Who wants to flaunt their over-sized pores? Odds are, no one. More often than not, we spend our time trying to hide the look and size of our pores. Stop trying every trick in the book to make your pores look smaller – instead, actually MAKE your pores smaller! Yes, it is actually possible to reduce the size of your pores. No, it doesn’t require expensive processes or invasive surgeries. All you need for this miracle solution is one simple (and super weird) ingredient.

And that ingredient is…Pepto-Bismol. That big pink medicine bottle meant to soothe your troubled tummy can also tighten up your pores and make them look incredibly small, too! Who knew this medicine you hated as a kid would be your best friend as an adult?

Now, you can’t get rid of your pores. Scientifically, you just can’t – and honestly, you don’t want to.

Pores are built into all of our skins, some people just naturally have larger or smaller pores. So, naturally, you can’t remove something literally written in our genetic codes (at least…not easily.) And as much as it surprises us to hear it, pores are actually very important for our skin; pores release oils that our skin actually need. Without them, our faces would be very, very dry and unhealthy.

Again, who knew?

The trick to appreciating your pores while also keeping their size down is to maintain cleanliness. Basically, when dirt, sweat, and oil get caught in your pores, they get clogged and expand. THAT is what makes pores looking so gaping and unattractive.

So the solution is simple, your enlarged pores need a deep, thorough clean! And this one-ingredient technique is the easiest and fastest way to get this essential job done.

Before and after of Pepto-Bismol maskGirly Things

All you need to get started is Pepto-Bismol and a way to apply the medicine directly to your face; this could be a makeup brush or a sponge, but don’t use your fingers, no matter what you do.

Apply a generous amount of the medicine to your brush or sponge, then apply it directly to the area in which you’re trying to reduce your pore size (your nose is typically the most popular target area.)

Leave the Pepto-Bismol on your face until it is completely dried on – you’ll look like you have a little pink face mask on! Then, use a wipe or damp cloth to gently pat off the Pepto-Bismol. Try not to rub, this will create irritation and wrinkled skin further down the road.

When you wash off the medicine, you’ll see a visible difference in the size of your pores. This before and after from beauty blogger Farah Dhukai (to whom this tip is credited to!) is absolutely incredible and really says it all.

How does this work, you ask? Well, Pepto-Bismol contains beta hydroxyl acid which, while it’s meant in this case to help stomach aches, also clears dirt and oil out of pores quickly and efficiently. It works almost like a fast-acting astringent!

What do you think of this little beauty trick? Is it too weird for you to try? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.