September 13, 2022

Not Able To Determine Your Skin Type? Read This….

By KORIC
Know Your Skin type

Skincare is both an art and a science, but don't be intimidated - we can all learn. Everyone's skin is unique, but there are some common skin types that can help you figure out where your skin fits best. The three main skin types are commonly known as oily, combination, and dry skin.

Here are two easy ways to determine your skin type at home

Thoroughly cleanse your face with a mild cleanser and gently pat dry. Leave the skin bare (and don't apply any additional moisturizers, serums or treatments). After 30 minutes, examine your cheeks, chin, nose and forehead for shine. After another 30 minutes, check if your skin feels dry, especially when you smile or make other facial expressions. If your skin feels tight, your skin may be dry. If your nose and forehead are shiny, your skin is likely combination. If, in addition to the forehead and nose, there is also shine on the cheeks, then most likely you have oily skin.

THE TRIP SHEET METHOD

This method is much faster and is often an excellent differentiator between oily and dry skin types. Gently dab a piece of blotting paper on different areas of your face. Hold the slide up to a light to see how much oil is visible. If the sheet has picked up little or no oil, you most likely have dry skin. If the blotter shows oil from the forehead and nose area, your skin is combination skin. Finally, if the blotting paper is saturated with oil, you most likely to have oily skin.
There are seven basic skin types: normal, oily, dry/dehydrated, combination, acne-prone, sensitive and mature.

A. Normal skin

You don't have pimples. Your skin does not react negatively to new products or changes in the weather. You don't feel like you need to constantly moisturize or remove oil from your face throughout the day. Your skin is tight, with no fine lines and minimal wrinkles.
Skin Care Tips:
Good Luck! With normal skin, you experience almost no sensitivity, dryness, or oiliness. Your skin is tolerant of most ingredients, which means you can play hard with beauty products and have fun experimenting with cleansers, moisturizers, and masks until you find exactly what works for you.

B. Oily Skin

Your skin always looks radiant. You're probably no stranger to blotting wipes or mattifying powders. You may find that your makeup and skincare products don't always stay the way you want them to.

Skin Care Tips:

With oily skin, shine control is a major concern. While oily skin has benefits (like fewer wrinkles!), you should avoid ingredients like mineral oil, petroleum jelly, and alcohol. Products labeled "non-comedogenic" are great for oily skin because they won't clog pores. Oil-free moisturizers are your best friends (yes, you still need to moisturize!), as well as chemical peels and clay masks. Make sure you don't wash your face too often as drying out your pores can cause them to produce even more oil to compensate.

C. Dry/Dehydrated Skin

Dryness and dehydration are actually two different problems, but they have very similar symptoms. How to recognize them on your skin: Dryness is caused by a lack of oil in the skin. Symptoms include peeling, tenderness, itching, and cracking. It can be caused by lifestyle and environmental factors, or a chronic condition (in the case of eczema or related conditions).

Dehydration is the result when the skin does not retain enough moisture. Your skin may feel tight, look papery, or show small fine lines if the skin is pinched.

Skin Care Tips:

To care for dry skin, it's best to lock in moisture by applying a rich moisturizer several times a day, especially after washing hands or bathing. Avoid harsh soaps or products that contain citrus oils or have a lot of fragrance.

On the other hand, if your skin is dehydrated, be sure to look for water-based products, as oil-based products can worsen your skin's condition. The most important thing is that you drink enough water every day!

D. Combination Skin

If you're having trouble knowing what skin type you have, it's probably combination skin. Is your skin dry in certain areas and oily in others? Combination skin is most easily defined by an oily T-zone (the stripe on the forehead and the line along the nose) and dry or normal skin on the rest of the face.

Skin Care Tips:

You should avoid the same ingredients as oily and dry skin, such as: Alcohol-based products. The style of the game with combination skin is balance. Isolate problem areas with spot treatments and use toner or a balancing cream to balance the skin.

E. Acne-Prone Skin

If you have frequent breakouts (or breakouts that never seem to go away), you probably have acne-prone skin. This means your pores tend to get clogged easily, leaving you more prone to whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples than other skin types. You can have oily or dry skin and still be prone to acne.

Important note: Blemishes do not necessarily have to be acne. In fact, a common skin problem called rosacea is often referred to as "adult acne" because it can cause acne-like symptoms. Other symptoms of this condition include redness, bulging blood vessels, thickened skin, and itching or burning.

Skincare Tips:

Use cleansers specifically designed to treat acne, as well as exfoliants and moisturizers that help minimize breakouts. Gently cleanse your face to avoid trauma to existing breakouts and use a topical gel to treat and lighten acne scars. Look for acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid, clay, benzoyl peroxide, or retinol.

F. Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin can be caused by genetics, allergies, or environmental factors. Signs of this skin type include:

Skin that turns red easily
Frequent rashes and bumps
Itching or burning after using a skin care product
Negative reaction to fragrances
Patches of dry, scaly skin irritated
Skin care tips

Care in choosing cosmetics because you are more prone to irritation, redness, itching, and burning or acne breakouts. Look for products with fewer additives, and look for products with soothing, healing, or anti-inflammatory properties. Sometimes using the wrong products can sensitize your skin, even if your skin type is not really sensitive.

G. Mature skin

You may notice a wrinkle here and there, or more dryness than when you were younger. With more mature skin, you may notice sagging, dark spots, dullness and dehydration.

Skincare Tips:

Mature skin needs better skincare to address past and future damage. It's not a bad time to create an anti aging skin care routine with restorative treatments that can boost collagen and protect against environmental stress and cell renewal.

Conclusion

Our skin needs can change over time, and taking action to better understand its needs is essential to keep it functioning and looking good. Keeping an eye on your skin's health and regularly "checking" to see if adjustments are needed to your current ritual will keep it balanced and beautiful.