What's your skin type?
The first step towards beautiful skin is knowing what your skin type is.Everyone's skin is normal to them, but in order to care for diverse skin types, dermatologist often group people into some skin categories. Ascertaining your skin type is an important first step in knowing how to treat your skin, select the correct skin care products i.e. moisturizers, cosmetics, and facial cleansers for your special needs, and how to have a perfect skin.
The skin care regimen that was correct for your skin at 20 may not be what your skin needs today. Our bodies change as we age and so our skin care needs change. The seasons can also affect the needs of healthy skin care.
In order to balance and provide healthy care for your skin, knowing your skin type is the first step.
How to Determine Your Skin Type
Below are the features of the 5 main skin types which you can compare to your own skin type. Once you have decided what type your skin is, you can find out what is the best way to look after your skin.
The following test will help you learn more about your skin and will help you define your skin type:
1. Wash Your Face. Wash with a gentle cleanser and pat dry. Remove make-up. This cleans away oils and dirt that may have accumulated during your day, giving your skin a fresh start.
2. Wait an hour. During this time, your skin should return to its natural state, the characteristics of which will determine your skin type. Act normally and please don't touch your face.
3. Dab your face with a tissue. Pay attention to the 'T-zone'--the area of your forehead and nose.
4. Determine your skin type. Skin falls into four types--normal, oily, dry and combination.
o Normal skin shows neither oil nor flaking skin. It should feel supple and smooth. If you have it, consider yourself lucky.
o Oily skin is characterized by the grease on the tissue. It is also common for a person with oily skin to have large pores and a shine.
o Dry skin may feel taut or show flakes of dead skin. It is associated with small pores.
o Combination skin is most common. It exhibits traits of all three of the above skin types. Usually, the skin is oily in the T-zone and normal to dry elsewhere. Another combination pattern is oily along the chin, jaw line and at the temples, but normal to dry skin everywhere else
People with a balanced skin type are lucky, since they do not suffer from problems like acne and 'oil shine', or excessive dryness which causes flaking and dullness on the skin. However, do not take your skin for granted. You need to care for your skin to ensure that it doesn't fall prey to the heat, humidity and dust.
Skin care regimen
Skin care should seek to maintain all of the skin’s functions in a stable, balanced state while providing moisture and protection against air pollution and variations in temperature.
When it comes to skin care, you’ve got to be informed. If you follow skin care instructions the best you can, then you’ll avoid most of the problems that you may have been troubled with in the past. Make sure that you re-evaluate your skin every year and add products that you may need, such as a fine line reducer or an under eye circle brightener. Just remember, keep your routine as gentle as possible.
Oily Skin
Oily skin may most commonly affect teenagers, but adults often have the same symptoms. The sebaceous glands work overtime and can contribute to pimples and blackheads.
The main rule to remember is keeping the skin clean. Use a gentle, foaming facial wash., using soap is not recommend because it may be too alkaline for the skin. A cleanser with salicylic acid may be good if you have tendency to acne.
Even oily skin needs a moisturiser, but chose a light, watery fluid; this will be enough for your skin. If you are over 30, you may want to use a special moisturizer with active anti-aging ingredients at night. In the morning always use sun protection on your face, arms, and hands. Try to keep your hair clean, because the oils from the hair tend to go on the face.
Exfoliate your face twice a week with a facial scrub to eliminate dead cells. Do not over-exfoliate if you use a moisturizer with AHA or retinol, and in that case, you may exfoliate only once a week
Healthy eating habits, exercise and enough sleep along with a regimen using cleansing products that help maintain the skin's natural moisture followed by a facial toner twice daily and a weekly exfoliation will help remove the dead skin cells and provide balance.
Dry skin
Dry skin needs extra-care than the other types, because it’s very sensitive to cleansing, worse it can lose its elasticity faster—making you look older! Treat your dry skin with creamy products formulated for dry skin. When cleansing dry skin, use gentle products, alcohol-based cleansers are to be avoided. Instead, try cleansing milk, which won’t dry the skin and will leave it well hydrated.
If you are not moisturizing regularly, now’s the time to start! Dry skin is quickly damaged, so you need to provide daily protection against the elements. A moisturizer for day time and a thick rich cream for night will help treat skin on a daily basis. Eye cream is essential. (Moisturizers applied to slightly damp skin are more effective.)
Shaving can be very irritating for dry skin, so shave carefully and use as many gentle, high-moisturizing products as you can find. Stay away from harsh after-shaves, which will just tighten dry skin further. Apply a lotion that doesn’t contain ethyl or isopropyl alcohol. Watch your intake of vitamins and nutrients. If you don’t get enough Vitamin A and B, your skin can become even drier.
Combination skin
Most women have combination skin. Combination skin requires a thorough but gentle and balanced cleansing twice daily so as not to stimulate increased sebum secretion but to keep skin healthy. Special attention should be paid to the T-zone as this area is prone to shine and blackheads.
Moisturizing with light oil free moisturizers and using toners with alcohol are helpful in balancing the skin and cleaning the pores. Excessive facial treatments can leave the skin irritated and sebum secretions accelerate. Regular soap is not effective with combination skin.
Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin may feel tight, flushed, or itchy. Broken capillaries (redness), dry,but can be normal or oily as well. Hormonal changes, illness, medications, dieting or environmental factors can all be causes of skin can become sensitive
If you have sensitive skin do not use facial washes or soap; instead use a light, hypoallergenic cleansing lotion. A gentle cleansing regimen of color free, alcohol free, fragrance free products work best. Use a moisturiser with special attention to the eye area to strengthen your skin and provide a barrier against irritants. Make sure you use an unperfumed moisturiser so as not to irritate your skin.
Sensitive skin has special needs that require a gentle touch, no abrasive treatments. Exfoliating creams should be allowed to work on the skin without rubbing.
Normal skin
Normal skin looks even and soft, without visible pores. Blemishes aren’t common, and even better than that, normal skin virtually glows with health and from good circulation.
To keep your skin the way you like it, wash your face twice a day with a mild soap—you won’t need any harsh cleansers or scrubs. Apply an oil-free moisturizer in the morning, and balance your skin with a low-alcohol toner during the day, if necessary.• Don’t forget to treat your skin for oily or dry tendencies as they arise. Don’t ignore them because your skin may usually seem “perfect.”• Avoid direct heat on your face to avoid drying out your normal skin.• Always use a sunscreen to protect your normal skin.• Use products to keep your skin healthy. Use special masks and scrubs regularly to slough off dead cells and get your circulation going.
To care for normal skin you should start with a gentle foaming facial wash. Massaging it into your face will give you a rosy complexion. Cool your skin with a refreshing toner to finish dot moisturiser onto your skin and massage it with your fingers in light upward strokes.
New cells grow continually and if you begin a good balanced skin care regimen your new skin should begin to show the results in about three to four weeks. Continuing with the regimen will ensure continued healthy and balanced skin.
It's all about balance and providing essential care.
