Skin can be classified into different types depending on it’s behaviour and characteristics. The most common types are normal, dry, oily and combination. Knowing what type of skin you have can be really helpful in helping you to decide which make up and cosmetic products to use. After talking to family and friends, I discovered a surprising amount of women don’t really know what skin type they have. They just buy whatever products appeal to them and don’t consider how their skin will react with the product. So with this in mind, here is a short guide to help you determine which skin type you have so you can make a more informed decision the next time you go shopping for beauty supplies.
The first step to analysing your skin type is to cleanse it, preferably in the morning so you can look at how your skin changes throughout the course of the day. Pay close attention to how your skin feels after you have cleansed. Normal skin should feel clean but comfortable. If your skin is feeling tight, particularly around your forehead, you may have dry skin.
Next, leave your skin unmoisturised and take a good look at it in a mirror in natural light. Study the texture of your skin, looking all over the face and look out for pores and shiny areas. Normal skin will have a smooth texture with small pores and possibly some shine visible. As well as a tight feeling after cleansing, dry skin will have a matt texture, may have visible ‘flaky’ patches and small pores. Dry skin often suffers from sensitivity and will show fine lines and wrinkles quicker than other skin types. Oily skin will have a shiny look, particularly in your T zone (your forehead, nose and chin) and often larger, visible pores. Oily skin is also more prone to breaking out in spots. It’s not all bad though, oily skin often ages slower and shows less visible signs of ageing.
Have another look at your face at midday. If you have oily or combination skin (combination skin will usually be more oily in the T zone than the rest of the face), oil breakthrough will usually be visible by this time. Dry skin will often be showing signs of dryness by this time too, even if you have moisturised in the morning.
Take into consideration other factors which may be affecting the condition of your skin. Stress, medication, the contraceptive pill, pregnancy, your menstrual cycle, how much sun your skin is exposed to, smoking and your diet are among other factors which will influence how your skin looks.
Knowing your correct skin type will help you to make more effective decisions the next time you go shopping for make up and cosmetic supplies. No matter which skin type you have, skin responds to care and it’s condition can be improved. Many beauty products such as cleansers, moisturisers, face masks and make up are labelled as to which skin type they are most suited for. Now you know which skin type you have, you can shop with confidence.