Normal? Dry? Oily? Combination? Sensitive?

The firt step of starting a skincare routine or achieving “perfect” skin is knowing what type you have.

Best way to start is cleansing your skin with a gentle cleanser and leaving it bare (apply no additional products) for 30 minutes. Then examine your skin closely for dryness, sensitivity, oily, size of pores, and texture.

Normal Skin: This skin has little to no imperfections with a combination of small to medium size pores. The texture and complexion are even meaning there’s a healthy balance of water and oil.

Dry Skin: The skin usually feels tight and pores are small. Texture and complexation of the skin is either dull, rough, scaly, or flaky. There can be some irritation or redness. This type can cause fine lines and wrinkles faster.

Combination Skin: The skin is normal to dry in some areas and oily in the others, like the T-Zone (forehead, nose, and chin) where the pores can appear larger. Frequent blemishes and blackheads can appear in the T-Zone and dry spots in the cheeks.

Oily Skin: Skin is shiny and thick complexion with large pores. Causes frequent blemishes, acne, and blackheads due to clogging of the pores. The oils are produced by overactive sebaceous or oil-producing glands. This type shows less signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles.

Sensitive Skin: Skin is easily irritated which can become itchy, dry, red, and burning. This can a happen due to some cosmetics, skincare products, environment, or medications.

Now skin changes over time due to aging, dieting, sun exposure, stress, weather, water intake, medication/health, genetics, and other factors. But understanding where your skin is at currently and what’s causing it can help you figure out what products to look for.

So what’s your type?