Question: How do I know what my skin type is (oily, dry, etc.) and should that affect how I take care of it?
Answer: The best way to know what kind of skin you have is just by observing the way your skin behaves.
If your skin is oily, well, you have oily skin. If you have a tendency to have dry skin particularly in the winter, then clearly you have dry skin. The more complicated issue is for those who have a little bit of both.
In terms of trying to even out oily versus dry skin, a couple of things particularly for those who live in the cooler parts of the country in the wintertime, drier skin is going to be more of a problem. And the reason for that is if you work in an office or you're in a home, there's a lot of forced hot air and that lowers the humidity to desert-like levels. So the best things to do in those environments is to moisturize your skin. And generally speaking when you have dry skin, you want to use moisturizers. And on the face, creams are great for doing that.
When you have oily skin, if you're going to use anything on your face whether it be a medication or any other topical application, you may want to use a gel because gels tend to dry the skin more.
And if you have combination skin, it's just going to be a matter of trial and error unfortunately -- and that gets a little bit more complicated. But again, self assessment, trial and error, and you should do very well.
Better still, you can try the below method i tell most of my clients to use in other to determine their skin type
There are five basic skin care types: Oily, combination, sensitive, dry and sun-damaged. Your skin type is determined by how much -- or how little -- oil your skin produces. Genes, diet, stress level, medication and even your skincare regimen all determine how much oil your skin produces.
Rona Berg, in her book, "Beauty the New Basics," details the five different skin types. Here's how to tell what skin type you have.
Berg suggests you take the "skin test." Wash your face, pat it dry, then take a few pieces of rice paper or lens-cleaning tissue paper and press on different spots on your face. If your skin is oily, the paper will stick, pick up oily spots and become translucent. If the paper doesn't stick or pick up any oily spots, your skin is dry. If it sticks in your t-zone (forehead, nose and chin) then you have combination (or normal) skin. About 70 percent of women have combination skin.
Here are the five different skin types and their characteristics. Type 1: Oily Oily skin tends to shiny with enlarged pores, and is prone to blackheads and blemishes. You might experience some tightness.
Type 2: Combination/normal This skin type has medium pores, a smooth and even texture, good circulation, healthy color, may tend toward dryness on the cheeks while being oily in the t-zone.
Type 3: Sensitive Sensitive skin tends to be thin, delicate with fine pores. It flushes easily, is prone to broken capillaries, is frequently allergic and can be rashy.
Type 4: Dry Dry skin feels tight, especially after cleansing. You have a tendency towards fine wrinkles, flaking and red patches. In women of color, skin may appear ashy or dull from dead skin buildup.
Type 5: Aging or sun-damaged This skin also feels tight with visible wrinkles, slack skin tone -- especially around the cheeks and jawline -- with leathery texture and broken capillaries.
NORMAL SKIN
If you skin belongs to a normal type, the tissue will not reveal any traces of oil. Your skin should feel vibrant, elastic, and supple. Normal skin is the least problematic type.
It looks clean and smooth and has a good circulation and healthy complexion. Even with a minimum care, it will look good well into your advanced age.
DRY SKIN
If your skin is dry, the paper will be clean, too, but your face skin will feel flaky, dry, and tight after you have wiped it.
Dry skin can easily develop a sallow tone, wrinkles, and fine pores, and it is very prone to aging and irritating. It might still look great on a young person, but, to keep it healthy, you should apply thorough care and use regular skin or beauty treatment with natural masks and moisturizers.
OILY SKIN
If you have oily skin, the paper will have spots of facial oil on it, corresponding to the areas of your cheeks, nose, and forehead. Oily skin is problematic – it usually looks greasy, thick, coarse, and shiny, has enlarged pores, and tends to break into acne.
A good thing, though, is that oily skin is not prone much to aging and wrinkling. Careful cleaning, minimizing of carbohydrate consumption, and avoiding rich creams can be helpful in improving the quality of oily skin.
COMBINATION SKIN
If you skin is combination, like that of most women, the tissue will have traces of oil coming from your nose and forehead, but will be clean in the areas that touched your cheeks.
Combination skin has patches of both dry and oily skin, and it requires different types of care in relation to particular facial areas.
Dry zones, which are usually located on the cheeks and around the eyes, should be treated with rich creams and moisturizers, while oily areas, usually on the forehead and nose, will benefit from frequent and thorough cleaning.
SENSITIVE SKIN
Sensitive skin is usually very dry, tends to feel tight, and becomes inflamed and irritated easily. Typically, sensitive skin develops reddish and scaly areas, can be itchy and tingly, and is prone to breaking into spots. It is the most problematic and fragile type of skin, which needs a very special type of care. To get the right body products for this skin type too requires great research.
So, what type of skin do you have? Have you found great skin care products that work beautifully for your skin? Please do share…
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