Do you really know your skin type?
Getting to know our skin is one of the most important things we can ever do for ourselves. We are all unique and with different skin types comes a need for different products and a completely different routine.
Even if we know, it is beneficial to take the time, remind ourselves and re-think our product use.
Dermatologists and facialists highly recommend tuning in to our specific needs and tailoring all our products to suit our skin. Choosing unsuitable products runs the possibility of damaging our skin and leaving us with a result far worse than we were expecting.
At first, it may sound tricky trying to determine what ‘type’ of skin we have, with various products offering a variety of results. With a little Beauty Detective know-how, doing our next skincare haul won’t seem quite so daunting.
Dry Skin?
If you’re trying to work out if you have dry skin or not, ask yourself this question, how does it feel in the morning? Those with dry skin will most likely wake up with a feeling of tautness and even some flaking skin.
Dryness can be caused by products as well as natural causes such as cold climates or cleansers with high alcohol content.
You may find no matter how much oil or moisturiser you use, your skin immediately soaks it up and is back to square one again.
The Solution
The key to dry skin is using products that help avoid dehydration by building a barrier to preserve what is within.
Wash with a moisturising cleanser in the mornings and look out for ingredients such as aloe, glycerin and hyaluronic acid. Follow up with a hyaluronic serum and end with a rich day cream.
The evening routine is similar; use a light moisturiser followed by a facial oil for an alternative step.
Oily Skin?
If your skin gets shinier as the day progresses and your makeup often feels as though it is sliding off, then it could be oily skin.
Oily skin can often be prone to clogged pores and breakouts due to the excess amount of sebum on the surface.
The Solution
Use a cleanser with ingredients such as clay or charcoal, every morning to combat oil production and follow up with a balancing serum. Apply a lightweight water-based moisturiser to hydrate.
In the evening, double cleanse with an oil cleanser or water-based one. Use a toner and finish with a gel hydrating cream.
Use a clay mask weekly to give the skin a little extra cleanse.
Combination Skin?
Combination skin is the tricky one of the bunch as it’s two opposing factors of oiliness and dryness. You may find your cheeks are quite dry, but your T-zone is oily.
It’s extremely important to find products which are balancing, meaning they are not going to strip the skin of oils but not overload either.
The Solution
Start by using a lotion cleanser every morning. Use a hyaluronic serum on the areas you mostly tend to get dry then add a lightweight gel moisturiser all over.
In the evenings, cleanse with the same lotion cleanser then use a toner where you’re most oily. Add a serum to the dry areas again, then add a lighter moisturiser to finish.
Apply a clay-based mask to the oily areas once a week or try multi-masking, and add a hydrating mask to the dry areas at the same time.
Sensitive Skin?
Sensitive skin is most notable if you ever have redness, burning, bumps or the skin feeling stripped and sore after using some products.
The key to sensitive skin is avoiding any harsh chemicals or products loaded with fragrance.
The Solution
Cleanse every morning soft cleanser. Go for fragrance-free products and steer clear of lavender, and peppermint as these trigger redness.
Your routine should be minimal. Go straight to a moisturiser with calming ingredients to boost the skin’s natural barrier to irritants.
Figuring out your skin type and using products tailored to your needs will dramatically improve your skin.
Listen to your face first, it knows.
something for everybody
[shopping_products id=”1″]
Dry Skin Go-To’s
darphin intral cleanser || dr barbara sturn hyuralonic serum || augustinus bader the rich cream || fresh rose mask
Oily Must-Haves
dr barbara sturn enzyme cleanser || dr dennis gross overnight serum || susanne kaufmann matte face gel || erno lazlo clay mask
Combination Saviours
dr barbara sturn cleanser || augustinus bader the cream || dr barbara sturn hyuralonic serum || sk II face mask
Sensitive Essentials
darphin intral cleanser || darphin redness relief recovery cream || darphin redness relief soothing || 8-flower nectar face oil
this feature contains affiliate links
image, pia grønning
