The skin is the largest organ in the body. We all know that as humans we care more about the skin on our face rather than the rest of the body.
But did you know that we have different types of skin? Do you know about your skin type?
When I was young, my mother picked products that match sensitive skin. She told me to use the products for sensitive skin because we have very young skin.
My skin was irritated and had blackheads, whiteheads, and acne as well. Until I research skin types I knew my skin type was sensitive skin.
Latterly, I knew that I have oily skin and it helped me to pick the right product for my skin and heal my skin.
In this post, we are going to discuss how to know your skin type.
If you are struggling to identify your skin type, then you have reached the right place. This article will help you to identify your skin type correctly. So let’s dig in.
Skin Types
According to the sebum produced by our sebaceous glands. The main function of Sebum is to protect our skin while hydrating it.
As to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, there are 5 skin types. They are,
- Oily skin
- Normal skin
- Combination skin
- Dry skin
- Sensitive skin
If you are willing to take care of your skin or use a product, you need to identify your skin type first.
Oily Skin
Oily skin is the most common skin type among humans including me. Basically, there are some characteristics to identify if you have oily skin or not.
- Having large pores.
- Shiny and greasy face.
- Feel oily when you touch any place on your face
- Quickly getting oily when you put on your makeup
- Blackheads and whiteheads are common
- Usually have acne and pimples.
These are the most common characteristics of oily skin. The skin produces more sebum oil than usual and it makes your skin oily.
Normal Skin
The second skin type is the normal skin. If you have normal skin you can see these characteristics.
- Fine pores (barely visible)
- No blemishes
- Smooth and soft texture
- Not feel too dry or too oily (balanced hydration)
- Not too sensitive
- Good blood circulation
Most of the ladies’ ideal skin type is normal skin type. If you have normal skin, trust me, you are the luckiest.
Dry Skin
Have you noticed any of the following characteristics in your skin? Then you have a dry skin type.
- Dull, and rough skin
- No elasticity in the skin
- Red patches
- Invisible pores
- Feel itchy and irritated
- Peeling
If you have a dry skin type your condition may be worse with your genes, aging and hormonal changes, medications, ingredients in soap or other cosmetic items, hot baths, and environmental conditions such as sun and wind.
Combination Skin
Thirdly, combination skin is a mix of oily and dry skin. You can see both oily and dry skin characteristics on your face if you have combination skin.
- Oily T zone (forehead, nose, and chin)
- Dry cheeks
- Can see breakouts only in the T zone.
A combination skin type is also very common among humans.
Most importantly, those who have a combination skin type can experience a change in their skin condition during the seasonal change. You can feel dryness during winter and greasy during summer.
Sensitive Skin
People with dry or oily skin may have sensitive skin also. Following are the exact characteristics of sensitive skin.
- Easily react when you apply a new product to your skin (burn, itchy, or stings)
- Easily irritated
- Frequent allergy reactions
- Excess redness
- Over-sensitivity
- Even eating spicy foods can trigger your skin sensitivity
According to a survey, 50% of women and 40% of men have reported that they have sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin you need to choose the exact right products you want to apply to your skin.
How to test your skin type
We discussed the skin types people have. But still, you may be confused about your skin type.
Here is a small test you can do at your home using minimal and easy things to check your skin type.
It is better if you can do this little experiment on a holiday morning. Wash your face using your cleanser or face wash after you wake up. Do not apply any product or anything on your face until 4-5 hours.
Then take two tissue papers. From one tissue, clean your T zone and from the other one clean your cheek.
If the two tissues are clean and not oily on them, you have dry skin.
If there is any oiliness in the tissue that cleans your T zone but the tissue that you clean your cheeks is completely dry, you have combination skin.
If the two tissue papers are completely oily, then you have oily skin.
Can Your Skin Type Change
Yes exactly. Your skin type can be changed by various factors.
When you apply a product that does not match your skin type, then your skin type can be changed.
For example, if you have dry skin and you apply a product for oily skin, your skin may be too dry.
The climate around you can change your skin type. If you have dry skin, traveling in a dry country can make your skin worse than before.
Also, your skin type can be changed by hormonal and genetic issues.
Summary
In this post, we discussed the skin types we have.
There are 5 types of skin types such as dry skin, oily skin, combination skin, normal skin, and sensitive skin. Also, there are some specific characteristics of each of these skin types that you can easily identify.
Also, I have mentioned a DIY experiment that you can test your skin type yourself. Also, now you know that even if you have dry skin, oily skin, or any other, it can change with some internal and external factors.
In the upcoming posts, we will discuss bout how to treat your skin and how to pick up the right product for your skin.
FAQs
1. How many skin types are there?
Basically, there are 5 common skin types that people have. Each of them has different types of characteristics and skin issues. Having a clear understanding of your skin type is more important for your health and especially for maintaining your skincare routine.
2. Which type of skin is better? Oily or Dry?
Every skin type has its unique skin issues. So, we can not select the best skin in the world. There are some advantages and disadvantages of having dry or oily skin. For example, oily skin people think that having oily skin is the most unfortunate thing in the world due to its acne, acne marks, greasy face, and many more. However, having oily skin is not bad because you have natural sun protection in your sebum oil. Also, you have plumpy and youthful skin if you have oily skin.
3. What is the best skincare routine for oily skin?
A skincare routine is a very important step that you can take to protect and maintain your skin. Especially, for those who have oily skin, skincare routines can solve your many skin issues such as oiliness, acne, acne marks, and many more. You can have a look at my previous article to know about the best and easiest skincare routine for oily skin.
4. How to maintain healthy skin?
Whether you have any skin type, you can make it healthier. you do not need too much money for making your skin healthy. what you need to do is to follow my guide, according to a schedule. I have practiced this for about 4-5 years and now, I’m very confident about my skin.
