Do You Know Your Skin Type?

Understanding Your Skin Type

Understanding your skin type is crucial for maintaining healthy skin. Not knowing your skin type can mean not only using the wrong skincare products, but also potentially damaging your skin barrier. Today, we are breaking down each skin type, helping you understand yours, and sharing the best skincare products for your skin.

What is A Skin Type?

Skin type is how your skin acts. According to The Skin Institute, “There are five basic skin types — normal, oily, dry, combination, and sensitive — each with distinct characteristics and specific care requirements.” However, due to lifestyle changes, so-called skin experts, and too many skincare product options, we have developed skin types, such as dehydrated and acne-prone. Over-the-counter skincare lines are formulated for a single skin type and lack the active ingredients found in professional products. Professional and medical-grade skincare products are more targeted for various skin types. Estheticians work by touching, seeing, and understanding how your skin works, helping you find the best products for your skin. Our job is to help you maintain a healthy skin barrier.

What are the Different Skin Types

We are going to break down the various skin types to help you understand which type you have. 

Dry Skin

Dry skin produces little oil and is characterized by tiny pores, lacks a lipid barrier, and is difficult to retain water. The skin can worsen with medications, aging, sun exposure, and hormonal shifts.  Opt for hydrating products like cream-based or oil cleansers, hyaluronic acid serums, and emollient moisturizers.

Normal Skin

Normal skin is balanced with minimal concerns. Characterized by a smooth, healthy appearance, minimal pore size, and an even tone. Opt for products that change each season, like gel cleansers in the summer and cream cleansers in the winter. Incorporate Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and retinol to support your skin in the winter. Your moisturizer should include a lotion in the summer and a heavier moisturizer in the winter.

Combination Skin

Combination skin is the most common skin type. There are oily areas of the face, such as the T-zone, and dry areas, like the cheeks. Opt for skincare products that change with each season. If you’re acne-prone, spot-treating with an acne serum can help keep breakouts under control.

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin, characterized by rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis flare-ups; however, anyone can develop sensitive skin by using the wrong skincare products for their skin type, overexfoliating, or doing aggressive skin treatments. At first, your skin becomes dehydrated, but if left untreated, it becomes sensitized and reacts to any skincare product you use. Using the wrong products or overexfoliating breaks down the skin’s barrier, and when the skin becomes compromised, it results in sensitized and irritated skin. Opt for skincare products that support your skin barrier, such as cream-based or oil cleansers, hydrating serums, and emollient moisturizers.

Oily Skin

Oily skin is a skin type that produces extra oil. The skin can become acne-prone due to excess oil production. Characteristics include large pores, shiny skin, excessive oil production, acne, blackheads, or whiteheads. Opt for skincare products that balance the skin without stripping. We recommend a gel or cream cleanser, acne serum (if acne-prone), weekly face mask, and lotion for moisturizer.

Dehydrated Skin

Dehydrated skin occurs when aggressive skincare products or overexfoliation strip the skin. This results in the oil glands producing extra oil to compensate for the lack of water. This skin type also tends to feel rough and textured. You may also get white bumps under the skin. This happens because of trapped oil. There is not enough water in the skin to float the oil out of the pores. Dehydrated skin includes dryness, flakiness, rough texture, excess oil, large pores, blackheads, and acne. Opt for skincare products that support your skin barrier, such as cream-based or oil cleansers, hydrating serums, and emollient moisturizers.

Acne-Prone Skin

Acne-prone skin consists of blackheads, whiteheads, and acne breakouts. Acne is caused by bacteria in the pores, and when the pores get clogged, they form blackheads. Acne products treat oily or acne-prone skin. There are various causes of acne, such as hormones or diet, and acne can be difficult to treat. Too often, consumers overuse acne skincare products and strip the skin, causing it to become dry or sensitive. 

How to care for acne-prone skin: Opt for a cleanser based on your skin type, such as a cream or oil cleanser for normal, combination, or dry skin types, or a gel for oily skin. Spot treat with a salicylic acid serum. We don’t recommend using an acne serum all over; only on those painful, stubborn breakouts. Salicylic acid dries the pore, which is great for acne bacteria, but if you have hormonal or gut-related breakouts, this will strip your skin, not help control your acne. Keep your skin hydrated based on your skin type, such as lotions for oily skin and hydrating moisturizers for normal, combination, and dry skin.

Can Skin Types Change?

Yes, due to hormones, aging, and environmental factors. Hormones fluctuate during every season of life. As you begin perimenopause and menopause, you’ll notice less oil production, which is normal. Our environment can cause toxins to seep in through the damaged skin barrier. This can cause dry, sensitive, or aging skin. Aging slows down cell turnover and less oil production, leading to dry skin.

Skin Conditions

Skin Conditions such as acne, rosacea, melasma, etc., are not specific to one skin type. Each skin type can develop skin conditions, and product selection is overwhelming for consumers. This is where many consumers make mistakes with skincare. You purchase products based on your skin problems, not on your skin type.

How Do You Determine Your Skin Type?

An easy exercise you can do at home to determine your skin type takes about 30 minutes.

1. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser that doesn’t contain any exfoliation, acids, or fragrance, and gently pat dry.
2. Don’t apply any skincare product or touch your face for 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes, take a look at your skin in the mirror and observe your skin.

Here’s what to look for:

• Oily skin will be shiny
• Normal skin will feel perfectly fine
• Combination skin will be shiny in the T-zone; the rest of the face may look tight
• Dry skin will feel tight and pull when you make facial movements.
• Sensitive skin will turn red and feel irritated.

Once you have a basic understanding of your skin type, you can select skincare products that help support your skin barrier. 

Ready To Get Started?

If you want help assessing your skin, please visit our website to book your first appointment or shop for our recommended skincare products that support your skin barrier.
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