There are a few skincare basics you need to know to enable you to take adequate care of your skin. They are knowing your skin type and understanding the skin barrier and how to protect it. When you are done reading this article, you will learn how to determine your skin type at home today in 3 simple ways.
Table of Contents
How to Determine Your Skin Type
In skincare there is no one size fits all so understanding your skin type will enable you to draw out a skincare routine well suited for your skin type. It will also help you in getting skincare products better formulated for your skin needs and concerns.
What are the Different Skin Types?
Everyone’s skin is unique but in terms of grouping the various skin types, there are 5 broad skin types
Normal skin
Oily skin
Dry skin
Combination skin
Sensitive skin
Simple Ways To Determine Your Skin Type
There are 3 easy ways to find your skin type at home
The Bare-faced method
The Blotting sheet method
Examining Your pore size
The Bare-Faced Method
This is a really easy way you can find your skin type at home and it involves the following steps
Cleanse your skin thoroughly with a mild cleanser and then gently pat dry
Do not apply any products to your skin such as toners, essences, moisturizers, and serums
After 30 minutes, examine your forehead, nose (T zone) cheeks and chin for any shine
After another 30 minutes examine the skin while making different facial expressions
Results of the Bare-faced Method
If your skin feels tight after the 1-hour mark then you most likely have dry skin. If you are shiny on your t zone as well as the cheeks then you have oily skin. Then if you are shiny on the t zone and dry on the cheeks then you could have combination skin.
The Blotting Sheet Method
This is another super simple way to help you find your skin type and involves the following steps.
Cleanse your face with a mild cleanser like in the bare-faced method
Blot different parts of your face and examine under light to check for how much oil has been absorbed
Results of the Blotting sheet Method
If there is a lot of oil on the blotting paper then your skin is probably oily
If there is little to no oil then may have dry skin
If there is some oil fro the t zone and minimal to no oil on the cheeks then you could have combination skin.
Examining Your Pore Size
This is done by examining your skin in a regular mirror.
Results from examining your pore size
Many of us may notice that we have various sizes of pores across different parts of our face.
If you notice that your pores are easily visible around your t zone as well as your cheeks then you most likely have oily skin
If you notice these large pores only on the t zone alone then you have combination skin
If your pores are not visible across your whole face then you could have dry skin.
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How to Care for Different Skin Types
Characteristics of Normal Skin
This is considered balanced skin and is not too oily nor too dry. It has the following characteristics
Less prone to breakouts
Has little to no blemishes
Fine or barely visible pores
This skin type can tolerate most skin ingredients in order words, it is not sensitive
A radiant complexion
How to Care Normal Skin
Since this skin type has little to no issues. Its is important to keep your skincare routine simple so you don’t alter the skin barrier and leave your skin
Basic Normal Skincare Routine
Cleanse with a gentle cleanser
Use a nourishing toner
Exfoliate weekly with a chemical exfoliant (either an AHA, BHA or PHA)
Apply a daily moisturizer
Never leave the house without applying sunscreen even on cloudy days 😉 yes love even on cloudy days
Characteristics of Oily Skin
This skin type has excessive sebum production and has the following characteristics
Prone to breakouts
Enlarged visible pores
Pores easily get clogged and congested
Skin is shiny
Prone to PIH ( Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation)
Less prone to wrinkle formation and so has the tendency to look younger than other skin types
How to Care for Oily Skin
With oily skin, your skincare routine should be geared towards oil control and keeping the pores unclogged.
Wash your face with a foaming cleanser, look out for cleansers with a gel consistency and preferably one with Salicylic acid to help clear the pores of excessive sebum
Use an oil-control toner like one with a BHA ( salicylic acid)
Use a serum to target blemishes, unclog pores and skin brightening
Exfoliate the skin not more than 2-3 times a week
Moisturize the skin daily
Always apply sunscreens in the mornings
Use non-comedogenic skincare products, this means you have to look out for oil-free cosmetics that don’t clog your pores and leave you prone to breakouts
This skin type has the least sebum production and has the following characteristics
Invisible pores
Skin feels dry and rough and could flake
Feeling of tightness
Dull complexion
Prone to wrinkle formation
How to Care for Dry Skin
With dry skin, the skincare routine is geared towards moisturizing the skin
Cleanse your skin with a creaming hydrating cleanser and wash the skin with lukewarm water rather than hot water because hot water can be drying.
Apply a hydrating toner
Apply a serum with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin
Exfoliate no more than 1-2 times a week
As with other skin types you also need to apply a sunscreen every day
Characteristics of Sensitive Skin
Sensitivity results when the skin barrier gets damaged by wrong skincare practices like using drying ingredients, using harsh chemicals, over-exfoliation, not moisturizing your skin, and skipping on the sunscreen to mention but a few. This leads to excessive transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and easy penetration of irritants from the environment and from skincare ingredients
Sensitive skin has the following characteristics
Skin gets easily irritated by internal and external factors that are well tolerated by other skin types
Redness
Rash
Itching
Burning and tightness
How to Care for Sensitive Skin
When you notice your skin is sensitive and irritated then this is time to go back to the basics. keep your skincare routine really simple and tone down on the use of skin actives
Use gentle skincare products
Avoid ingredients like parabens, fragrances, sulfates, and mineral oil as they can irritate the skin
Avoid over-exfoliating your skin as this can worsen the sensitivity
Look out for calming ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, calendula
If you have sensitive skin always do a patch test when introducing a new skincare products
Characteristics of Combination Skin
When you notice your skin acts differently in different areas you could have combination skin. It has the following characteristics
Oily t zone
Dry cheeks
Blemish prone around the t zone
Nose and chin area may appear dull
May have areas of dryness as well as breakouts in other areas
How to Care For Combination Skin
It can be difficult to care for combination skin due to different skin concerns across different areas of the face but it is doable.
Use oil control products on the oily t zone
Use Moisturizing products on the drier cheek area
Use a gentle cleanser
Exfoliate 1-2 times a week with an AHA or BHA
Apply a gel-based moisturizer to the t zone and a creamy moisturizer to the cheeks
Apply sunscreen as the last step of your morning routine
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Final Take Home
Knowing your skin type is the very first thing to tick off in your to-do list when you are just getting into skincare. It will guide you into making the right decisions and getting good skincare products to aid you on your journey to the skin of your dreams.
Hope you found the post helpful, If you did then please share the love.
I’m Dr Janet, a medical doctor, blogger, Youtuber and a mother to two awesome kids. I help women achieve their natural hair, skincare and health goals.
Glad to have you here
xoxo
I’m Dr Janet, a medical doctor, blogger, Youtuber and a mother to two awesome kids. I help women achieve their natural hair, skincare and health goals.
Glad to have you here
xoxo
