What Is My Skin Type? And How to Take Care of It

Hey there, skincare enthusiast! Have you ever gone to buy a skincare product, only to be overwhelmed by the different options? Or have you ever started using a new skincare routine set, only to find that it contains products that don’t work for your skin type? If so, then this article is for you.

We’ll discuss how to determine your skin type and fill you in on some essential dos and don’ts for your specific skin type. By the end of this post, you’ll be a skincare expert equipped with all your knowledge to make your skincare routine work better for you.

What Is My Skin Type?

To put it simply, your skin type is determined by how much oil your skin produces. There are four main skin types: normal, dry, oily and combination. And we’re going to toss in the bonus skin type of sensitive to make it an even five.

Normal

If you have normal skin, your skin isn’t too dry or oily. You don’t experience many breakouts, and your complexion is relatively even. Eudermic is another term used to describe normal skin.

Problems you might experience: If your skin is on the drier side, you may sometimes experience flakiness or tightness, but this is often seasonal and connected to climate. If your skin is on the oilier side, you may sometimes have larger pores or shininess. But for the most part, your skin behaves relatively predictably and doesn’t require a lot of special care.

Skincare Routine Dos:

• Wash your face with a gentle cleanser morning and night.
• Exfoliate one to two times a week with a light scrub or chemical exfoliant.
• Use a lightweight moisturizer morning and night.
• If you have any concerns, use targeted treatments to address them.

Skincare Routine Don’ts:

• Don’t over-wash or over-exfoliate your skin.
• Don’t use harsh cleansers or scrubs.
• Don’t neglect to moisturize.
• Don’t forget the sunscreen.

Dry

If you have dry skin, your skin doesn’t produce enough oil. As a result, your skin can feel tight, rough and flaky. It’s also more susceptible to fine lines and wrinkles. It’s important to rule out skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis before settling on a diagnosis of dry skin, as these require different treatment plans. Consult a doctor or dermatologist if you’re unsure.

Problems you might experience: Your skin may feel tight, especially after cleansing, and it may flake or peel. You may also notice that your makeup doesn’t apply as smoothly as possible. In extreme cases, your skin may crack or bleed.

Skincare Routine Dos:

• Wash your face with a gentle, hydrating cleanser morning and night.
• Exfoliate one to two times a week with a light scrub or chemical exfoliant.
• Use a heavy moisturizer morning and night.
• Apply a hydrating serum or oil before your moisturizer.

Skincare Routine Don’ts:

• Don’t wash or exfoliate your skin too frequently.
• Don’t drink too much caffeine.
• Don’t take hot showers or baths.
• Don’t neglect your lips, hands or feet.

Source: Designua/Shutterstock.com

Oily

If you have oily skin, your skin produces too much oil. As a result, your skin may appear shiny and experience frequent breakouts.

Problems you might experience: Your skin may appear shiny, and you may have large pores. You may also experience acne, blackheads or whiteheads.

Skincare Routine Dos:

• Wash your face with a gentle cleanser morning and night.
• Try using powder sunscreen instead of lotion sunscreen.
• Use a lightweight moisturizer morning and night.
• Use alcohol-free toner and serums for acne-prone skin.

Skincare Routine Don’ts:

• Don’t wash or exfoliate excessively.
• Don’t use harsh cleansers or scrubs.
• Don’t neglect to moisturize.
• Don’t use thick or heavy products.

Combination

If you have combination skin, you have both dry and oily areas on your face. For example, your T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) may be oily, while your cheeks are dry. This can be challenging and perplexing because what you do for one area may not work for the other.

Source: KENG979/Shutterstock.com

Problems you might experience: everything that folks with dry and oily skin have, just limited to certain areas of your face. For example, you may have large pores and shine in your T-zone, while your cheeks are dry and flaky. You may also experience acne breakouts.

Skincare Routine Dos:

• Wash your face with a gentle cleanser morning and night.
• Exfoliate one to two times a week with a light scrub or chemical exfoliant.
• Use a lightweight moisturizer on your entire face.
• Apply a hydrating serum or oil to your dry areas.
• Use an acne-fighting product on your oily areas.

Skincare Routine Don’ts:

• Don’t overdo it with the cleansing and exfoliating.
• Don’t use harsh cleansers or scrubs anywhere.
• Don’t use thick or heavy moisturizers.

Sensitive

If you have sensitive skin, it means your skin is easily irritated. This can be due to several factors, including genetics, weather and product ingredients.

Problems you might experience: Your skin may feel tight, dry or itchy. You may also experience redness, burning or stinging. In extreme cases, you may develop rashy, cracked skin.

Skincare Routine Dos:

• Use fragrance-free products whenever possible.
• Wash your face with an allergen-free, gentle, hydrating cleanser morning and night.
• Go easy with skincare products and makeup.
• Always patch test new products before using them.
• Only introduce one new product at a time.

Skincare Routine Don’ts:

• Don’t go overboard with products.
• Don’t use harsh cleansers or scrubs.
• Don’t touch your face as much.
• Don’t forget to patch test new products! (Yes, we’re saying it again!)

There You Have It …

And that’s it! You now know the basics of skin types and how to take care of your skin. The best way to find out what works for you is to experiment with different products and ingredients. And don’t forget to reach for cruelty-free skincare products when shopping. There are so many amazing brands that don’t test on animals, so you can feel good about your purchase. Thanks for reading. We hope this was helpful!

What is your skin type? And how do you take care of it? Let us know in the comments below!

This infographic was created by SeSpring, a cruelty-free Korean gel cleanser for face