Determining your skin type can help you choose the right skincare products that work best for you. Here are some ways to determine your skin type:
- Notice how your skin feels: Pay attention to how your skin feels on any given day of the week. The texture of your skin can reveal a lot about its essential nature. Here are the different skin types based on how they feel:
- Normal skin: feels even and balanced. It’s neither too dry nor too oily or sensitive.
- Oily skin: feels greasy and shiny all over. If you feel like you are constantly reaching for the oil blotting sheets, this means you probably have oily skin.
- Dry skin: feels tight and dry. It is normal for it to be flaky and crack, especially in the winter months.
- Combination skin: usually feels oily in the T-zone (the area that includes your forehead, nose, and chin) but dry everywhere else. It can also be oily and dry in different locations, but if you notice two or more different textures on your face, it is a sign that you have combination skin.
- Sensitive skin: usually feels itchy, patchy, dry and can sometimes sting.
- Take a look at your pores: Your pores are also big indicators of your skin type. Their size and visibility can tell you whether you have oily or dry skin. Heres what to look for:
- Oily skin: Pores are larger and more visible, especially in the T-zone.
- Dry skin: Pores are smaller and less visible.
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Notice how your skin feels after cleansing: After cleansing your face with a mild cleanser, notice how your skin feels. If it feels tight and dry, you likely have dry skin. If it feels oily, you likely have oily skin. If it feels balanced, you likely have normal skin. If it feels oily in some areas and dry in others, you likely have combination skin.
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Do a tissue test: Cleanse your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry. Next, press a tissue to your face and observe. If the tissue has oil on it, you likely have oily skin. If there is no oil but your skin feels tight, you likely have dry skin. If there is oil only in the T-zone, you likely have combination skin. If there is no oil on the tissue, you likely have normal skin.
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Avoid products with occlusive ingredients: Look for non-comedogenic, oil-free products and avoid products that have occlusive ingredients such as petroleum, dimethicone, or oils. These ingredients can clog pores and cause breakouts.
Remember that everyones skin is unique, and it may take some trial and error to find the right products that work for you.
