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When it comes to choosing girls’ skincare products, you have to be aware of your skin type, among other things. Girls have tender skin, and using the wrong product might harm your skin. It might also be the reason your skin is not as radiant as you want, even with your impeccable skincare routine.
In this article, you will find out about various skin types, how to identify your skin type, and care for it.
What Is Your Skin Type?
Your skin type determines the kind of skincare product you can use. While some products are made for all skin types, others cater to the needs of a particular skin type. Factors such as age, genetics, and other external factors contribute to your skin type. So, as a girl, you might experience a particular skin type due to your hormonal phase. Knowing your skin type will help you get the right skincare product.
In this section, you will find out the five skin types and the category you belong.
1. Normal Skin
This skin type is not usually prone to blemishes, breakouts, or other skin issues. People with this kind of skin tend not to experience oily or dry skin. It is a balanced skin type.
2. Dry Skin
The feeling of tightness characterizes dry skin. This skin type is prone to peeling, and it breaks easily, causing infections to fester. Various factors, including weather conditions, age, contribute to having dry skin. While some people experience dry skin for just a short period, others are stuck with it.
3. Oily Skin
As the name implies, this skin type produces way too much oil than needed, making the skin shiny. People with oily skin are more prone to acne blemishes and enlarged pores. You might also experience this skin type if you are going through a hormonal phase like puberty or pregnancy. It is common among adolescents.
4. Sensitive Skin
If your skin reacts or gets irritated easily, you might have sensitive skin. People with other skin types might also have sensitive skin. So, your skin might be oily and still sensitive. This sensitivity is commonly caused by using harsh skincare products or by environmental factors.
5. Combination Skin
People with this skin type experience both oily and dry skin, although it might be evident in specific areas of the skin. They often have an oily T-zone while the rest of the face is dry.
How to Care For Your Skin Type?
While some skincare products work for all skin types, many others are made to care for particular skin types. Using the wrong product on your skin might irritate or cause it harm.
In this section, you will find out how to care for each skin type.
1. For Normal Skin
Taking care of normal skin is important to keep it healthy. This type of skin needs to be kept clean and properly maintained. When choosing cleansers, make sure you select gentle ones to avoid removing natural oils from your skin.
Although this skin type can accommodate most skincare products, ensure you choose products that will not irritate your skin. You need a moisturizer to help keep your skin hydrated. Choose a sunscreen with at least SPF 15 to protect yourself from the sun’s damage.
2. For Dry Skin
This skin type requires regular hydration as it tends to look dull and lacks glow. To adequately care for this skin type, you need to use skincare products to keep the skin hydrated and prevent water loss. Using a harsh face cleanser will remove moisture from your skin, so ensure you use a gentle cleanser always. Gentle face cleansers do proper face cleaning without removing the much-needed moisture from your dry skin. Avoid foaming cleansers.
After cleaning your face with a facial cleanser well suited for your skin, you must moisturize your face immediately. There are various moisturizing creams created for dry skin. When shopping for skincare products, you should pick products that contain hyaluronic acid. This ingredient helps the skin stay moisturized. You can also choose a cream that contains olive oil or shea butter.
When choosing sunscreen for skin protection, water-based products are great options. It helps protect the skin from UV rays while keeping it hydrated.
3. For Oily Skin
People with oily skin tend to experience skin problems like breakout and acne. This may be due to the kind of skincare products they use. However, if you have oily skin, you should choose skincare products that are light and has little or no oil. Facial cleansers that are oil-free are great for caring for oily skin.
While it is not advisable to use oil-based facial cleansers, some work well for oily skin. Two-way cleansing can be done using an oil-based cleanser to remove makeup and dirt on the face and then follow up with a water-based cleanser. This will ensure dirt is properly removed from the face.
Some people believe that people with oily skin do not need to moisturize. However, moisturizing is essential for all skin types. Choose oil-free moisturizers to keep your skin moist and hydrated.
Avoid using skincare products that are harsh on your skin, especially cleansers that contain sulfate. These products tend to remove way too much moisture and oil from the skin, leaving the skin to produce even more oil.
Products that contain ingredients such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, and hyaluronic acid are great for oily skin. They help control the amount of oil produced by your sebaceous glands and also help hydrate the skin.
4. For Sensitive Skin
Choosing skincare products for sensitive skin types has to be done carefully. People with this skin type tend to have a quick, visible reaction to skincare products. Using an aggressive product on sensitive skin will irritate the skin. The rule of thumb is to choose skincare products with lesser ingredients.
When choosing cleansers, ensure you choose gentle, hypoallergenic, perfume-free cleansers for your skin. You want to avoid harsh cleansers that will dry out your skin and remove its essential natural oil.
Sensitive skin also needs to be moisturized regularly. However, choose a lightweight moisturizer and ensure it is fragrance-free. Skincare products that are made with or contain natural products like aloe vera are recommended for sensitive skin.
Sunscreen is another skincare product essential for people with sensitive skin. The sun is one of the major contributors to skin damage and aging. You should protect your skin against sun damage. Use sunscreen that helps calm skin irritation and also has an excellent SPF rating.
5. For Combination Skin
Combination skin is the balance between dry and oily skin. Choosing the right product for this type of skin might be tricky. You need to use skincare products that balance your skin. The important thing to do is to keep the skin moisturized and avoid using way too many oil-based products.
Choose a simple, sulfate-free facial cleanser to clean your face and avoid a cleanser that will irritate your skin. Avoid using toners containing astringents, menthol, or fragrance on combination skin. Toners with antioxidants are recommended as it helps repair the skin.
A lightweight, liquid moisturizer is a great option for combination skin. Moisturizers containing heavy oil are not advisable as they clog the skin pores, which might cause breakouts. Choose moisturizers that contain hydrating and natural ingredients; they help protect the skin and keep it moisturized.
Ensure you get sunscreen to keep you protected from the sun’s damage. Choose a sunscreen with at least SPF 30.
What to Look Out For In Skincare Products?
This section highlights some important factors that you should be attentive to when selecting skincare products for your skin type.
1. Active Ingredient
The active ingredients in a skincare product play a considerable role in how your skin reacts to the product. These ingredients are listed according to their concentration. Dermatologists advise against using products that contain some ingredients in high quantity. This is because these ingredients have been linked to certain health issues, especially in pregnant women.
They can cause damage to the skin and other internal organs. Such ingredients include formaldehyde, retinoid, phthalates, etc. While some of these ingredients are harmless in lower quantities, having them in larger quantities might prove harmful.
Ensure you check with your doctor to confirm if a particular product is good for you.
2. Expiration date
Using an expired product can irritate your skin and cause various skin infections. All skincare products have a shelf life, some longer than others. This means, even while some products remain unopened, you should not use them if they’re expired.
You should check products for the Period After Opening (POA) symbol. This symbol indicates how long you can keep using your product after opening it. It usually looks like an opened jar with an M written on it. Products that 12 M written on them should not be used after the 12 months elapses.
Conclusion
Going to the store to get yourself some beauty products, you will be faced with numerous products to make your choice from. There is a need for you to understand your skin type before going out to choose skincare products. This way, you know which skin care products work well for your skin type and which not to buy.