Discover your Skin type: Dry, Oily, Combination or Normal

Generally, all products and creams for facial skincare, maintenance, and health are classified for four types of skin: dry, oily, combination and normal.

A lot of times we have an idea of what type of skin we have, but if you have any doubt, you will be able to find out what type of skin you have with this test, and you will therefore be able to give every part of your face its necessary care.

Skin type analysis

• Prepare your skin the night before by washing your face very well with mineral water and a sponge, without using any sort of soap.  Wash your face without scrubbing too much, just rub the sponge softly over your cheeks forhead, nostrils, neck, etc., trying to eliminate impurities.  Dry afterwards with a clean towel, and do not apply any type of cream or gel product.  This is necessary for the skin analysis the following morning.
• When you wake up in the morning, have a magnified mirror and looks for a place with good lighting (not white nor fluorescent lighting).  Then, begin to look little by little, and very attentively, at every section in your face.
• Take a paper and pencil, and write down how every section looks, for example: how does the nose look?  Does it look dry, red, oily, moistened, etc.?
• After you have written down every part of your face, check the list underneath and determine your skin type.

NORMAL SKIN

This type of skin can be detected when the face does not show signs of oil, moisture, or acidity (pimples, rashes, redness, flakes, etc.)  Normal skin is firm, has effective blood circulation, which gives the face a rosy and good color.  Its texture is soft and flexible, and is elastic when making movements.  It recovers easily when stretched. It feels silky to the touch, fresh and healthy.

To care for this skin, see general care instructions.

OILY SKIN

This skin is characterized by having a lot of open pores that have blackheads.  It has a yellow color and looks sickly, unkempt and dirty.  It could have wrinkles, which would be deep.

Causes: an overproduction of oil caused by imbalanced or overly active sebaceous glands.

Some remedies: A lot of times people try to improve this condition by using a lot of soap or abrasive products.  But this only causes the skin to dry out, and irritates it and causes more damage.  If you want to attack the oil with irritating products, this will only send a message to the body to produce more oil, because the skin needs oil.  The sebaceous glands will activate in an attempt to compensate for this loss, which will make the skin even more oily and sickly.  To avoid this, you must use mineral water to wash your face with, which does not contain chlorine and is not abrasive.  You should not overuse any soap.  It’s be to use as little as possible, and to use a soap that is neutral.  This will allow the face to stay oily and prevent it from staying overstimulated.

You must pay attention to your diet because bad functioning of the sebaceous glands is due to a deficient diet, along with other things.  It is due to a deficient diet or disorderly life habits.

DRY SKIN

There are three types of skin in this category, which are mentioned bellow:

• Dehydrated skin: characterized by skin that looks like it lacks moisture.  The skin looks off-white.  If you gently rub your nail over your face, it will leave a white mark in dehydrated skin.
• Skin with little moisture: When the skin doesn’t have enough oil and does feel healthy or smooth.
• Aged or opaque skin: this is deteriorated skin, with wrinkles and is dehydrated.  It looks dull and hangs easily.  It is not firm, and is not lively.

The general characteristics of these three skin types is that they have a dry texture, they have the tendency to leave marks, have broken veins, and do not have visible pores.  The skin is sensitive to temperatures and easily turns red or becomes irritated.  It is wrinkly and flaccid, hard and not flexible to the touch.

Causes of dry skin: improper diet, stress, abrasive cosmetics that are frequently and overly used, strong soaps or soaps that are poor quality, frequent exposure to wind, cold or direct sun, as well as to air conditioners.

A few remedies: drinking two liters of water a day, increasing consumption of fish in your diet (tuna, salmon, etc.), cold pressed vegetable oils, antioxidant vegetable juices (grapes, Goji berries, blueberries, pollen, carrots, garlic, onion, etc.).  You must wash your face with mineral water and apply alove vera gel, tepezcohuite cream, or honey twice a day, along with applying a yogurt and honey mask with olive oil once a week.  You must avoid overusing moisturizing creams as these could make the skin lazy at producing its own natural oils.

COMBINATION SKIN

This skin generally looks oily in the forehead, nose and chin, and dry in the cheeks.  This skin could be very shiny in the forehead and nose, creating a lot of blackheads, and dry or red in the cheeks.

Causes: imbalanced levels of facial acidity due to poor functioning of the sebaceous glands, as well as improper diet and stressful emotional states.

A few remedies: You should follow the diet for oily and dry skin, as well as avoiding stress or anxiety.  You should wash your face with mineral water, avoid soap in the dry areas.  Apply moisturizing cream to the dry areas.  Aloe vera cream could work well for combination skin, as well as oatmeal cream or honey.

General skincare:

For beautiful skin, you must drink enough water, get good rest, and avoid stress and tension.  You should avoid consuming irritating products and keep your intestines functioning well.  Keep your blood clean, which can be done by increasing your consumption of fresh vegetables and foods with antioxidant properties.

In order to foster good oxygenation, circulation, and nutrient distribution, you must do daily physical activities. 

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 01/08/2018

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