What's Your Skin Type?
One of the most important steps in caring for your skin is to know and understand your specific skin type as well as how your skin adjusts to certain conditions or seasonality. Your skin is your body’s largest organ and caring for it is just as important as caring for your heart, lungs, and other vital organs. We start off caring for our skin by understanding our skin type.
My Skin Type
In the middle of the day I glance in the mirror and notice that my forehead is glistening a little more than the rest of my face. Swiping my fingers across my forehead, I note they are wet with oil. The funny thing is other areas on my face look perfectly normal. You see, I have a combination skin type which means that I have more than one thing going on with my skin. Nothing too detrimental, but it requires me to be particular about what I use on my skin, especially my face. There are 10 or more skin types but the most common ones are normal, oily, dry, sensitive and combination. Before spending loads of money and filling your cabinets with products that don’t work on your skin, it is best to determine what your specific skin type is. The table below breaks down the skin type and some of the more common issues associated with each skin type.
|
NORMAL |
DRY |
OILY |
COMBINATION |
SENSITIVE |
|
Skin produces natural oil at a normal rate |
Skin is underproducing natural oil which leaves skin dry and non-hydrated |
The skin is producing an overabundance of natural oil |
Skin characterized by multiple conditions. |
Skin is delicate and often appears dry and can be marred by breakouts and blemishes |
|
· A radiant complexion · It takes little effort to keep your skin healthy · No severe sensitivity |
· Your face feels tight after cleansing · Almost invisible pores · Dull, rough complexion
|
· Enlarged pores · Blackheads pimples and blemishes · Blotting or reapplying makeup during the day |
· Oily T-zone · Pores larger than normal · Dry skin in some areas usually cheeks and forehead |
· Skin becomes irritated by many products and fragrances · Often has skin redness · Skin itchiness and burning |
Changing Skin Types
It is important to note though that your skin type can change over time. For instance, you may find that younger people identify with a normal skin type more than older people. Skin type can also change with the seasons. You can be oily in the summer (hotter months) and dry in the winter (colder weather). Other factors can affect your skin type including hormonal changes, diet, and hydration, and sun exposure.
Determining Your Skin Type
There are several factors to consider when trying to determine your skin type including how well the skin is hydrated which affects comfort and elasticity, how much oil the skin is producing and how sensitive the skin is, for starters (WebMD, 2020). We have a simple test for determining your skin type as follows
- Cleanse your face thoroughly and pat dry with a soft cloth.
- Leave the face bare. Do not apply any products, such as creams, serums, or other treatments.
- Wait for 30 minutes then examine your face, paying attention to the cheek areas, nose, forehead and chin. Are you shining?
- Wait another 30 minutes then examine the skin again. This time we are looking for dryness or tightness of the skin.
- Take your findings and compare them against the skin type chart to determine your current skin type.
Now that you know your skin type, you can make informed decisions about the type of products you use on your skin. Remember, our skin’s needs can change over time, so taking the skin type test periodically is essential to fulfilling needs of the skin. Make adjustments in your skincare ritual as needed to maintain healthy, balanced and beautiful skin.
References: https://www.webmd.com/beauty/whats-your-skin-type#1