All skin types can benefit from daily cleansing and moisturising, but different skin types, which include oily, dry, normal, combination and sensitive skin, have different needs—which is why understanding your skin type is the first step in caring for it.
Common Characteristics of Skin Types
Oily skin produces an excess of sebum (oily) that causes the skin to appear shiny and feel greasy—especially throughout the T-Zone. If you have oily skin, you may be more likely to have enlarged pores, develop acne blemishes and be more prone to acne breakouts.
Dry skin is typically dull and may become rough and flaky. It often feels tight or less elastic and may be prone to showing more visible lines. In addition, it may become itchy or irritated.
Normal skin is balanced—feeling neither dry nor oily. It is not prone to breakouts, flakiness, feeling slick or tight. Pores are generally small, the skin’s texture is smooth, and it is less likely to be prone to sensitivity or blemishes.
Combination skin includes areas that are dry as well as oily—with the T-Zone usually being oily, and the cheeks being either dry or normal.
Sensitive skin is often referred to as a skin type, but you can have oily and sensitive skin, dry and sensitive skin or normal and sensitive skin. Regardless of which type of skin you have, if you have sensitive skin, it may be red, feel like it’s burning, itching or dry. These symptoms may be related to having skin that is more vulnerable to external irritants and may be triggered by certain ingredients, like dyes or fragrance, as well as environmental factors.
If you are still unsure of which of the above description matches your skin type, you can do this simple test at home.
How do we know which skin type we have?
Skin type can generally be determined by simple observation at home. The test can be done after cleansing your face. Pat your face dry after cleansing, then wait 30 minutes and assess your skin. If your skin is shiny, it is likely that you have oily skin. If it feels tight or flaky – these are common signs of dry skin. Oily T-Zone only? This would be combination skin. Finally, normal skin is when it feels hydrated and comfortable, but not oily.
Skin Analysis
Want to find out more information about the products that you should be using for your specific skin type? Why not book a free consultation with our skin specialist to discuss this.