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The skincare product company is growing larger by the day, there are a lot of skincare products to include in your skincare routine.
Many of these products are developed to work for certain skin types and others might work for all skin types. Knowing which skin type you belong to will aid you in choosing the best skin care product for your skincare routine.
In this article, you will discover the various skin types that exist and how you can determine which skin type you belong to. You will also find out how you can develop a healthy skin care routine that will help maintain your skin health.
What Is Your Skin Type?
Before picking out a skincare product to use, you should find out the type of skin you have. Having this knowledge will help you plan out the best way to care for your skin. Skin types can be divided into 5 based on the characteristics each exhibit. Your skin should fit under any of them. They include Dry skin, Oily skin, Combination skin, Normal skin, and sensitive skin.
You may be confused about how to determine your own type of skin. There is a simple test you can carry out on your skin to determine which skin type it is. Learn the characteristics of each skin type below.
1. Dry Skin
Characterized by their feeling of tightness, dry skin is prone to breaking. Signs of dry skin might vary depending on the age of the individual. External factors might also cause you to have dry skin and they include but not limited to weather conditions, low air humidity. This means having dry skin can be temporary in some people while lifelong in others.
2. Oily Skin
As the name implies, oily skin produces excess oil through the Sebastian glands which makes the skin look shiny. People with oily skin are more prone to acne blemishes and enlarged pores. Oily skin can also occur when going through the hormonal phase so, skin type is common among adolescents.
3. Combination Skin
This skin type is a combination of dry and oily skin. This means you will have oily skin in some area and dry in others. It is often described as the T-zone being oily and the rest of the face dry.
4. Normal Skin
People with this skin type are not usually prone to blemishes, breakouts, or other skin issues. The skin is neither oily nor dry and the pores are small. It is a balanced skin type.
5. Sensitive Skin
This skin type usually comes with characteristics of other skin types. So, if you have oily or dry skin, your skin might still be very sensitive. If you notice your skin getting irritated easily, this might be your skin type. It might be sensitive to skin care products or other environmental factors. Pay attention to what triggers this sensitivity so as to avoid using such products.
How to Know Which is Your Skin Type?
It is necessary to know your skin type before going out to buy a skincare product set. You will find out below, the two basic tests you can carry out on your skin to determine your skin type.
1. Watching and Waiting
This is a very simple test to carry out as it just requires you to observe your skin after a period of time. To do this, make sure to clean your face with a cleanser and dry it. After this, you have to wait for about 30 minutes before you proceed to observe your face. Make sure you do not apply any skincare product during this waiting period. When 30 minutes is well passed, observe your face for indication of the skin type characteristics discussed above.
You should pay attention to your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. Waiting another 30 minutes after this is optional although it can help to fully confirm your earlier observations. Your skin is dry if it feels tight or parched especially while making facial expressions like smiling. If you have oily skin, you would most likely notice a certain shine to your cheeks, forehead, and nose and if you have the shine on your T-zone then you might have combination skin. You have a normal skin type if your skin is neither oily nor dry and it feels comfortable.
2. Blotting Sheets
Using the blotting sheet is a simpler and faster way you can determine your skin type. Relying on the quality of blotting sheets to absorb oil when pressed to the skin. Make sure you clean your face with a cleanser and dry it. After waiting for 30 minutes, you can then press blotting sheets to your face. Target various regions of your face and then raise the sheets up, make sure you are in a well-illuminated area.
The number of oil markings on the sheets can be used to determine your skin type. If there is little oil or none at all on the sheet, then you have dry skin. You have an oily skin type if it absorbs a lot of oil from all areas of your face. If the oil amount from your t-zone is minimal, then you probably have the combination skin type and if the blotting sheet shows small oil from each area on your face, then your skin type is normal.
What Steps Must Your Skin-Care Routine Consist of?
Taking care of your skin is a daily exercise. Having figured out the type of skin you have, ensure you choose skincare products that work best with your skin type. In this section, you will find out the steps your skincare routine should consist of. It is divided into two sections: The morning and nighttime skincare routine
Morning Skincare Routine
Here are skincare routine that skin care expert suggested that you can do every morning
1. Cleanse Your Skin
This is the first step to take in your morning skincare routine. A good facial cleanse will ensure other skincare products are well absorbed into your skin. Make sure to choose a face cleanser that does a gentle job on your face. You do not want to use a harsh cleanser that can hurt your skin.
2. Apply a Toner
Although this step is optional, using a toner that works with your skin can help balance your skin’s Ph.
3. Use Vitamin C Serum
This is an essential step that has a lot of advantages for your skin. Dermatologists advise people to start using Vitamin C Serum in their 20s as it helps reduce damages caused by sun and pollution. Make sure you choose a serum that has the stable form of vitamin C, this will enable the skin to better absorb this skincare product
4. Moisturizer Your Skin
This helps the skin stay hydrated and should be used after treating the skin. It is advisable to use a lighter moisturizer during the day, so the skin can absorb it faster.
5. Use a Sunscreen
This is the last step for your daytime skincare routine and it is the most important. It helps protect the skin from the sun’s UV rays that might make the skin age faster.
Nighttime Skincare Routine
The skin repairs itself the most at night. This is the perfect time to make sure the skin gets all the nutrients it needs. Although the steps here might look similar to that of the daily routine, you should be aware that skincare products to use at night might be different.
1. Use A Cleanser
After a long day, you sure want to get that heavy makeup off your face. Double cleansing is advised so as to remove as much dirt as possible from your pores You can use an oil-based cleanser that will help remove the makeup and then follow up with a water-based cleanser to remove excess dirt.
2. Apply a Toner
Apply the toner just as you did in the morning. Make sure to use a toner that works well with your skin type.
3. Use Serums and Treatments
It is advised to use serums that contain hydroxy acid at night as it helps remove dead skin cells thereby brightening your skin. You can also include Retinol during this step as it a form of vitamin A that can help reduce wrinkles and pore size.
4. Rub an Eye Cream
To make sure your eyes get more active ingredients like the retinol applied earlier, you can use eye cream to train those areas around your eyes.
5. Use Acne Spot Treatment
It was mentioned earlier that the skin repairs itself at night so there is no other great time to treat your pimple than this. Apply acne spot treatments to help get rid of stubborn acne and pimples. It should be a normal part of your nighttime skincare routine even when you do not have pimples to treat.
6. Moisturize Your Skin
This is an important step and must not be skipped. Moisturizer helps make sure active ingredients in the products use earlier are not lost as it seals them in.
7. Apply a Face Oil
Your skin needs moisture and using face oil is a nice way to make sure your skin gets the moisture it needs while you sleep.
Conclusion
Having a great skincare routine might be all you need to get that dream glowing skin you have always wanted. You should know that consistency is required for you to achieve great results while following this skincare routine.
Make sure you choose skincare products that go well with your skin so as to prevent irritation and other skin issues that might follow using the wrong product.
