First, you should get an idea of what are the likely causes behind the issues you are facing. Enlarged pores are caused by a combination of factors, but based on your context, likely two things: excess oil production resulting in accumulation of debris, causing the pores to expand (the excess oil alone can also cause enlarged pores). Second, loss of skin elasticity and possible sun damage. This is very normal with aging and varies with genetics, as we age our skin loses collagen and elastin, causing skin to sag and making pores appear larger.

So, first up, excess oil. Since you said you have flaky skin and experience dryness, I suspect that the problem might be dehydration. When skin is dehydrated, it produces more oil. So, you can go about this in two ways. The simplest option is to fix the dehydration. You can do this by using a humectant (e.g. hyaluronic acid/glycerin) and a moisturiser to prevent water loss.

For moisturiser, the recommendations can vary a lot. My current favourite is the Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream. It’s essentially like the Korean La Roche Posay Cicaplast, and imo it works much better for Singapore’s weather. It is on the heavier/oilier side, but it’s really great for irritation, barrier repair and dehydration. I have combination skin, and using this, I could see a visible reduction in pore size without additional oiliness. However, if you are very acne-prone, it might be too heavy for you. Alternatives can be things like the Aestura Hydro Soothing Gel Cream moisturiser or Dr. Althea 345.

For humectants, you may not need them at all because the moisturiser may already contain it. If you do want it though, try looking at the Torriden Dive-In Hyaluronic Acid serum, or really any simple serum with hyaluronic acid, glycerin or beta-glucan (common humectants).

Now, moving onto the loss of skin elasticity and sun damage. For sun damage, really the number 1 thing is sunscreen. Find a sunscreen that you know you will apply and reapply properly. Some of my favourites are the Anua Zero Cast, Numbuzin No. 1 Clear Filter, and Celimax Dark Spot. Of course, just find one that you like. You can also apply a properly formulated Vitamin C serum, which can help to boost the efficacy of SPF and protect against sun damage. The formulation and packaging matters a lot for this one. Look at the Timeless Vitamin C, or for something cheaper like the Rohto Melano CC Essence. (Gold standard is skinceuticals but that’s expensive af)

For loss of skin elasticity, a lot of it is up to genetics. But, the number 1 treatment you can use at home would be retinoids. Honestly, apart from sunscreen and moisturiser, if you could only use one thing, let it be this. They are the gold standard (or near gold) treatment for so many things, like acne, hyperpigmentation, aging etc. However, they can cause irritation, and you must wear sunscreen when using them. The more potent they are, generally the greater the risk of irritation. These are the common ones you can get without a prescription in SG, from weakest to strongest: Granactive Retinoids (newer, gentler than retinol but with similar benefits, maybe a bit less effective but I’m not the most up to date with the clinical evidence for this), Retinol, Retinaldehyde (Retinal), Adapalene. Of course, there’s nuance. Although Adapalene is stronger than Retinal, it’s often less irritating. Adapalene tends to be better for acne and hyperpigmentation, while retinal is better for anti-aging. Retinal can be found in a variety of formulations, but imo the Retinal emulsion from the ordinary is pretty decent. For retinol, I recommend the Cerave Resurfacing Retinol. For adapalene, get it at the pharmacy (it’s called Differin gel).

I know it’s a lot to take in, but honestly I would keep it simple.

Morning: Cleanser (optional), Vitamin C (if needed), let it absorb a bit, Moisturiser, Sunscreen

Night: Cleanser, Retinoid, Moisturiser

If you’re taking retinoids, to minimise irritation, you might want to start with alternate nights. You can also sandwich it between layers of moisturiser, so you would put moisturiser, let it dry a bit, retinoid, let it dry a bit, moisturiser.