Have you ever been confused about your skin type? Have you ever tried to put on some makeup but found your skin reacting to it? Have you ever landed up with a skin cream that made you break out? I am here to answer all of those questions for you and more! This blog answers your question of what type of skin do I have.
Before I give you the answer to what type of skin do I have, let us go over the types.
If you are not already aware, there are four types of skin. I will shortly be discussing all the types in detail with you. But before that, let me ask you, reader, why you wish to know your skin type. Aha! I know some of you may not have the answer to that!
Let’s hop right in and get the answer to that first!
Why do I need to know the importance of my skin type?
You ask me why? It’s because you’ll know what type of foundation suits your skin the next time. You need not need to worry about problems like your foundation caking or melting. Knowing why you need to know your skin type will also save you the trouble of your skin breaking out. Once you know why you can tell your skin worries to be on their way! You never need to worry about how to take care of your skin again. Once you know your skin type it is easy to tackle all of these issues. I can guarantee you that you will find the answer to all of your skin problems.
Now that we have that covered, let us understand the different skin types.
What are the skin types I should know of?
Oily Skin
Oily skin readers before you tell us that you hate your skin, I would like to tell you that you’re beautiful. Did you know that your oily skin adds youth to your number of years? Your oil glands leave you naturally moisturised and as a result, you have a delayed onset of wrinkles. Doesn’t that sound amazing, huh! Oily skin type does well with exfoliation two to three times a week with a natural and gentle exfoliator.
Oily skin is prone to attract dust and germs, therefore make sure you wash your face regularly. Oily skin is prone to hyperpigmentation but gentle exfoliation should help you take care of this. Oily skin is also prone to pimples. You may try antibacterial ingredients like neem, tulsi, or turmeric to diminish them.
Dry Skin
Dry skin is a little difficult to chance upon in humid regions of India. This is mostly because of the consistent humidity that exists here. Dry skin is usually a result of genetics, environmental factors, climate, and lifestyle changes. Some people also land up with dry skin during winters due to dehydration. Therefore, hydration is the key to well-nourished skin. Items like caffeine and alcohol affect your skin, so avoid consuming them daily.
Gentle exfoliation helps remove the dead cells on your dry skin, and then it is more prone to absorb moisture. Face oils work well for dry skin. Olive oil is a good option to go for, but make sure you’re not allergic to it. You can do this by applying some oil to the inside of your wrist and allow it to sit there for a few hours. If the skin on your wrist does not develop any redness or rashes, then you should be good to go. Moisturisers which contain glycerine and hyaluronic acid are good for dry skin due to their ability to retain moisture.
More skin types
Sensitive skin
Taking care of sensitive skin can be challenging. You can go with products very easily. The wrong product adversely affects your skin in no time. This can lead to redness, irritation, and burning sensation on the skin. Before trying out any product on your skin, always make sure that you do a patch test on the inside of your wrist. A sensitive skin type may be oily, dry, or a combination. While shopping for products for a sensitive skin type, always be sure to go chemical-free as much as possible. Try to purchase paraben-free natural formulas.
I have saved the most challenging to discern skin type for the last. Combination skin can be difficult to detect at times. Several people with combination skin types often mistake themselves to be from the oily skin family. This is an issue because they choose the wrong skin family for themselves. This later leads to skincare issues and issues which crop up when they purchase the wrong skin products.
What is combination skin?
People with a normal or combination skin type have oily tea zones and drier cheeks. Combination skin type people do not break out often and have well-nourished tea zones. Combination skin types do not do well with heavy moisturisers. A gel-based moisturiser like an aloe vera gel usually works well with this type of skin.
Now that you know the different skin types and the importance of knowing them, let me take you through how to find out your skin type.
How to know my skin type?
There are two easy tests that you could carry out in the comfort of your home. This will tell you your skin type.
The first test is the Bare-Faced Method. You need to wash your face with a gentle cleanser. Do not apply anything on your face afterward. Leave your face for 30 mins and observe how your skin feels. Observe it for another 30 mins to check if your skin feels parched or your tea zones feel oily or if your cheeks along with your tea zones feel oily. If your skin feels dry then you are a dry skin type. If only your tea zones feel oily then you are a combination skin. If your tea zones and your cheeks feel oily, then you are an oily skin type.
The second type of test is called the Blotting Sheet Method. This test gives faster results. You simply need blotting paper for this. Hold the blotting paper to different areas of your face. Then check it up against the light. If your blotting sheets do not have much oil then you are a dry skin type. If your tea zones give oil on the blotting sheet but your cheeks don’t, then you are a combination skin. If both your tea zones and cheeks leave your blotting paper oil-soaked then you are likely an oily skin type.
Final thoughts
It is important to know your skin type. Without this knowledge, you will end up taking bad care of your skin. Try out the skin tests today to find out what type of skin you have. I hope this article has answered your question of what type of skin do I have.
