Skin Types
4 Major Skin Types
When I started to give attention to my skin, I didn’t have a clue that there were different skin types and didn’t even know which category I belonged to. That, had made me went through trials and error and missteps in finding the right products for my skin which was at that time, filled with whiteheads, blackheads and some pimples.
Later, I understood that I must first understand my skin type to choose the right product in my skin care routine. The skin is the largest organ in the body and very sensitive and complex as other vital body organs.
Everybody has a unique skin type. There are four main categories of skin types. They include oily skin, dry skin, normal, and combination of both oily and dry.
Skin types refer to the form of the skin that you are born with, determined by genetics and the size of the sebaceous gland. Skin types are different from skin conditions.
Skin conditions are temporary conditions such as sensitive skin, sun-damaged skin, dehydrated skin to name a few. Not all people have skin conditions but they do have a specific skin type to begin with.
Below are the list of skin types that generally people are associated with :
1.The Normal Skin
Having normal skin one doesn’t describe the skin as oily or dry as it’s in the middle. When oiliness or even dryness on the skin appears, it’s easy to remove or resolve it.
Healthy skin features small pores that are not easy to see, and they don’t usually shine a lot like the dry skin. The healthy skin also does not crack or even become flaky, which often produces fine lines and wrinkles. In most occupations, the skin tone is flawless with minimum marks or blemishes.
Having healthy skin does not mean it will always remain like that. Of course, daily care and incorporation of skin routine can help keep your skin vibrant and healthy for a long time.
As time goes by, the skin will change, now you might not have a skin problem, but things like age, life events, menopause, and even pregnancy might catch up with you and change everything.
Normal skin is effortless to maintain than another skin type. Just avoid using products that make your skin feel greasy or might cause the skin to dry excessively and you should be fine.
2. The Dry Skin
An individual with dry skin knows it by feeling tightness on the surface. Dry skin may cause one to feel his/her skin flaking or even with scaly patches. Dry skin features invisible pores, and one may begin to suffer regular irritation and premature wrinkles on the surface.
Dry skin is affected by the lack of sebum that is made by the oil gland to keep your skin moist and compromised skin barrier function due to lack of epidermal lipids.
Care for dry skin
Find good moisturizers, essences, serums that are mainly targeting your skin concern of dryness. Good essence, serum, moisturizer will help replenish hydration to your skin. Look for products that have more oil in it, and this will be absorbed by the enzymes and help hydrate the tissue.
Avoid using harsh chemicals – an individual with dry skin are highly advised to avoid products or treatment with Benzoyl Peroxide. Buy products with aloe vera, green tea extract to ensure the skin remains moisturized.
3. Oily Skin
That individual with oily skin type is straightforward to notice as most of the time there are oily shines on their face. Most of the time, an individual will have to deal with acne breakouts.
People with oily skin tend to have active oil glands and produce a very high amount of sebum. When the skin glands provide an excess amount of oil, it usually expands the size of skin pores, and this will result in blockage, which later leads to pimples and many other types of acne blemishes.
Care for oily skin
Avoid using harsh skin products for this skin type. Most people struggling with oily skin many looks for products that promise to dry your skin out. Some products that have Benzoyl Peroxide are very harsh to the surface.
Use more of the less creamy product such as gel-like moisturizer (such as Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel) instead of cream-like moisturizer.
Lifestyle habits and changes such as the type of food to consume and using the right product in their skin care routine can help decrease the production of sebum and the excess shine.
4. Combination Skin
A combination skin type features two or more different kinds of skin. Most people with a combination type of skin mostly experience flaky and dry surfaces of different parts of the skin and oily on another.
This skin type is complicated to identify and treat at the same time. Why it’s challenging to treat is because its difficult to find a skin product that can handle both dry and oily skin by regimen it without causing any irritation.
Care for combination skin
Use products that are light on the skin. It would be good to use cleansers which are mild. Look for moisturizers that are gel-like. Avoid using oil-based products. Thus, avoid cream like moisturizers. A skin care routine that has hydration and anti-aging effects would be more suitable for combination skin.
Skin Types May Not Stay the Same Forever
There are many factors that will cause your skin type to change over time. The leading causes of skin type change include age catching up, hormonal body changes, and changes in ways the skin produces sebum, moisture, and keeping up with elasticity.
Skin Types Are Not The Same As Skin Conditions
As mentioned, skin types and skin conditions are different.
Skin types are the above mentioned four types that individuals are born with.
Skin conditions are affected by genetics, external modifications that include one’s exposure to the sun, diets, migrating from a 4 season country to a tropical country, environmental pollutants, ingredients in cosmetics, and skin care products. Examples of skin conditions are acne-prone skin, hyperpigmented skin, sensitive skin, and many more.
All of the above skin types and skin conditions are necessary to be evaluated to determine the right products and their ingredients to achieve better skin. Thus, it may be required to change certain products and ingredients from time to time for a healthy, glassy, glamourous looking skin.
