4 beauty trends that are clogging your pores | The Jerusalem Post

NOVEMBER 5, 2026 08:00

Your TikTok feed is probably flooded with teenage girls and influencers promising you perfect “glass skin” within a few days, using home tricks that look easy, cheap, and glamorous. We all want shortcuts to radiant skin, but what works in front of a camera with a ring light and in cool weather in Europe or Korea behaves completely differently the moment it meets our local humidity, sweat, and climate.

Skin pores are actually the drainage channels of the sebaceous glands. When we blindly adopt trends and overload occlusive substances from tempting trends, we create a ‘cover’ that blocks the pore opening. The natural oil (sebum), sweat, and dead skin cells get trapped inside, oxidize, and turn into a hard fatty plug: Comedones, blackheads, and milia. In this oxygen-free environment, acne bacteria thrive, which quickly leads to an outbreak of subcutaneous pimples and inflammation.

1. “Slugging”: A layer of Vaseline before sleep• The trend: Applying a thick layer of Vaseline or a petrolatum-based ointment over the entire face before sleep to “lock in” moisture

• The problem: Vaseline is a substance that creates a total seal that does not allow the skin to breathe. In the Israeli climate, such a seal traps not only moisture but also sweat, natural oil, and dead skin cells, preventing the sebum and sweat secreted at night from evaporating or draining. The result for those with combination, oily, or acne-prone skin is the clogging of hair follicles to the point of an acne outbreak.

• What to do instead? If your skin is dehydrated, prefer a night cream rich in ceramides or hyaluronic acid that is absorbed into the skin and allows it to continue breathing

2. The Glass Skin trend and the 10-step routine• The trend: Layers upon layers of toners, essences, serums, ampoules, and masks to achieve a moist and shiny skin look like glass

• The problem: Skin pores have a limited absorption capacity. An overload of cosmetic fillers along with high humidity in the air causes excess products to sink directly into the pore openings and block them mechanically. The result is “drained skin,” small fat bumps (milia), and a greasy, sweaty shine

• What to do instead? Smart skinimalism: 3–4 targeted steps (gentle cleansing, targeted serum, light moisture, and sunscreen) give a glowing, clean effect without suffocating the tissue

3. Double cleansing with heavy oils• The trend: Using cleansing oils and rich balms to “dissolve blackheads” through a prolonged 10-minute massage

• The problem: Oils that are not emulsified and 100% rinsed off leave a greasy film that goes deep into the pores. Aggressive and prolonged massage only pushes oil residues and dirt inward and encourages the proliferation of bacteria and inflammation

• What to do instead? Effective double cleansing is performed with a light dedicated hydrophilic oil that is thoroughly rinsed off with water, followed by a gentle, sulfate-free soap. Cleansing time should not exceed one minute

4. Home Gua Sha and cupping massages on dry skin• The trend: Using Gua Sha stones, rollers, or home vacuum cups to sculpt the face and lift the cheekbones

• The problem: Prolonged massage compresses the oil molecules deep into the pore canal instead of dissolving dirt. Oils that are not emulsified and 100% rinsed off mix with natural sebum, harden inside the follicle, and may create blockages, blackheads, and inflammation

• What to do instead? Lymphatic drainage is always performed with gentle, soft outward movements using a light serum, or in controlled clinic beauty-tech treatments that stimulate blood circulation and collagen in a safe manner

The wisdom in contemporary skincare is knowing how to filter. Healthy, radiant skin is not built from an overload of viral trends, but from precise adaptation of light, high-quality products, proper hygiene, and advanced technologies that cleanse and renew the skin from within, without clogging it