This is what happened after trying a pore minimizer for six weeks.

I remember my obsession with my skin began back in college when a friend blatantly asked, “Hey, why is your face so greasy?”

I’ve always had trouble with my oily skin. Combine that with large pores, well, it’s a recipe for being very uncomfortable in your own skin. Thoughts of my face looking like a fatty hamburger came to mind.

Ever since, I’ve always been extremely self-conscious of how shiny my face looks and have been constantly searching for the Holy Grail that can save my skin. I was finally pointed in the direction of Dr. Brandt’s skincare products from a friend and found that there were products designed specifically for my dilemma. Could the product line finally be a cure-all for my oily complexion? Could it erase my deep, large pores? For six weeks I closely tested the product line. This is what I found.

Before getting in to details of the product, I wanted to see who Dr. Brandt actually was. The late doctor (he committed suicide in 2015), was a celebrity cosmetic dermatologist. He was called the “Baron of Botox” by W Magazine and the “King of Collagen,” for his expertise in the products. With patients like the likes of Madonna, he soon expanded into his own product line. The doctor was known for his obsession with preserving his skin. If he was really into his skin, I figured he probably channeled this into his brand.

(Photo by Ryan Chow/Very Good Light)

I first tried the Dr. Brandt’s Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner

($21.95). I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed. It’s a mask and supposed to get rid of blackheads. And so, I expected all my blackheads to magically disappear. However, after using it many times, I’m not entirely sure what this has done for my skin. I wouldn’t say that it’s significantly effective at removing blackheads and although my pores tighten immediately after use, I can’t claim that this mask has contributed to the overall size reduction of my pores. I used this mask two times a week and after 6 weeks, I still haven’t noticed any reduction of sebum.

Next, I tried the Xtend Your Youth Face Cream

($31). This lotion is wonderfully light and hydrates my skin very well without making it feel or look oily. While my face does appear smoother, I had hoped it would also help curb my oily face. To be fair, it doesn’t claim to absorb oil or matte your skin, but by the afternoon my face is reflecting sunlight like a mirror.

Finally, I tested the A3 Power Foaming Cleanser

($21). This wash is pretty amazing. It has a calming, mild citrus scent, is incredibly light and gentle on my skin and doesn’t dry out my face. In fact, my face feels more hydrated after I wash with this cleanser. I use about 1.5 pumps on slightly damp hands in the morning and it does a great job of taking away the night-time oils. However, using the cleanser after being out for the whole day left my face still a bit dirty. I don’t believe that it’s strong enough for a very grimy face and would stick with using it for gentle cleansing.

After using Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion

($29) for 6 weeks, my skin feels amazing. My pores have diminished in size and my skin is softer and smoother. I can’t emphasize enough how great my skin feels after I’ve used this exfoliator. Even though directions say to use it 2 times a week, I believe it can be used more often to keep all those dead skin cells off your face. I didn’t feel any dryness or irritation from this product so I’ll be using it at least 3 times a week moving forward.

My honest conclusion after using these products: I don’t believe this combination of products is a game changer. But I would still highly recommend the PoreDemrabrasion to attack those big pores and for smoother complexion but for those of us who really suffer from oily skin, you can skip the other products. So the journey continues – I won’t stop looking for the holy grail that can finally make me confident about my skin.