Whether you have excessive dryness, oily patches, or a blemish-free complexion: You'll want to take some time to define your skin type. Your unique skin type provides insight into the skincare products you should use and which ones you should avoid. If you’re constantly using products that aren’t formulated for your skin, you may never see the results you're looking for.
We’re here to walk you through how to find your skin type so you can start prioritizing products that will help you see results and get you one step closer to your goals.
Let's take a closer look:
The Five Skin Types
Oily Skin
If you have oily skin, your skin may appear greasy or shiny, everywhere, not just the T-zone area. This is because your skin produces an excess amount of natural oils. This excess sebum may lead to blackheads, acne, whiteheads, and enlarged pores.
Oily skin needs skincare essentials with ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid, and salicylic acid to help neutralize the oils and prevent acne breakouts from forming.
Dry Skin
Dry skin produces less sebum than the other skin types. If you have dry skin, your skin may appear dull, rough, or dehydrated. Dry skin is also prone to signs of irritation, scaly skin, and flaky patches. If you don’t prioritize the right skincare products, it can lead to a tight, dull appearance.
If you have dry skin, you'll want to look for ultra-hydrating skincare ingredients like aloe vera, coconut oil, ceramides, avocado oil, and glycerin.
Combination Skin
Combination skin is a combination of dry and oily. For example, you may have dry patches on your cheeks and an overproduction of sebum in your T-zone. You still have the occasional blackheads and large pores, but it's contained in the oily areas of your face.
For this skin type, you’ll want to find products that play well with both skin types and help you address your pesky problems. The best skin care ingredients for combination skin include vitamin C, peptides, honey, and vitamin E.
Normal Skin
Normal skin is the perfect, healthy balance between dry and oily skin. If you have this skin type, you are less prone to breakouts, greasiness, and flaky skin. Your complexion is smooth, blemish free, and with little to no skin discoloration.
If you have normal skin, you'll want to maintain this healthy balance with good-for-you ingredients and nutrient-rich formulas. Look for skin care essentials with vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, coconut oil, or jojoba oil.
Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, your skin likely feels itchy and often has blotchy red spots or patches of dryness. You'll want to be extra careful with the skincare products you choose to use and avoid harsh ingredients like fragrances, sulfates, and alcohol. Instead, opt for natural ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera, and honey.
How to Find Your Skin Type
Now that you know the five skin types, it's time to find yours. For some, your skin type is visibly noticeable and easy to define. If you can't tell just by looking, try one of these two tests.
The Blotting Paper Method
- Press a clean blotting paper against your cheeks, forehead, nose, and T-zone
- Hold the sheet up to a light and look for oil on the paper
- If you see an abundance of oil, you likely have oily skin
- If you see little to no oil, you likely have dry skin
- To know if you have combination skin, you’ll want to bloat only your T-zone area to check for oil
The Wash Test
- Wash your face with a gentle cleanser
- Don’t apply any other skincare products or makeup
- Set a timer and wait for 30 minutes
- Check how your face feels after the timer goes off
- If your skin feels tight, dull, and uncomfortable, you likely have dry skin
- If your skin is shiny, you likely have oily skin
- If you only see a visible shine on your T-zone, you likely have combination skin
If your skin doesn’t react to either of these tests, you likely have normal skin. Sensitive skin can be harder to define. You’ll want to be mindful of the products you use on your skin and pay attention to how your skin reacts. If you see any signs of redness or irritation, consider speaking with a dermatologist to find a solution that helps you effectively target this irritation.
Explore NatureWell Beauty Today
Once you know your skin type, it's time to enhance your skincare routine with essentials from NatureWell Beauty. All our skincare solutions are clean, simple, and formulated with good-for-you ingredients and clinically tested formulas so you can feel confident that your skin is getting the much-needed nutrients.
Start exploring our collection of skincare essentials today to get started.
