What Is My Skin Type and How Do I Know What Products to Buy?
Skincare. There are so many different products and ingredients that work differently for everyone, so how are you meant to know what to buy and what will work for your skin? The first course of action is to determine what your skin type is.
There are 4 basic skin types: Dry, Oily, Combination and Balanced (AKA normal). Here is a quick introduction to each skin type to determine which one you are.
Dry – If you have dry skin, it means that your pores produce less sebum (your skins natural moisturiser). Because of this your pores may appear smaller, and your skin is more likely to feel tight and dry. You may have dry patches or flaky skin.
Oily – People with oily skin have heightened sebum production meaning that their skin is overproducing oil. You may notice larger or more noticeable pores and your skin will often look shiny and feel oily.
Combination – Combination skin occurs when there are inconsistencies with oil production across areas of the complexion. Combination skin will show up differently on everyone however most people will notice that their t-zone (forehead and nose) is oilier with larger pores, while their cheeks are dry.
Balanced – If you don’t feel like you fit into any of the other categories, you probably have balanced skin. Most people with refer to this as a “normal” skin type however it means that your sebum production and oil content is balanced across the skin and there is no concentration of oil in any areas.
Now that you hopefully know you skin type, the next step is to formulate a skincare routine with processes that will complement each other, and your skin’s needs. A basic routine consists of a cleanser, treatment serum and then a moisturiser.
Here are some recommendations for each skin type to get a start on your skin care journey.
Dry –
For people with dry skin, we are wanting to focus on adding hydration and not stripping the skin. Products with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalene, glycerine and ceremide’s are perfect as they add extra hydration and fatty acids into the skin’s lipid barrier!
Cleanser – Using a cream cleanser like the Tula Super Calm Gentle Milk Cleanser (£30) is a great start for morning and night and cleanse your skin without stripping your skin. The formula is nourishing with oatmeal, aloe and cucumber leaving your face feeling clean and hydrated.
Serum – For dry skin a hydration serum will add an extra boost of hydration into your skin. The Caudalie Vinosource-Hydra SOS Thirst Quenching Serum (£33) is the perfect hydration serum as it has hyaluronic acid, glycerine and squalene whilst also including grape water which is a soothing and hydrating antioxidant. These ingredients together create a serum which deeply hydrates and will plump your skin to the gods. This can be used morning and night and can be used in conjunction with any other skin care products you have.
Moisturiser – My favourite moisturiser for dry skin is the REN Clean Skincare Every Hydrate Marine Moisture Replenish Cream (£35). This moisturiser is the perfect morning and night cream, it is designed to hydrate and nourish the skin and makes your skin glow and look like glass. The formula includes antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to replenish your moisture barrier. It is also water based so it doesn’t interfere with makeup and is a great base!
Oily –
If you have more of an oily skin type, you will want to find products which will help to control your oil while still keeping your skin hydrated. A lot of the time people with oily skin will try and strip the skin of its natural oils without replacing the moisture. In turn your skin will start producing even more oil to try and replace the oils lost! Don’t be scared to hydrate your skin as it may be why your skin is so oily! Ingredients like Niacinamide will help oil control and production as well as reduce pore size. As well as this many people with oily skin will have more acne prone skin due to excess amounts of sebum. Ingredients like Salicylic acid (BHA) will help chemically exfoliate the skin and help reduce acne and clogged pores.
Cleanser – A great cleanser for oily skin is one which cleanses and exfoliates your skin while not being harsh. The Tacha Deep Cleanse (£41) is made specifically for oily and acne prone skin. The formula is full of Japanese ingredients Luffa Fruit, Wild Rose and Leopard Lily. These ingredients together provide a cleanser where Luffa Fruit gently exfoliates and turns over dead skin cells leaving the face soft and supple as it assists in decongesting and purifying the pores. The Wild Rose and Leopard Lily feed the skin antioxidants to protect the skin from external factors whilst also balancing the skin and helping shrink pores.
Serum – Someone with oily skin will benefit best from both a Niacinamide serum and a BHA (Salicylic) serum as they do different things. The Kiehl’s Ultra-Pure 5.0% Niacinamide Oil-Minimising High-Potency Serum (£29) is a great option as it will help minimise oil and oil production while also helping with fading discolouration, this means if you have acne scarring, pigmentation or redness this serum will help in effectively evening out your complexion. This serum can be used both morning and night. On the other hand, if you have more acne prone skin using a BHA serum will help in decongesting and unclogging pores. The Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (£35) is a toner rather than a serum and is to be used after cleansing and before other serums. You can apply it to the skin on a cotton pad or with your hands. The 2% of BHA will exfoliate dead skin cells on the surface and underneath your skin without being abrasive and too harsh on your skin. You could use this morning and night; however, I would only use it in my nigh time routine!
Moisturiser – When finding the perfect moisturiser for oily skin a water-based formula is perfect as it won’t clog pores and won’t feel heavy on the skin. The new Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream (£79) is a fragrance-free water based moisturiser which has Niacinamide and Oil Balancing Extract to assist in rebalancing oily skin and reducing the appearance of pores. The formula has 100 hours of hydration and includes ingredients which promote water fusion technology to repair the moisture barrier and keep the skin hydrated and plump.
Combination –
Everyone who has combination skin will have different needs for their skin. This can be based on environmental or hormonal factors and can change over time. By having a basic understanding of ingredients and the products recommended for people with dry or oily skin you can pick and choose what your skin may need. The best way to choose products for combo skin is keeping it simple with gentle products that will hydrate without causing excess oil. When looking at serums you can apply these in the specific areas which may need extra TLC.
Cleanser – For combo skin a gentle cleanser is the way to go! The Youth to the people Superfood Cleanser (£38) is a TikTok sensation cleanser for a reason! It is filled with antioxidants and vitamins C, E and K which work to keep your skin healthy and free from free radicals. It is also rich in spinach and green tea which sooths the skin and act as an anti-inflammatory agent keeping your skin calm and healthy!
Serum – Lactic acid is a great idea for a treatment serum if you have combo skin as it is a gentle chemical exfoliant which will remove dead skin cells while also keeping pores unclogged. The best way to describe lactic acid (AHA) is that it dissolves the glue between dead skin cells revealing fresh, healthy skin. The Drunk Elephant Protini Powerpeptide Resurface Serum (£74) is a great option as it is a 10% lactic acid serum but is also filled with antioxidants and peptides which work together to moisturise, plump and smooth the skin. I would recommend to only use this serum at night time!
Moisturiser – One moisturiser that can do no wrong is the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream (£32). This moisturiser is light weight, yet it will still give you 24 hours of hydration. The formula includes glacial glycoproteins, an ingredient sourced from Antarctic sea glaciers, to help protect you from the drying effects that cold air can have on your skin, perfect for UK winter. It also includes squalene which is an antioxidant that hydrates and protects the skin barrier.
SPF –
An ingredient we cannot forget about is SPF. Exposure to UV rays is a huge factor when it comes to premature aging, pigmentation and inflammation in the skin. SPF should be worn every day no matter if you are inside or outside as UVA rays are present during all daylight hours. If you use any active skincare ingredients, they will make your skin more prone to sun damage, so you need to have a SPF in your routine. There are thousands of SPFs on the market, and everyone will be able to find a formula that works for them.
My favourite SPF is the Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face 50+ (£16). This chemical sunscreen is a light weight, non-greasy, hydrating formula which offers both UVA and UVB protection. The formula was designed to be a perfect base underneath foundation with no white cast.
TIPS!
- Always massage your cleanser into your skin for at least 30 seconds, this makes sure that you get all the extra benefits from your cleanser.
- If you feel like your cleanser isn’t giving your face a ‘clean’ enough feeling you can look into products like FOREO which is a smart cleansing device that uses T-sonic pulsations to promote deep cleansing. The bristles make sure your face feels soft and supple without the negative implications that come from using a face scrub!
- If you are wearing makeup or SPF double cleansing is a must! Using a cleansing oil or balm as the first step to melt and remove the makeup and oil off your face first so your cleanser can get into the pores and do its job.
Edited by:
Madeleine Rousell |