Facial skin type: how to determine and choose the right care

What are the types of skin

Every person should learn about the properties of their skin, because this information is vital for choosing skin care products. You may be generally familiar with skin types, but it’s not always easy to figure out what the features of each are. The main ones are dry, oily, combination and normal. However, the condition of the skin can change over time, and sometimes such a change is difficult to determine.

For example, younger people are more likely to have normal skin compared to older people. Fat content affects the degree of softness, also each type of skin can be more or less sensitive, and elasticity depends on the amount of water.

Oily and problematic skin

Oily skin is distinguished by enlarged pores, dull or, conversely, overly shiny, thick complexion. On it, acne, pimples and various spots most often occur.

Of course, the degree of fat content may vary depending on the time of year or the weather. Moments that can aggravate the condition include puberty, hormonal imbalances, stress, heat, or vice versa, too much humidity.

With this type, you should wash and take a shower at least twice a day, and also after sweating a lot. Use a mild cleanser, and most importantly, don’t pick or pop your pimples. This can lead to serious damage and even diseases of the skin.

When choosing cosmetics, look for the word “non-comedogenic” on the packaging. This means that this cream and lotion does not clog pores. Here it is necessary to clarify: oily skin is prone to the appearance of comedones, that is, acne. Non-comedogenic means that the products do not cause clogging of pores and their occurrence.

Dry skin

Dry skin type has almost imperceptible pores, while the complexion is pale, often there are bluish spots, elasticity is reduced, so even small wrinkles are clearly visible. The skin tends to crack, peel, or become itchy, irritated, or inflamed, especially in the sun. May become rough, especially on cheeks, forehead, back of hands, arms and legs.

Dryness can be caused or exacerbated by genetics, the aging process, or age-related hormonal changes. This type is strongly influenced by the weather – wind, sun or cold are his worst enemies. Radiation from tanning beds, indoor heating, hot baths and showers, drying ingredients in soaps, cosmetics or detergents, and medications may also worsen the condition.

To help yourself, take short baths no more than once a day, and ideally every two to three days. Use mild soap and other detergents. Avoid soap-deodorant! Do not rub the cover during washing, but simply wash gently. And apply moisturizer immediately after bathing. It is worth noting that ointments and creams work many times better than lotions. In this case, the cream can be applied as needed more than once during the day.

As for living conditions, use a humidifier and do not allow too high a temperature in the room. If you often work in the kitchen, always wear gloves when using cleaners, solvents, or household detergents.

Combination (mixed) skin

In some people, the skin is dry or normal in some areas and oily in others, for example, in the T-zone – this is the nose, forehead and chin. And the palms and feet can crack from dryness. This feature happens to many, so different areas of the body may require a different care approach.

Combination skin may have noticeable pores, but they are not prone to blackheads like oily skin. It also has some sheen, but without a wet tint.

A key part of the care here is the observance of a daily and preferably a nightly spreading regimen. This means using the same products 1-2 times a day and in the evenings for at least a month.

First of all, cleanse your face once or twice a day with a special cleanser for combination skin. Use exfoliating scrubs sparingly and gently, preferably only once a week. Finish each process with a moisturizing cream – once in the morning and once in the evening.

You need to focus on moisturizing dry areas and reducing excess sebum on oily areas. As already mentioned, often the oily area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe face is the T-zone – the forehead, nose, area above the mouth and chin. So, for example, instead of treating the whole face with one product, you will have to smear certain areas of the face with different products depending on the type of skin.

If you have a rash on your forehead, which means that the cover is prone to oiliness there, use a spot remedy that gets rid of acne and fat. And if, say, the skin on the cheeks is prone to dryness and irritation, use a moisturizing product only on this area.

normal skin

Normal means not too dry and not too oily skin. She has few or no flaws, no pronounced sensitivity to the weather, barely visible pores and moderately pink color. Caring for such a type is much easier than the three listed above, and it is quite easy to identify. Although the presence of such a skin feature, of course, does not mean that you can especially not take care of anything.

Normal skin looks radiant from the inside, aesthetic and beautiful, it almost does not lend itself to premature aging. And if you take good care of yourself in this case in the simplest way, that is, thoroughly cleansing the skin with special facial products on a daily basis and applying cream, you will have no reason to experience difficulties.

It is worth saying that for normal skin, moisturizers that have good UV protection should be used, otherwise no special tricks and creams are required. She does not have pronounced sensitivity and visible pores, so caring for her is a pleasure.

How to visually determine the type of skin with a napkin

To find out and determine this for sure, blot your face with a regular napkin. Wash your face, after an hour, blot the T-zone with another napkin. Look at the tissue that was used to blot the T-zone and compare with the first tissue. If the first looks drier, then you have an oily or combination.

Another way to determine: take a napkin and gently blot your face. Place it against a bright light. If you hardly see oil spots, you probably have dry skin. If fat is visible along the contour of the T-zone, you have it combined or normal. If the entire napkin becomes oily, most likely you have oily skin.

How to determine the type of facial skin at home

First of all, you should pay attention to how your face feels after washing.

If you have dry skin, you will feel tight after washing and cleansing. If you have an oily cover, then on the contrary, your face will feel lighter after washing, but it will most likely begin to shine again during the day. If you have combination coverage, your T-zone will not feel tight after water, but your cheeks will feel very taut.

If you have a normal cover, then after washing you simply will not feel any changes in the condition of the face. This means that you do not have problem areas, and your skin requires minimal attention.

Sometimes you can determine the skin type simply by carefully looking at yourself in the mirror. If you see red, scaly patches all over your face, then you most likely have dry skin. If the whole face is shiny, then it is oily. The combination of both options means that you have a combined option, and the absence of any nuances of this kind is a sign of normal skin.

Move two steps away from the mirror. If you have normal skin, your pores will be barely visible. In the case when you perfectly see your pores, it is oily. If your pores are not visible at all, you have obvious dryness. With the combined version, the pores are visible in some areas and invisible in others, that is, in different places they are different in size.

Any type of skin can have an increased threshold of sensitivity. If you have sensitive skin, your face becomes red, itchy, or you may develop a rash after using certain beauty products. In this case, it is better not to experiment with them, but to seek advice from a professional cosmetologist.

Opinion. Vera Savelyeva, stylist-make-up artist:

– When I was in school, I remember that I had very oily facial skin, and now that I am over 35, it has become dry. In other words, the type and needs of our skin change with time and age. Therefore, take the time to determine your species and develop a suitable grooming procedure. Consult a dermatologist if you are unsure about products and their effects and cannot determine what to do. After all, not only creams, but also decorative cosmetics for different skin integuments are very different.

It is important to know that sometimes the ingredients in soaps, cosmetics or masks can make the skin very dry. So always use mild, gentle soaps, light detergents, and avoid deodorant soaps. Keep in mind that most people have drier skin in winter and oilier skin in summer. Other external influences, such as air conditioning and heaters, can also strongly influence its changes in one direction or another.

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