Introduction
Lab.It may not yet be a household name but skincare enthusiasts already whisper about its quietly confident formulas and science forward ethos. The brand has built a reputation for pairing clinical data with sensorially pleasant textures and, if you ask me, it deserves a bit more of the spotlight.
Enter Pore Soothing Cream, a title that reads like a promise scrawled across a wish list. According to Lab.It the cream is meant to take oily, lackluster skin and coax it into a fresher, brighter, more hydrated version of itself in as little as two weeks. They tout immediate oil control, a noteworthy bump in skin water content and a near 27 percent improvement in melanin affected pores for that coveted glass skin finish.
I spent a full two weeks massaging it into my T zone and cheeks morning and night to see whether the hype stands up and if it is worth your hard earned money. The details follow.
What is Pore Soothing Cream?
Pore Soothing Cream is a water and glycerin based moisturizer that sits in the pore treatment category, meaning it is designed to address issues like excess oil, enlarged pores and uneven tone rather than serve as a universal hydrator. Pore treatments typically combine gentle oil regulators with ingredients that brighten and lightly exfoliate so skin looks smoother and light reflects more evenly. Lab.It leans on that template here, pairing lightweight emollients with niacinamide and a blend of tannin rich persimmon extracts to target visible pores while hyaluronic acid pulls in moisture to keep the surface from feeling stripped. In short, the cream promises to dial down shine, bump up water content and gradually soften the appearance of darkened pore rims over a two week window.
Did it work?
In the name of very scientific research I benched my usual pore serum for three full days before the trial so my skin went in neutral. Fourteen days felt like a fair window to observe any real change and gave me enough time to see if first impressions held up.
I applied a pea sized dollop morning and night after toner, pressing it into my forehead, nose and chin before smoothing the leftovers over my cheeks. Day one delivered a pleasantly soft finish and noticeably tamped down surface shine. By noon my T zone still produced oil but it looked more satin than slick which earned a small cheer at my desk.
The first week settled into a predictable rhythm. Hydration levels stayed comfortable even when indoor heating kicked in and I did not experience any new congestion. Still, the promise of “fresh from yoga glow” was more modest than marketing suggested. I clocked a slight brightening around my nose and a marginal tightening effect on the larger pores flanking it, but in harsh bathroom lighting they were still very much present.
By day fourteen the numbers on the brand’s study did not quite play out on my face. Oil control plateaued at about a half day buffer, dull pore rims looked maybe one shade lighter and overall texture felt smoother yet not glassy. I also noticed a whisper of dryness at the corners of my mouth that required a dab of richer cream.
So did it work? Partly. Pore Soothing Cream delivered respectable mid level oil management and kept dehydration at bay but stopped short of the transformative result I had hoped for. I will finish the jar but I do not see it muscling into my permanent rotation. Still, for someone craving a lightweight moisturizer that reins in shine without stripping, it remains a solid contender.
Main ingredients explained
The formula opens with a familiar hydration trio of water, glycerin and butylene glycol. These humectants act like microscopic sponges that pull moisture from the air into the upper layers of skin so the cream feels deceptively light yet keeps thirsty cells satiated for hours. A supporting cast of hydrogenated polydecene and a couple of silky silicones (vinyldimethicone and dimethiconol) create that smooth glide and soft focus finish you notice on first swipe. They sit on the surface rather than sink deeply which is why shine is tamped down without any tightness.
Niacinamide shows up high on the list and earns its headline status. At concentrations above 2 percent it can help regulate sebum production, fade uneven patches and reinforce the skin barrier. Paired with dipotassium glycyrrhizate from licorice root it also calms mild redness, useful if your pores tend to look inflamed by early afternoon.
The brand’s bragging right is its persimmon complex: diospyros kaki fruit and leaf extracts married to tannic acid. Persimmon is naturally rich in hydrolyzable tannins that have a temporary astringent effect, almost like tightening a drawstring around slack pores. Over time that mild constriction, plus the antioxidant hit, may make pores appear neater and less shadowed. Tannic acid also offers lightweight oil absorption so the cream feels fresher for longer.
Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid steps in to handle deeper hydration. Its smaller molecular weight versions can nestle between corneocytes, plumping from within and counterbalancing the astringency of tannins. Panthenol and allantoin then add repair credentials, helping offset any minor irritation that can crop up when you introduce actives.
One ingredient worth flagging is retinol. Lab.It folds it in at what feels like a micro dose for daily tolerance, still it is vitamin A by another name. That means anyone pregnant or trying to be should skip use unless a doctor gives explicit approval. Similarly those with very reactive skin may want to patch test first since retinol can cause flaking if layered with other strong actives.
The formula is free of obvious animal derivatives which makes it suitable for vegans and vegetarians though the brand has not provided formal certification. Fragrance is also absent so sensitive noses can breathe easy.
As for pore clogging potential, none of the listed ingredients are rated highly comedogenic, but cetearyl alcohol and hydrogenated polydecene do carry a low to moderate risk on very congestion prone skin. Comedogenic simply means a substance can block pores and trigger breakouts. If you are acne inclined, pay attention to how your skin reacts during the first week.
Preservation duties fall to 1,2-hexanediol, ethylhexylglycerin and sodium phytate which together ward off microbes without the typical sting of traditional alcohols. The absence of volatile alcohols keeps the hydration story intact and prevents that telltale midday dehydration rebound some oil-control creams deliver.
All told, Pore Soothing Cream blends mainstream humectants with a thoughtful mix of pore focused actives, all in a vegan friendly and mostly noncomedogenic base. The inclusion of retinol is a nice bonus for those chasing texture refinement but it does slide the cream into the use-with-care category for expectant or highly sensitive users.
What I liked/didn’t like
Here is a quick run through of where the cream shines and where it could use a tweak.
What works well:
- Lightweight texture sinks in fast and leaves a soft satin finish that curbs midday shine without veering into matte territory
- Humectant heavy base keeps skin comfortably hydrated even in heated indoor air which oily types often find drying
- Niacinamide, persimmon tannins and a whisper of retinol offer a multi pronged approach to pore appearance, tone and texture so you can simplify your routine
What to consider:
- Oil control plateaus after about six hours so very oily skin may still need blotting or a mattifying primer
- Dark pore rims do brighten but progress is subtle and requires consistent twice daily use
- Those prone to retinol sensitivity might experience faint dryness around thinner areas and need an extra occlusive layer at night
My final thoughts
Pore Soothing Cream landed comfortably in the respectable middle for me: a solid 7/10. After two diligent weeks it proved it can steady midday shine and add a dose of hydration without smothering combination skin. That alone makes it a welcome option for anyone whose moisturizers tend to feel either too rich or too weak. It is less convincing if you expect a dramatic pore disappearing act or need oil control that lasts from breakfast to bedtime. Having rotated through more pore treatments than I care to admit, I feel I gave this formula a fair shot and its performance is honest, just not headline making.
The cream will suit normal to moderately oily skin that wants a fuss free daytime hydrator with some gentle brightening perks. It is less ideal for very oily complexions that live under studio lights or for anyone already satisfied with a strong active routine focused on retinoids and acids. Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes, if that friend is looking to streamline steps and values a calming, fragrance free cream. For friends chasing quick pore blurring wizardry I would steer them elsewhere.
Speaking of elsewhere, there are a few alternatives I reach for when I need a bit more punch. Deascal’s Poreless Perfection Serum is an excellent all rounder that noticeably tightens the look of pores across all skin types and does so at a refreshingly fair price. When my skin leans oilier I rely on Paula’s Choice Pore-Reducing Toner to keep everything balanced without stripping. StriVectin’s Super Shrink Pore Minimizing Serum delivers impressive texture smoothing in under a week, ideal before events, while Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-tight Toner offers a gentle fruit acid exfoliation that leaves skin visibly clearer by morning. I have put each of these through the same paces as Lab.It and they all earn a spot in my personal rotation for different reasons.
Before you rush off to stock up, a few housekeeping notes. Always patch test new products on a discreet patch of skin first (forgive the over protective parent tone, but it matters). Remember that pore size, oil flow and pigmentation are stubborn traits; any improvement you gain will only stick around with consistent use. Rotate wisely and give your skin time to respond.