DIY Aspirin Face Mask, Witch Hazel toner and Coastal Scents Silica Powder: My new 3-step for pore & problem free skin

I have really realy really oily skin. So naturally, I have large visible pores. These makes my skin look and feel kind of bumpy. They attract blackheads, white heads and other problems. These are the areas where my skin breaks out the most. Sometimes its ugly looking pimple, sometimes its just some rash or redness... Thing is, they create problems and they look weird. The pores are even more prominent with any face powder that I used, no matter if its translucent, mineral or compact.

Seriously, of all the skin complications, pores have always been my number one problem.

Previously I have used some pore-minimizing products like Murad T-Zone Pore Refining Gel with moderate success, but they are not available locally and they are darn costly. So I have been looking for a cheaper and preferably D-I-Y option forever, you know, me being such a D-I-Y freak :D

Recently, I have started to use D-I-Y Aspirin Masks, Witch Hazel Toner and Silica powder and together, within only a week or so, they have minimized my pores more than any product ever did!

Aspirin Mask:
So I was reading this book called The Complete Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide To Smart Beauty by paula begoun (awesome book by the way, I highly recommend it, there were so many things, I suppose I will be discussing some of them in coming days) and read about Aspirin masks. Now, this is not a new concept I have read about Aspirin Masks everywhere, but I always thought it is basically an acne treatment or something like that.So when I heard that its can also minimize pores I just had to try it..

According to Make Up Alley and numours other websites, Aspirin Masks will exfoliate, help with acne, make your skin softer and smoother and ofcourse minimize the pores. It has over 2k reviews and almost all positive. Click here For link.

I have decided to use an Aspirin brand found here in BD, courtesy of  Beauty Addiction, an awesome BD beauty blog which I admire a lot, do check it out.

So the procedure is simple enough. You simply take 3-4 uncoated aspirin, add a few drop of water to make it a paste and apply it like a face mask. Rinse after 10-20 minutes. You can also massage your face slightly while rinsing for added exfoliation. 

 Now since it is winter and the mask is all watery, first time I tried it, it dried pretty fast on my face. Like within 4-5 minutes. So next time I added a bit of  Body Shop Tea Tree Face Mask with the paste and voila. Didn't dry at once. No tight feeling. 
I have only done this mask 3 times so far, and my skin has been noticebly smoother with fewer bumps. It is also pretty exfoliated, but not as good as oil cleansing so last time I used this mask after I cleanser my face with oil (read details here) and the result was even better. I think I am going to use this mask everytime I do an oil-cleansing, which is like once a week.

Witch Hazel:
Then there was witch hazel. I read and read and read about it everywhere but never seemed to find it anywhere here in BD. So finally I bought one from Boots, with the help of an awesome Facebook page, (which unfortunately is closed now). 

So witch hazel can supposedly control spot and blemish, again help with acne and other skin problem, shrink under-eye bags, neutralize ph balance, and minimize pores.Read details here. It also has raving reviews on make up Alley, click here for link. 

Right now I have been using it is a toner, straight from bottle to a cotton pad and massage all over face. It does not burn my skin like strong alcoholic toners. Ofcourse I never use alcoholic toners, I have been using healthy shop toner for oily skin for summer and body shop cucumber toner for winter and while both of them neutralizes the ph balance of my skin, nothing did much for the pores.

Within just one week of using witch hazel toner, that once in the morning and once in the evening, I can finally see what toning is like. All the redness from my skin instantly disappears and the pores becomes less and less visible. And mind you, it has only been an week...imagine the possiblies of regular use!

Coastal scent silica powder spheres:
I also got myself 2 oz of coastal scents silica powder, which is an well known dupe for MUFE HD powders. Read more about it from Make Up Alley here.  Now this is my first ever HD powder, I have previously used HD powder from a friend, but never bought one. And that one time I was wearing full make-up so didn't really get to comprehended the full effect. But now that I have seen its magic on moisturezed make-up free face, I am never letting it go. 

I have initially got two containers from coastal scenets. 

I transferred some of them to a translucent powder case for ease of use

I have just been using my finger to tap some product on my face and kabuki brush to smooth it all over. A little goes the long a way. It blends really well and so far no white cast or anything. Any other powder that I have used before, from translucent to mineral, everything enhanced my pores and made them look more visible. This one, on the other hand, helped to make them disappear.

Along with the help of Aspirin masks and witch hazel toner that is. 

So right now, this is my 3-step for pore and problem free skin and I must say its working pretty well for me. I will be updating what happens next in a month or so...meanwhile, let me know if you have any question or comment .