What's your Skin Type?: Digging up the dirt on skin types to help you find the best products for your skin

Hi everyone!

So the other night my friend came over to my place, complaining that his (I quote) "face was falling off". He had some flaking, things were itchy, and being a guy, he was picking at some weird scab on his nose. I ran upstairs to grab my emergency face-saver kit (which I will share in a future post) and gave him a mini-facial in the comfort of my living room. In the same way I was trained while working on a cosmetics counter at a department store, I asked him what his skin type was, how he felt after washing his face, etc. to make sure I was applying the right products for him.

Then it dawned on me. I guess a lot of people don't know what their skin type is. People are probably buying the wrong skin care products for their skin type... which is probably why so many people are complaining about their skin. It is imperative that you use proper skin care products to (1) make sure you're using the right combination of things to keep your skin looking its best (2) to prepare a canvas for any makeup application.

So, Mr. Suburban Bachelor, this post is dedicated to you. Here is my guide to figuring out your skin type, which will help you find the best products for your skin later on.

Generally, there are about 3 major classifications that most skincare companies use to organize their products: OILY, DRY, COMBINATION. You may also have heard of terminology like dehydrated and sensitive that I will address later on.

When figuring out your skin type, here are some questions you need to ask yourself:
How does my skin feel after I've washed my face (with your normal cleanser)? Does it feel dry and tight? Is it shiny?
Where is it dry/shiny?
Halfway through the day, do you have any shine on your face?
Do you need to blot? Blotting tissues help remove excess oil.

OILY SKIN: Generally after washing your face, you don't want to put anything else on it. You don't want to put any toners or moisturizers or anything on your skin because there is a film of sebum (facial oil) on your skin's surface. Nothing feels tight, and you are super shiny all over your face and feel that you need to use blotting papers several times daily.
There is a benefit to being oily-skinned: Despite looking like a greaseball, you will age gracefully. As we get older our skin tends to move more towards the drier side of things. Excess oil as a youngster means balanced skin when you're older. Your excess sebum will help (future) fine lines and wrinkles that contribute to aging.
Products: Use things targeting Oily Skin. These are light-weight, oil-free moisturizers, toners and cleansers that will help manage the excess oil on your face instead of add more. Even though you may feel like you don't want to add moisture to your face, but it is crucial that you use a moisturizer because it is possible for oily skin to be dehydrated.

DRY SKIN: After washing, your forehead and cheeks feel tight and drier than the Sahara Desert. Even after moisturizing your face feels tight, sometimes you'll experience occasional flaking from your dry skin cracking. Your skin is matte and you have little to no shine on your T-Zone (Forehead and Nose area).
Unfortunately, dry skin get even drier as you age, making you more prone to fine lines and wrinkles. This is why it's so important to get yourself on a proper, regular skin care regime that moisturizes your skin properly to help fight aging later on.
Products: Use products targeting dry skin (duh). These balance the oil-based and water-based moisture on your face to help keep everything soft and supple. Stay away from toners with alcohol in them because they will strip your face of its water content. Exfoliate regularly to keep your flaking at bay and make sure to use a moisturizer at night to allow your skin's night-time repair process to work as efficiently as possible.

COMBINATION SKIN:  Your forehead and nose feel comfortable after washing but your cheeks tend to flake. You have excess sebum glands on your forehead and nose but not so many on your cheeks, which is why your forehead and nose are oily but your cheeks are dry. You need to blot your T-zone 1-2 times daily to keep shine under control, but the rest of your face is matte. Sometimes you experience flaking on your cheeks and in the side crevices of your nose but seldom on your forehead and nose surface.
Products: Products targeted to Combo skin help rebalance the oil on your face - making the oil parts less oily and the dry parts more moisturized. You can use toners with a little bit of alcohol in them, but make sure they are of a gel-like consistency to help moisturize while it balances the excess oil.

Sensitive skin reacts through swelling, redness, or inflammation to products that your body will naturally reject. There are few products you can use on your face, even plant-based ones, because you will probably flare up. Stay away from products that contain fragrance because those are usually what irritates the skin.
Dehydrated skin lacks water, not oil. That is why it is possible for oily skin types to be dehydrated. Water hydration in your skin is within the epidermal layers, not on the surface. Look for products that have Sodium Hyaluronate or Hyaluronic Acid in them, these will add water-based moisture to the inner layers of your skin.
How do I know if my skin is dehydrated? When looking in a mirror, place your finger against the side of your cheek and gently push upwards without pushing into the skin. If you see fine horizontal lines on the skin on top of where you are pressing, your skin is dehydrated.

My tips for all skin types:
Exfoliate regularly. You need to use either a facial scrub or peel one a week to slough off dead skin cells. This ensures that your moisturizers and other products are penetrating the skin instead of sitting on the skin's surface.
Use a toner. Toner helps to balance the moisture of the skin's surface and primes it for moisturizer. After using a toner you'll find your moisturizer goes on much smoother. Stay away from anything with too much alcohol in it (IE: Alcohol is first or second ingredient) because it WILL strip your skin of its water content.
Use Sunscreen. Since the majority of our aging is due to the environment, SPF is the greatest anti-aging agent you could ever have. Invest in a moisturizer that is at least SPF 15, or find a facial sunscreen you can wear over your current moisturizer to boost its SPF.

Like skin tones, skin types are an entire spectrum. You can be Dry-Combo and Oil-Combo. You can have dry, sensitive skin, or you can be oily but dehydrated. Some companies have skin care products for the in-betweeners (Dry/Combo and Oily/Combo) and for people with sensitive skin. The key is to figure out what you are - that way you can purchase the products that are made for your skin that will help your skin look its absolute best.

Thank you, Suburban Bachelor, for inspiring me to write this. (There is a link to his blog, in case any of you ladies want the inside scoop on this guy, haha).

Let me know your experiences with any skin care products you've tried in the past. I'd love to hear from you!

xox,
Ysobel