Our skin can be tricky. One minute it feels rough and flaky, the next it looks shiny and greasy. Or even a combination of the two at the same time. There are some general characteristics of skin that can help you learn what skin type you were born with and how to make the most of the skin you are in.
It's important to remember all skin needs to be cleaned, hydrated and protected from the sun to truly flourish and feel amazing.
Normal Skin
Well, congratulations if you were born with normal skin. You don't have to worry about those pesky sebaceous glands overproducing oil or the rough, tight texture of underproducing oil glands. This skin type is most common in your 20's and 30's. Your skin will become drier as you age, so pay close attention to skin hydration if you notice duller, flaking skin. Focus on anti-aging products such as retinol, Vitamin C and SPF to keep your skin healthy and balanced.
Normal Skin is:
Oil level - balanced
Follicle size - very small
Appearance - uniform luminosity, no or rare blemishes (The lucky ones!)
Feel - soft, smooth texture and good elasticity
Oily Skin
This is a little tricker skin to handle because the sebaceous glands overproduce sebum, which results in shiny skin and more blemishes. I think almost every teenager experiences this excess oil production at some point in their young lives. I know I did. Knowing more about how to deal with it helps you feel more empowered. Regular cleansing (without stripping), exfoliation (key!) and hydrating with water based, noncomedogenic products is a good place to start. You can also treat your skin with salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. I like Hero Patches with salicylic acid and the ones without when you have a whitehead you want to dry up. SPF is essential to preventing PIH (Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation) that commonly follows acne.
There is great news when it comes to aging. You will age more slowly since the oil acts to protect the skin. Bonus!
Oily Skin is:
Oil - moderate to high
Follicle size - moderate to large (meaning you can visibly see your pores without magnification)
Appearance - shiny, comedones and blemishes may be present
Feel - thick and firm, uneven due to congestion
When treating any skin type don't forget to apply products to your neck and décolleté. The skin is even more delicate in those areas.
Dry Skin
At the other end of the spectrum from oily skin, you find underperforming sebaceous glands and dry skin. Sometimes it feels like your skin is tight and itchy with a rough texture and flakiness. You have to be careful with harsh cleansers or any drying ingredient which could further damage your skin. The underproduction of oil can be caused by genetics, environmental or medical conditions or hormones. Every woman's skin is going to change at times because our hormone levels are constantly in flux.
Oil based products will be your best friends, along with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, squalane, glycerin and shea butter.
Dry Skin is:
Oil - minimal production
Follicle size - difficult to see
Appearance - dull, lack of luminosity, flaking, blotchy
Feel - rough, thin, tight
Combination Skin
I call this complicated skin because it can be the toughest skin type to treat. You can have patches of oily, dry or normal skin in various parts of your face. Your T-zone can be oily and your cheeks dry. You can also have normal skin on your nose, chin and forehead with dry skin on your cheeks. It varies from person to person. The important thing to remember is you can use different products on different parts of your face. If you nose is oilier, use a lighter moisturizer or skip it altogether. If your cheeks are dry, but your chin and forehead aren't, apply a thicker more hydrating lotion there. You can also use two different masks at the same time - a clay based one on the oiler sections of your face and a nourishing one everywhere else.
Combo Skin is:
Oil - low to high
Follicle size - larger in T-zone than in cheeks or sides of face
Appearance - can have buildup of dead skin and oil in pores around nose but flaking skin outside of T-zone
Feel - oiler in areas, drier in some
What can I do to make my skin the best it can be?
Join me as I delve deeper into each individual skin type and present its unique challenges and benefits. There will be product recommendations and tips for all types so you can take the best care of your beautiful, beneficial, amazing skin.