In the same way that many women are unwittingly wearing the wrong bra size, many people aren’t aware of their skin type.
If you’re one of them, there’s a good chance you’re buying products that don’t work best for you. Worse yet, you might even be aggravating a particular condition in the belief that you’re a certain skin type when you’re not.
Fortunately, at Skin Renewal, we’re experts in treating every skin type. If you’re still unsure of which yours is, keep on reading as we’re going to help you figure it out.
Oily and combination skin
If you’ve got a combination skin you’ll produce a lot of oil on your forehead, nose and chin (known as the “T” panel). Your cheeks, however, will be dry or “normal” If you have oily skin, however, your entire face will be oily, including your cheeks. In either case, you’ll be more likely to have enlarged pores and be developing blackheads or pimples in the oily areas. On the plus side, your skin’s natural “hydration” will see you develop wrinkles a bit further down the line than those with a dry skin type.
To know for sure if you have an oily skin type, wash your face and don’t apply any moisturiser. After an hour, whip out a piece of blotting paper and see where it picks up a sheen. If it’s just on your T-panel, you have combination skin. Cheeks too? You’re oily-skinned.
Dry skin
If you’ve got a dry skin type you won’t be working hard to keep the oilies at bay. Blotting paper? Not a thing in your house. Typically, after washing your face with a high-foaming or “strippy” cleanser, your skin might feel dry and tight unless you re-hydrate it with a moisturiser. While you won’t be immune to pimples, you’re less likely to develop them. Your lack of natural lubrication, however, will make them more prone to premature wrinkling.
Another thing to be aware of – if you over-cleanse and don’t hydrate enough, you could end up disrupting your skin’s barrier function, creating sensitized skin. (Oily-skinned people could do this too, but your threshold for what you could tolerate before getting there will be much lower than theirs.)
A bit about dehydrated skin
As far as dehydrated skin goes, as we said, anyone could develop it. Over cleansing is one way to get there. But exposing your skin to the elements could do it too. In this case, your skin might feel tight and develop tiny “micro lines” that span the entire surface of your skin, not in typical wrinkling areas like around your eyes where you’d expect to eventually develop crows-feet.
Something else to understand is that sensitivity is more of a condition than a skin type. The amount of oil you produce will determine the “type” of skin you have. But being sensitive is a condition that could affect both oily or dry-skinned people. Still, those with dry skin tend to be more prone to sensitivity as their dryness often leads to having an impaired barrier function.
The last word
Hopefully, we’ve helped you identify your skin type. However, if you’re still not sure, pop into your closest Skin Renewal branch. Our highly skilled therapists will be able to easily assess your skin and recommend the best way to take care of it.
Ultimately, once you know how to give your skin what it needs, you can enjoy a healthy, radiant-looking complexion, regardless of your type.
Need to know more? Watch this space as we take a more in depth look at how to solve any skin problems you are facing with your skin type.