Oily, normal, dry or combination? Our easy peasy guide to figuring out your skin type

| Oct 17, 2016

Determining your skin type can make or break your skin care routine

Everyone has a unique skin type, and it's so important to understand that and choose your skin care appropriately to make sure you get your skin in the best condition possible.

The other thing to take note of is that the weather, environment, diet, hormones and many other factors can change our skin on a regular basis so it's important to keep checking before you invest in new skin care products.

To narrow things down, there are four main skin types. In addition to any of these four, the skin can be sensitive or dehydrated.

Oily: enlarged pores, excess shine, make-up slides easily, regular blemishes, dull complexion

Normal: clear, few blemishes, no sheen, smooth, supple, no flakes

Dry: uncomfortable, tight, rough to touch, visible flaking, always feels dry and tight, dry patches, redness, itchiness and loves really nourishing textures

Combination: this can be either a) oily t-zone with normal cheeks where we find a shiny t-zone, possible clogged pores, dull appearance or b) normal t-zone with oily cheeks where we find possible clogged pores and blemishes around cheeks and jawline, make-up sliding from the cheeks, normal t-zone area

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But how do you know what skin type you have? Here is a quick test you can do at home to check.

Wash your face and pat dry

Leave your face alone for three hours without putting any product on whatsoever (this means no moisturiser, no makeup, nothing at all). This allows you to see how much oil the skin naturally produces

Using oil-blotting paper, dab each area of the face

Check the paper to see how much oily residue it leaves and compare it to our descriptions above; you’ll see that there may be no oil residue in some areas and lots in others.

Once you have determined your skin type, you can accurately choose the right products to get your skin looking and feeling amazing.