WHAT TYPE OF SKIN DO I HAVE?

April 24, 2023

You cannot solve any problem without first diagnosing it. This is equally true about your skin when choosing skincare; you need to understand your skin type and your skin’s precise needs before you can address your skin properly. Which is why understanding your skin type is the first step in caring for it. But how do you know what type of skin you have? The answer can be found through three simple steps observation.

SENSITIVE SKIN – HOW IT FEELS

-Is tight, dry, and itchy

- Is often sore and red

- Sensitive to environmental factors

Sensitive skin is prone to be reactive to certain agents. It can become tiring to find which ingredients are the most suitable. A sensitive skin is subject to inflammation, and it may have flare up’s such as: redness, dermatitis, itchy rash, acne, and rosacea. You will know if you have sensitive skin if you suffer with any of the above conditions.

A large problem for sensitive skin is with using hash chemicals ingredients for long period of time can worsen the condition. Sensitive skin needs extra special care to soothe and calm it and strengthen the dermal layers, to help make it stronger to withstand environmental aggressors.

DRY SKIN – HOW IT FEELS

Reacts instantly to the outside environment such as heat, cold, winds

- Rough and flaky to touch

- Tight and dryness

The term “Dry” is associated with skin that produces a lower sebum level and generally leaves a dehydrated surface. The lower levels of sebum produced have a significant impact in keeping the moisture locked in the skin as they are lacking the lipids that create a natural oil on the surface of the skin. Dry skin tends to suffer from tightness, itchy and flaking skin with more visible fine lines, dull looking and dehydrated skin. People who suffer with dry skin to extremely dry skin should apply emollient rich creams and oils that are free of parabens, dyes, synthetic chemicals, and fragrances.

OILY SKIN – HOW IT FEELS

- Shiny surface

- Tends to breakout

- Prone to impurities and clogged pores

In some cases, oily skin can be inherited and can run in families. If one of the parents has oily skin, you are likely to have overactive sebum production too. This increased production of sebum by the sebaceous glands may also be due to other factors such as, eating fast food with very low or no water content or perhaps being exposed to the sun for long periods might activate the increased production of sebum as well. Excess oil can cause pores to be congested and clogged which may result in acne and unwanted breakouts.

The positive side to oily skin is that it looks younger and more supple because it has naturally higher moisture levels it’s not as likely to show wrinkles therefore the ageing process is slowed down. However, another implication is that it can lead to PIH. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Excess of pigmentation on hyper dermis. It´s a condition which leaves dark shadows or marks on the skin after a breakout has healed. Those dark spots are temporary and fade within 3 – 4 weeks post the breakout.

NORMAL TO COMBINATION SKIN – HOW IT FEELS

-Smooth and soft

- Healthy complexion

- Good moisture levels, good hydration

People with normal/combination skin often have dryness on the cheeks, so it is vital to find a moisturiser that is not too heavy in consistency but one hydrating enough to keep moisture where needed such as tops of cheeks. Normal skin types are not prone to acne on their cheeks and usually have a well-moisturised t-zone. Sebum levels are balanced and not too dry that skin becomes flaky. Normal to combination skin types have optimal hydration levels.