trideceth-6 Phosphate emu|surf, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate chel, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Hexylene Glycol solv|emu|perf|surf 0-1 0-2, Phenoxyethanol pres, Ethylhexylglycerin pres
IS IT REALLY A SCAM?
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