How to determine your skin type and find the right skin care

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

If your skin flakes, shines, or does both at once, chances are you are not taking proper care of it. Simple instructions for determining your skin type, advice on choosing cosmetics and great recipes for homemade masks will help you look perfect.

How to determine your skin type

There are four main types of skin: dry, normal, oily, and combination. Belonging to each of them depends on how actively sebum is secreted. This indicator is associated with the appearance of the skin, the number and visibility of pores, the rate of aging and the formation of wrinkles.

To find out what type of skin you have, do a simple experiment. Cleanse your face with your usual cleanser (preferably a gentle gel or mild foam). Pat dry your face with a towel and don't apply any creams afterwards. After two hours, apply a thin paper towel to your skin and press lightly on your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin.

Now evaluate the napkin in the light.

• If there is no sebum on the napkin at all, you have dry skin.
• If there are faint marks all over the napkin, you have normal skin.
• If there are pronounced marks, you have oily skin.
• If only the forehead, nose, and chin are prominent, you have combination skin.

How to care for dry skin

Dry skin always looks matte, soft and thin. Pimples and inflammations rarely appear on it, but wrinkles can spoil the mood already in youth. Such skin reacts poorly to a sharp change in climate, unfavorable weather conditions (strong wind or frost). Irritation and peeling can occur due to improperly selected cosmetics.

The skin becomes dry for various reasons: it can be caused by genetics or a lack of fats and vitamins A, C and P in the diet.

People with dry skin should be careful about the choice of cosmetics and especially take care of themselves in the cold season.

Cleansing

• Wash with water at room temperature, if possible, do not use tap. Too hot or cold water, especially chlorinated or impure water, will worsen the condition of the skin.
• Find the right cleanser: gentle, gentle, moisturizing gel or foam.
• Don't wash your face too often. Your skin produces little sebum, and regular cleansing washes away what is, leaving your face vulnerable.
• Remove makeup thoroughly before bed. For this, it is better to use makeup remover milk.
• Do not overuse peels and scrubs. If you feel like using them, go for the finest, finest textures.
• After bathing, do not rub your skin with a hard towel. It is enough to get it slightly wet.

Care

• Be sure to use a moisturizer after every cleansing of the skin: it creates a protective barrier.
• Make sure your cosmetics are free of alcohol. It dries out the skin.
• In the cold season, choose a cream with a dense texture.
• Remember to use moisturizing emulsions and lotions in summer.
• Masks should be done no more than 2-3 times a week. Cleansing, pore-tightening, or anti-oily masks are not good for you.
• When making homemade masks, give preference to moisturizing ingredients such as cottage cheese, cream, milk or honey.

Homemade masks recipes for dry skin:

• Honey mask. Mash 1 teaspoon of honey with 1 teaspoon of full-fat milk until white.
• Berry mask. Grind 3-4 strawberries or raspberries with 1 teaspoon of sour cream.
• Curd mask. Mix 1 tablespoon of cottage cheese and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil until smooth.

Keep the mask on the skin for 10-20 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water or facial milk.

Decorative cosmetics

• Opt for creamy foundations. Tone-powder will accentuate dryness and flaking.
• For thin skin of the eyelids, cream shadows are good.
• Apply a moisturizing makeup base or cream to match.
• In sunny weather, use cosmetics with an SPF of at least 10.

How to care for normal skin

Normal skin is characterized by moderate work of the sebaceous glands. It looks fresh and clean, the pores do not stand out, inflammation and peeling appear rarely, mainly due to the influence of external factors. If you have normal skin, you are lucky! This is extremely rare.

For those with normal skin, there is only one advice: do not overdo it. Wash your face, moisturize your skin and do masks or peels 2-3 times a week. Use masks for dry or oily skin depending on the current condition of the face and climatic conditions. Remember: in the cold season, additional nutrition will be useful, and in the heat - a deeper cleansing. But do not overuse creams or alcohol-based lotions that are too greasy.

How to care for oily skin

In people with such skin, the sebaceous glands work too actively. Therefore, a few hours after washing, the face begins to shine. The pores, especially in the forehead, nose and chin, are enlarged. Pimples and blackheads are not uncommon.

However, oily skin has a huge advantage: it ages more slowly. The secreted sebum creates a good protective film that prevents moisture from evaporating and blocks the penetration of harmful substances from the outside.

Cleansing

• Wash your face in the morning and evening. For a deeper cleansing of the pores, you can use a special brush or sponge.
• Do not use super-strong face cleansers often: there is a risk of overdrying the skin. In response to aggressive effects, the sebaceous glands will begin to work even more actively.
• Don't pop pimples. Inflammations can be targeted with alcohol, salicylic acid solution, or tea tree oil.
• You can use exfoliators once or twice a week. It is best to apply scrubs or peels in the evening after washing.
• At the end of washing your face, rinse your face with cool water. Under the influence of cold, the pores become smaller, become less visible, and the face shines less during the day.

Care

• Opt for light moisturizers, gels, or lotions instead of heavy creams.
• Make masks no more than three times a week to cleanse the skin, tighten pores and relieve inflammation.
• Do not forget about moisturizing: it is enough to apply softening masks once every one to two weeks.
• Good components of a mask for oily skin will be weak acids (freshly squeezed lemon or berry juices) and antibacterial agents (honey, tea tree oil).

Recipes for homemade masks for oily skin:

• Protein mask. Whisk the egg white into a stiff foam and mix with ½ teaspoon of lemon juice. Keep it on your face for 15-20 minutes. This will tighten the pores and remove the oily sheen.
• Kefir mask. With a cotton swab, apply kefir or yogurt on your face, leave for 15–20 minutes. This will dry out oily skin.
• Tea mask. Grind 5 tablespoons of leafy green tea into fine dust and mix with 2-3 tablespoons of kefir. Apply the mixture for 10–20 minutes, and then rinse with warm water.

Decorative cosmetics

• Choose powdery or lightweight liquid foundations. Do not make a "puff cake" on your face: this will not rid you of the oily sheen, but will only pollute and make the skin heavier.
• Use matting wipes to remove oily sheen throughout the day. Or just lightly press a thin paper towel onto shiny areas, then renew the powder as needed.

How to care for combination skin

Combination skin is most common. In this case, usually the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) has all the signs of oily skin: pimples, enlarged pores, shine. And the skin around the eyes and on the cheeks is delicate, thin, prone to dryness.

Therefore, the methods of leaving will need to be combined. Choose mild cleansers: gels, hydrophilic oils, foams. They gently cleanse the shiny areas of the face and do not dry out the cheeks. Get some creams and foundations for your face. Apply tightening and cleansing masks only to the T-zone; for dry skin areas, choose nourishing masks.