Beauty 1-0-1 Whats your Skin Type?

Skin care is an art and a science and often something you should invest in expert advice before purchase. And when I refer to expert i mean a qualified skin therapist who works day to day doing exactly that SKIN

Don’t be intimidated, knowing your own skin type is something you can all learn! The trick to caring for your skin is identifying the little clues it gives you so you can find the right products that work for you and combat potential issues without causing more problems.

There are really 3 basic skin types: NORMAL, OILY and DRY, others that enter the ring can be acne-prone and sensitive, however I firmly believe these are more condition and environmentally related as both these skin types will be one of the above NORMAL, OILY or DRY too.

Learn how to identify and care for yours below.

Normal

How to Tell: You don’t experience many breakouts. Your skin doesn’t tend to react negatively to new products or weather changes. You don’t feel like you need to constantly moisturize or blot oil from your face all day long. It can show signs of some oil present though - but its healthy and problem free.

Your skin is firm, with minimal fine lines and wrinkles, healthy and strong!

Skin Care Tips: Lucky you! Well most people think this - however you still desire happy healthy skin. With normal skin, you experience almost no sensitivity so you can tolerate many products - however you often play around a lot with your skincare routine and this can mess with things.

Always protect your lipid barrier the Acid Mantle. Use minimal products, good quality. Your skin will best respond to a gentle cream cleanser or a very light refreshing foam.

I love this cleanser for a normal skin

Oily 

How to Tell: Your skin always seems to be glowing. You’re likely no stranger to mattifying powders, oil absorbing moisturisers, blackheads and congestion. You might find that makeup and skin care products don’t always stay put like you’d want them to.

Skin Care Tips: With oily skin, shine control is a top concern. Although there are benefits to having oily skin (like less wrinkles), you should avoid ingredients like mineral oil, petrolatum and alcohol. Products labeled “non-comedogenic” work great for oily skin as these won’t clog up your pores. Oil-free moisturisers are your best friends (yes its so important for oily skins to moisturise too!) as are chemical exfoliants and clay masks. Be sure not to over-wash your face, as drying out your pores can cause them to compensate and produce more oil.

Dry

How to Tell: Dryness is often described as dehydrated and they are two very different things - but they have very similar symptoms. Here’s how to identify them in your skin:

• Dryness is caused by a lack of oil in the skin. Symptoms include flakiness, sensitivity, itchiness and cracks. It may be caused by lifestyle and environmental factors or a chronic condition (in case of eczema or related conditions).
• Dehydration is the result of your skin not retaining enough moisture. Your skin may be feel tight, have a papery appearance or show small, fine lines when your skin is pinched together.

Skin Care Tips: To care for dry skin, you’ll want to seal in moisture by applying a rich moisturiser, oils and serums can also help with this. I am a big fan of oil based cleansers for a true dry skin type as this nourishes the lipid barrier and protects the skin. Try to keep the air in your home warm and moist to help heal if your skin in severely irritate. Avoid using harsh soaps or products containing citrus oils or lots of fragrance.

If your skin is dehydrated, on the other hand, be sure to look for water-based products, as oil-based products do not fix this concern. Most important, be sure you’re drinking enough water each day!

For Dehydration my number one product is Medik8 Hydra8 B5 Intense

Combination 

How to Tell: If you’re having trouble figuring out what type of skin you have, it’s likely combination. Is your skin dry in certain areas, while oily in others? Combination skin is most easily defined by an oily T-zone (the strip across the forehead and the line down the nose) and dry or normal skin on the rest of the face.

Skin Care Tips: You’ll want to stay away from the same ingredients as oily and dry skin, such as alcohol-based products. The name of the game with combination skin is balance. Isolate problem areas with spot treatments and use serums or balancing cream to even out the skin.

Acne-Prone Skin

How to Tell: If you get frequent breakouts (or ones that just never seem to go away), you likely have acne-prone skin. This means that your pores tend to clog easily, making you more susceptible to whiteheads, blackheads or pustules than other skin types. You can have oily or dry skin and be prone to acne.

Skin Care Tips: Use cleansers specifically formulated to treat oily skins, as well as exfoliants and moisturisers that will help minimise breakouts. Gently cleanse your face to avoid trauma to existing breakouts, and use topical gel to treat and lighten acne scarring. This skin type really needs qualified experts to help guide you with product selection

Book an appointment with me if you have questions?

Sensitive

How to Tell: Sensitive skin might be caused by genetics and or environmental contributors. Signs of this skin type include:

• Skin that flushes easily
• Frequent rashes and bumps
• Stinging or burning after using a skin care product
• Negative reaction to fragrance
• Patches of dry, flaky, irritated skin

Skin Care Tips: You need to be careful when selecting skincare products as you need to be aware of how the ingredients work, specific ingredients to avoid - the list goes on. My suggestion is to seek advice from a qualified technician.

There is nothing better than the purchase of brand new skincare- Opening up the bag of goodies you have perfectly selected and trying them in a whiz bang at home facial. As a consumer you often test and select based on texture, smells and how it feels..... there’s a reason why shopping for skin care and makeup is, well, super fun! The only downside to changing your skin routine with no expert advice is that your face might not always demonstrate the outcome that you’d hoped for.

Seek educated advice from an experienced skin technician. We love to help!

M xx