Large pores are unfortunately one of the side effects of having oily skin, Nikkia Joy, renowned makeup artist, and YouTube sensation knows this all too well. She even made her own setting powder because there was just nothing on the market that would cater to her skin type. 

However, Nikkia tells us that it isn’t all doom and gloom when it comes to having oily skin, as those that have oily skin tend to age slower, have less fine lines and wrinkles and experience less dryness and flakiness, so if you ask us, we think it’s a fair trade.

With Nikkia’s 10 years of experience, it’s safe to say that she has perfected hiding large pores down to a fine art.

Here are her steps to achieve the perfect airbrushed skin of your dreams. 

Skincare

First you will need to prepare your skin for your products to go on top of, start by cleansing your face to remove any dirt and impurities. Then go in with a Personal Microderm (PMD), this little device exfoliates the dead layer of skin that causes pores and skin texture to look much worse than they really are. I absolutely love my PMD, it completely changed the appearance of my pores and is well worth the investment. Follow with a lightweight serum and water based moisturiser, using light hydrating products like this won’t leave a residue on your skin, resulting in less texture when you apply your foundation. 

Primer

This is absolutely essential, look for a primer that states it is pore minimising. What you want to do with the primer is really work it into the skin, imagine the primer is cement and your pores are pot holes, you need to fill in the pot holes in order to make the road (skin) smooth again. What I like to do is push the primer deep down into the base of the pores, avoid using scrubbing and pulling motions, this is something that is hard to train yourself to do but will help to avoid creating texture and instead leave you with a nice even surface for the foundation to go on top of. 

Setting Powder

It may sound strange to use a setting powder before your foundation but trust me, this is a great way to reduce the appearance of pores, control oil and make your makeup last all day. For this I use our Nikkia Joy Cosmetics Velvet Finishing Powder, which has been specially formulated to give your base an airbrushed effect and reduce the appearance of large pores. Alternatively, you can use a translucent powder that you already have at home. Use a large fluffy brush to gently apply a very thin layer of the powder all over the face, this is going to minimise the appearance of your pores and control shine before applying your foundation. It will also extend the longevity of your foundation which is especially useful with summer creeping up on us!

Foundation

When picking a foundation to help reduce the appearance of pores, choose a super runny liquid foundation with medium to full coverage. Avoid using a foundation formula that is too thick as they can emphasise textures and pores. Put a small amount of product on the back of your hand and apply light layers of the foundation with a sponge. Avoid using lots of products all at once as this will leave your base cakey and textured, instead build light layers on top of one another until you achieve your preferred coverage. Our Pro Perfecting Sponge is great for this as it is specially designed to give an airbrushed flawless finish and the dense design means that less product is absorbed and wasted. 

Setting Powder (Again)

Finally go back in with a translucent setting powder, again I use the Velvet Finishing Powder, but this time using a sponge to apply the powder. Pick up the powder on your sponge and begin to really push it into the skin, this is where the real pore minimising magic happens! Not only will this diminish the appearance of your pores but will also lock in your foundation and leave everything perfectly smooth without leaving a white cast.