Lets Talk Pores.
Pores can open and Close - MYTH
Aftershave Close the pores - MYTH
A steam towel opens the pores - MYTH
Let's discuss
The "Pores" are nothing more than a vessel for the hair follicle to sit in. The pore contains two main items the hair follicle and the sebaceous glands that produce Sebum. So you can water, steam jackhammer and use many products to open your pores and it just will not happen, as they are really just missile silos for the hair, and oil to escape from. What a pore can do is dilate, and that is only in the case of clogging and it is the bodies way of clearing. Heat can soften and loosen those items, but it will never open the pore. We have pores of all different sizes.
Aftershave balms, splashes and so forth also DO NOT shrink the pores. That tightening you feel is the dilation and constriction of blood vessels in the face. The sting you feel is of an antiseptic arena. You have just assaulted the face removed dead skin layers and the face has swelled (edema ) That is why many cosmetic formulas say your face will look and feel better, that is simply because many ingredients actual "plump" up the skin ( edema ) to give the appearance of"smaller pores". When in actuality it is the blood vessels and micro blood vessels doing the work, not the pores.
As we age pores can expand in size or shrink due to loss of collagen.
The steam towel as mentioned above does a couple of things, heats and loosens the sebum, allowing to to be removed when cleansed and creating an edema in the skin as the blood rushes to the heat. So when shaving with hot water you are shaving a plumper face which in some cases can give the appearance of a smoother shave and certainly allows the softer hairs and oils to mix with the lather to give the lubrication properties a helping hand. then when a cold water splash, followed by a cold aftershave is applied it feels as if everything is "closing up" , when in actuality the blood vessels are just constricting.
Conversely, when a cold shave is done, in actuality the skin is actually, due to blood vessel constriction, tighter and the whiskers will appear to stand up more. This gives the appearance of a BBS shave, however many cold shavers complain that the get the "5'oclock shadow faster". This has nothing to do with the pore, but with the blood vessels in the face. It is also why many "hot water" shavers complain of irritation, as when shaving the blood vessels have swelled and the face is more prone to abrasion and once the blood vessels cool down and constrict, many are left with Ingrown hairs, because they were cut when the face was plump and now with the face back at "pre-edema" levels the hair cannot find it's way out the pore.
So next time someone says or applies something that "Closes" the pores, especially if is a Barber, be suspect, as he may be just trying to sell you something. The biggest myth in the "New Barbering Age" is masks. As we discussed the pores don't change, so all a mask does is remove the excess and buildup of sebum, which you can do when cleansing. The mask is just another product to sell, like micro abrasion, face re-contouring, and is nothing more than a gimmick. A good cleansing routine is all you need. As for Micro abrasion to smooth the pores? BUNK., you do it everyday when shaving.
Finally the argument, alcohol based aftershaves dry the Skin... Not really. It is just antiseptic. If you are prone to dry skin you will have dry skin, as remember the pores do two things, produce sebum ( oil ) to moisturize and as a vessel for the hair follicle. So the dryness and tightness you feel is more attributable to the blood vessels dilating and constricting. this is not to say that an alcohol splash will work for you and a balm is also good if your pores are not producing enough sebum, and can have the reverse effect on those that have over producing pores
