Discovering Your Skin Type

Sometimes the toughest thing to do is to distinguish between what your skin likes from its dislikes. It’s also a bit puzzling when you attempt to ask people for guidance on how to handle your skin and they turn around and ask you what your skin type is. “My skin type? It’s my skin.” Well, there’s definitely more to it than that.

This guide will help you find your skin type. Knowing your skin type will open a small window of hope and give you the power to control your skin.

Oily Skin:

Oily skin is shiny skin, it has large pores which has a tendency to gather debris and therefore is more prone to blackheads and breakouts. The good news about oily skin is that it ages slower, the oils on your face keep wrinkles from forming the way they would on someone with dry skin. So sure you're stuck with blackheads forever, but you won't have to cry over blackheads AND wrinkles. The key to handling your skin type is to slow down the oil production, and prevent your pores from clogging. That’s also known as washing your face with the right cleansers, and using the right kind of moisturizer afterwards so your skin doesn’t feel compelled to compensate its loss of oils by making more oils.

Combination Skin:

Combination skin? What is that? While some parts of your face have a tendency to get oily (usually the T Zone, or the Nose, Cheek-Forehead area) other parts might be normal (Heaven), and/or dry (Hell). Having this kind of skin gets very tricky. You'll pretty much get fed up trying to satisfy all your skin's preferences before you realize that one product can't fix all your problems and that you'll have to go the extra mile. The key is finding the perfect balance of oil control without drying the already dry parts of your face, and keeping the dry parts moist without over moisturizing the oily parts of your face. Sounds complicated? Use products that are not extreme Yin or Yang in the skincare line, find the mild option to both.

Normal Skin:

You have no excess oil production, and no dry, tight painful skin that's sensitive to everything it touches. BUT, that doesn’t mean you get to neglect your skin. Caring for your particular skin type is as easy as, well, easy. There’s nothing you can’t use on your face, everything works for you and leaves no destruction in its wake. Do beware though, skin has a tendency to change type as you age (usually leaning towards dry as your skin loses ability to retain moisture), so do your best to maintain whatever control you have over it.

Dry Skin:

Dry skin feels tight, especially after cleansing. You have a tendency to develop fine lines, wrinkles, flaking and red patches. On the bright side, no acne to deal with. And if you do have "acne" it’s because your skin is irritated, not a sign to use products for acne prone skin, that will do nothing but make your "acne" worse, and your skin even more dry than it already is. Dry skin requires extremely careful care, you need extra moisturizing everything, from a moisturizing cleanser to moisturizing makeup. If you can maintain your skin’s moisture nothing will ever bother you, doing that alone will slowly take the sensitivity, and "acne" if you have it (which you generally don't) away. The key of course is dedication and persistence. Just because you have one good face day doesn’t mean tomorrow won’t bring a little surprise that you’ll be cursing the cows over.

Don’t let your skin condition control you, do what it takes to control it. Hoping this was to your benefit.

Good Luck!