On jars and bottles they often write “for dry”, “for oily”, “for combination”. But not everyone understands what type of skin they have. However, it may have its own nuances. For some, a cream with a fragrance will not harm you, but for others it will break out in a rash and itch for a week. To avoid such troubles, it is important to know your skin type. There are several ways to determine it.
What is skin type and what are they?
Skin type is a set of its characteristics and needs. We had we are born, it is genetically programmed (although it can change with age). It is important to distinguish skin type from skin condition – on the contrary, it is temporary. For example, both oily and dry skin can become dehydrated from wind, cold and aggressive care.
Here are several factors that determine skin type:
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Moisture content of the stratum corneum. When there is enough water (more than 10%), the skin is smooth, radiant and soft. When there is little water, the skin is rough and less elastic.
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Hydrolipid film. It consists of sweat and sebum – in different proportions for different people. For example, oily skin produces more sebum, so its film is more lipophilic.
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Sensitivity to irritants. Some people’s skin reacts in ways that others don’t even notice. For example, on coldwater or sun.
Dry skin type
This skin is usually rarely suffers from rashes. But it often looks dull and sometimes flakes (due to a lack of sebum – sebum). There are usually no noticeable pores, but redness and rosacea may occur. To the touch, such skin is thin, rough and not particularly elastic.
It is important to carefully cleanse dry skin using mild, fragrance- and alcohol-free products. And also intensively moisturize, including thick dense creams with ceramides and oils.
Oily skin type
The skin is uneven and greasy-shiny (due to excess sebum). on her noticeable pores, rashes and scars from them. The downside is an increased risk of acne. On the plus side, people with oily skin often less wrinkles
Caring for oily skin means thorough cleansing twice a day, fighting inflammation (retinol, acids and niacinamide help out here) and moisturizing (yes, oily skin needs it too). Dermatologists also advise choose water-based cosmetics and use mattifying wipes that absorb sebum.
Combination skin type
This skin combines the properties of dry and oily. There are areas on the face that shine and “please” with enlarged pores and rashes. Usually this is the T-zone – forehead, nose, chin. But there are also dry areas that peel. After washing, the skin there seems to tighten.
Caring for combination skin is a task with an asterisk. It needs to be cleaned twice a day, and to moisturize, sometimes you have to choose different products – thick creams with ceramides and dimethicone for dry areas, light water-based products for oily ones. Or you can buy only a light cream and simply apply it more tightly to dry areas.
Sensitive skin type
This is a conventional term; it is usually called the skin that Badly reacts to care and cosmetics. Burning, itching, tingling and redness are typical companions of sensitive skin.
When choosing cosmetics for such skin, dermatologists advise avoiding:
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fragrances;
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essential oils;
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alcohol, in particular denatured alcohol, which dries and irritates the skin;
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creams and gels with a cooling effect, as they add menthol and peppermint, which can also irritate the skin.
Normal skin type
The name speaks for itself. Such skin homogeneous, radiant, but without greasy shine and noticeable pores. It’s like something out of a moisturizer commercial – smooth, fresh, firm and elastic.
Normal skin usually does not have serious problems, so basic care is enough for it – cleansing, moisturizing, sun protection.
The phrases “mature skin” and “aging skin” still appear on creams and serums. But according to dermatologist Shereen Idriss, this type does not exist. One 70-year-old grandmother may have dry and rough skin, while another may have firmer skin. Just like some 14-year-old teenagers have severe acne, while others have almost no rashes on their faces.
How to determine your skin type
It is important to understand that skin types are a rather arbitrary thing. Yes, knowing your type can help with choosing cosmetics and beauty routine. Especially if you are completely new to this. But American dermatologist Andrea Suarez advises Don’t put yourself in a box. It happens that acne-prone skin is very sensitive. Or you can even put together a combo: sensitive and at the same time oily skin with rosacea.
Conclusion: you can get your bearings a little by skin type, but this is not the ultimate truth. Sometimes only a dermatologist can help you choose the right treatment. If you want to try it yourself, there are several ways.
Study descriptions of skin types
The most obvious advice, but sometimes it helps. You can open a detailed description of different skin types and see which signs match yours. To do this, you need to evaluate your skin visually (without makeup, of course).
Take the quiz
An advanced version of the previous method. “My skin type” tests can be found on the websites of cosmetic brands and scientific dermatological centers. They usually ask how the skin reacts to washing and whether it is difficult for it without moisturizer.
Wash your face and evaluate your skin reaction
Essentially the same method that is offered in quizzes. His described in her video, dermatologist Sherin Idriss. The algorithm is like this:
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Remove your makeup and wash your face. It is better to use the mildest possible cleanser (the results will be more accurate). Or just wash your face with water.
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Gently pat your face dry with a towel. It is important not to rub, because if the skin is sensitive, irritation will occur.
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Don’t touch your face and watch how your skin reacts. You can track it immediately and after a couple of hours.
Dry skin After washing it will tighten almost immediately. After a couple of hours it will become rough to the touch and dull.
Oily skin — after washing you feel freshness. If you just rinse your face with water, there will still be an oily sheen in places. And after a couple of hours it will become so obvious that you will want to blot your skin with a mattifying napkin.
To know combination skin the hardest thing. A sure sign: the skin on the cheeks may tighten, and in the T-zone it seems to remain shiny and not clean enough.
Sensitive skin It won’t show up if you just wash your face with water and don’t rub your face. The only thing is that it may turn slightly red.
Normal skin won’t react at all – she’s usually always fine.
Apply a matting cloth
This method is often show bloggers. It is also recommended on the websites of cosmetic brands. How to proceed:
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Wash your face with your usual product. Do not apply any creams to your skin.
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After 30 minutes, the sebaceous glands will begin to produce sebum. Apply a mattifying cloth to the skin.
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Evaluate the result.
If there are no marks left on the napkin, you have dry skin.
If the entire napkin is noticeably greasy, oily skin.
If there is an oily mark in the T-zone area, the skin combined.
Barely noticeable traces of grease on a napkin are a sign normal skin.
This method does not allow assessing skin sensitivity, this is its main disadvantage.
Try online tools
Some beauty brands have online skin analyzers. You need to scan the QR code, upload a selfie and wait for the artificial intelligence to analyze it – tell you where the shine is, and where there is redness and signs of rashes. The method is a little dubious, because the texture of the skin cannot be determined from the photo.