5 Different Skin Types and How to Determine Yours

People always seem to be talking about taking the right precautions for your skin, but how can you know how to take care of your skin if you don’t know what your skin type is? Everyone has different skin and it is determined by their genetics. Your skin type can’t really switch from one type to another, but it can get better or worse as conditions may change based on internal and external factors. 

As a general rule of thumb, your skin type is largely controlled by your hormones and your body’s PH levels. If you’re looking to work on your skin you should be applying the right products just as much as you should be eating and drinking the right things, and a good place to start is by keeping hydrated. 

How to Determine Your Skin Type

How do you figure out what kind of skin you have? The easiest and most reassuring way to learn about your skin type is by going to speak with a specialist or dermatologist. They will also give you a run down on what type of products you should be using and how to properly take care of your skin. For the most part, dermatologists and other beauty blogs characterize skin types into 5 categories: oily, dry, combination of oily and dry, normal, and sensitive. 

If you’re looking to find out right this moment here are two ways that you can run a skin type test at home:

1. Blotting Sheet Method

For this method all you need to do is use blotting paper on different parts of your face. The main areas to test are your forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. After blotting, hold the sheet up to the light to see how much oil is visible and how much was picked up from each area. 

If the sheet is very moist, you have oily skin. If the sheet has spotting in some areas and dry in others, you may have a combination of oily and dry. If your skin doesn’t pick anything up than it is likely to be dry. This test is not able to check skin sensitivity and is not the best at detecting normal skin but it gives you a general idea of your range. 

2. Bare Skin Method

For this method you need to wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat it dry. Upon 

washing your face you are to not apply any serums, moisturizers, or lotions that you typically would. Instead you are to wait between an hour or two hours to see how your face reacts. 

If your face feels tight when you try to smile or speak you likely have dry skin. If your face feels a little dry in some areas but looks healthy in others, then you are likely to have a combination of dry and oily skin. If your skin looks healthy, is glowing, and feels a bit moisturized if you run a finger over different parts of it, then you likely have oily skin. 

5 Different Skin Types

Now that you know your skin type you may be thinking: now what? What does it mean to have these skin types? Let’s break it down. 

1. Oily Skin

Those that have oily skin are likely to have some shine on their nose, forehead, and cheeks. This is often as a result of having larger pores that are often congested and clogged. You may find that you are prone to breakouts and may be suffering from acne. The good news is that your face has more natural moisture and is less prone to wrinkles -  making you look younger. 

2. Dry Skin

Dry skin tends to feel tight and may be flaky or prone to cracking. Cold weather is not a friend to dry skin as the temperature tends to further dry out the skin. Exfoliating will help the dry skin become less dry over time. Through exfoliating you will be helping your skin turnover rate, allowing for serums and moisturizers to be better absorbed into the skin. 

3. Combination of Dry and Oily Skin

This skin type is often one of the harder ones to take care of as different parts of your face may need different kinds of products. For this type of skin you may find that your nose and forehead are shiny but your cheeks are dry. You may experience tightness in certain parts of your face but not all. This is a result of having multiple kinds of pore sizes on your skin that all have different needs. 

4, Normal Skin

Normal skin generally does not experience any excessive skin conditions and you may have many people that are envious of your skin. For the most part, you are not prone to breakouts on your cheeks and your face gets a little drier in the winter, and a little oily in the summer. Changes that are normal due to climate changes and weather conditions. 

5. Sensitive Skin

For sensitive skin you may find that you experience eczema or rosacea. Your skin may 

also react to different kinds of products or may be a little red by nature. This skin type is best looked over by a specialist to get a good understanding of what your face needs. In regards to buying products, there are a lot of products that will state on their labels that they are made for sensitive skin. Regardless of what the bottle says you should always conduct a patch test on the inner side of your arm to see how your skin reacts before placing anything on your face. 

Now that you know what kind of skin you have you’re all set to start learning how to properly take care of it and commence on a journey towards healthy and happy skin.