There are four general skin types: oily, dry, normal and combination. In
addition, it is possible to have sensitive skin along with one of the
four general types.
1 Dry Skin: If your skin has a strong tendency toward
dehydration, lacks oil, and has few breakouts if any at all, it is
considered dry. In more extreme cases, dry skin lacks elasticity and can
be extremely sensitive to the sun, wind, and cold temperatures. Wash
your face once a day with a rich, creamy cleanser and warm water.
- Treatment: Rinse with warm water and pat your skin dry. Use toner to help with that tight and flaky feeling of dehydration. Avoid toners and makeup that contain alcohol as alcohol-based products have a drying effect on skin. Use a cream-based lotion to hydrate your skin and keep it rejuvenated.
2 Oily Skin: If your skin is oily, it usually has a lot
of shine to it very soon after cleansing and the pores are generally
slightly enlarged. It is more prone to pimples, blackheads, and
whiteheads than other skin types and is coarser in texture.
- Treatment: Your skin tends to attract more dirt than dry skin, so wash your face twice a day with a gentle non-foaming cleanser and warm water. Rinse with warm water. Use an alcohol-free, hydrating toner to help remove additional residue. Oil blotting sheets throughout the day can help control shine, and it takes as little as 3 minutes after lunch. Although your skin's oily, you still must moisturize it with a light moisturizer daily, or your skin will become dry underneath and overcompensate by producing more oil. Using oil as a per-cleanser to a foam cleanse can also help, as oily skin can be your skin's way of protecting itself against being stripped of its natural oils by harsh cleansers.
3 Normal Skin: Some consider normal skin to be
combination skin, but it is not. If your skin is oily in the "T zone"
and your nose while dry and taut on the cheeks, it is considered normal.
It's also considered normal if it changes with seasons (dryer in
winter, oilier in summer). Normal skins can also be 'Normal-To's' as in
normal to oily or normal to dry.
- Treatment: Wash your face with cleansers that are designed for your normal/normal-to skin type. Wipe an alcohol free, hydrating toner all over the face. Apply moisturizer more frequently to dry skin.
4 Combination Skin: Combination skin is comprised of
two extreme skin types on one face. These situations occur when there is
acne and a lot of oil in one area when the rest of the skin is
generally dry (no oil).
- Two common examples are dry skin with popular and pustular acne on the cheeks or a normal skin with inflamed popular and pustular acne in the chin and mouth area.
- Treatment: Tend to each area appropriately as described above. If the acne is severe, consult a dermatologist or esthetician.