“Your skin is your best accessory, take good care of it” - Unknown

It is recommended by experts that determining your skin type will help you make the right choices when using products to take care of your skin.

Today we will identify the different skin types and how you can self-diagnose to help you choose which products are most beneficial for your skincare routine.

Genetics, Plus The Environment

Your skin type is a product of genetics, plus the environment. You are born with a blueprint for hair colour, eye colour, and skin type. The environment is what you are exposed to on a daily basis. The impact on your skin from the sun and humidity are two factors that will affect your skin. Your inner environment is determined by the amount of stress you are under, as well as your eating and drinking habits.

Whatever Your Skin Type Is, There Is A Solution

These are the five skin types and their characteristics are:

1. Dry

• generally produces less oil

• feels tight after washing

• may have a dull appearance

• can be flaky or even scaly if severely dry - may cause itching

• has less elasticity

• fine lines are more visible

• small to invisible pores

2. Oily

• skin will look shiny

• prone to blackheads and acne breakouts

• large pores are visible

• lines are less visible

• makeup will wear off easily

3. Combination

• your T-Zone (forehead, nose, and chin) is shiny but dry everywhere else

• enlarged pores around the nose

• occasional breakouts in the T-Zone area

4. Sensitive

• reacts to most products by becoming dry or breaking out

• may become red or hot when touched

• may have visible blotchiness or redness

• may be itchy

5. Normal

• none of the above indicators

• dewy appearance

• no major skin issues

Self-Diagnosis of Skin Type

By reading through the above lists, you may already know what your skin type is. If not, you can do a simple test. Wash your face with what you normally use, pat it dry and then wait 15-20 minutes. Notice if it feels tight and/or looks shiny. Grab a tissue and hold it onto your face gently pressing it into your T-Zone and then your cheeks. If you can see any blotting on the tissue, these areas are producing oil. If you’re still not sure, leave me a comment below and I can talk you through a diagnosis.

Key Ingredients in Product Choice for Your Skin Type

Dry Skin needs lubricating ingredients such as Peanut Oil or Mineral Oil. Lanolin (which comes from sheep wool) prevents moisture loss, (because it retains so much moisture), softens and nourishes the skin, and instantly relaxes the tight dry feeling. Lanolin also reduces the appearance of fine lines.

Oily Skin needs ingredients to reduce oiliness. Check for solutions containing alcohol to control bacteria by drawing it out of the skin (for extremely oily skin). Coal Tar solutions have anti-inflammatory and calming and soothing effects. An ingredient called Resorcinol has an anti-bacterial effect. All three of these mentioned would be the ideal combination for troubled, infected, and acne skin.

Combination Skin needs Orange Flower Oil for refining larger pores in the T-Zone area, it is non-drying and softens the skin. It helps to keep the balance right by removing excess oil. Glycerin is a naturally occurring molecule that keeps the skin supple and moist by increasing water retention.

Sensitive Skin needs gentle and mild ingredients such as Lanolin, Hyaluronic Acid, and Ceramides. Hyaluronic Acid plumps up the skin and the Ceramides hold in that moisture. With Sensitive Skin, it is generally a good idea to get some samples, if possible, to see which works best for you. A cleanser and moisturiser are the key products to help the skin heal and avoid redness and breaking out in rashes. Oatmeal soap is another product to keep in mind with its soothing effects.

You may find the next article on how to make face soap for sensitive skin useful.

Normal Skin needs basic maintenance to keep it in good condition. Look for products with Coconut Oil or Tallow to condition the skin, (just like you condition your hair). Lanolin or Mineral Oil for cleansing without drying out the skin. Oatmeal soap, again, would be very suited to Normal Skin.

Writing this article has taken me way back to my studies. My hope is for you to benefit from this knowledge and that it inspires you to really think about what it takes to take care of your particular skin type.

Let me know in the comments if this was helpful to you.