It’s the golden rule of better skincare: know your specific skin type. Unfortunately, not a lot of people buy into this. As long as the toner or serum they’re trying out is raved by many, especially their fave celebs, it’s definitely going into their cart and their skincare routine.
At best, they realise that they’re not getting the benefits of the product after weeks of use. At worst, all they get are the dreaded breakouts and nasty skin problems. Don’t disregard the golden rule of skincare. Here’s how you can know your exact skin type:
Look for certain signs
The simplest method in knowing your skin type is looking at it. What exactly do you look for? Rough, itchy spots, red areas, excess oil, among others. These signs can already tell you a great deal about your skin.
For instance, textured patches indicate that you have dry skin. Red spots are a defining feature of sensitive skin. Consider observing your pores too. In people who have oily skin, pores tend to be large and highly visible.
It’s the opposite for those who have dry skin. Pores are smaller, but then the skin over-all feels a little tight. In case you have big pores around the nose area, but have none visually at the cheeks and forehead, then you know you have combination skin.
If you’ll be trying out new skincare products, Australia-based dermatologists highly recommend checking the label that indicates specific skin types.
Do some blotting.
Get a tissue or cotton pad and apply it along your forehead, nose, and chin. See if there’s any excess oil transferred. If there’s some, you most likely have oily skin or combination. If there’s little to none, you have normal to dry skin.
Here comes the tricky part. There are times when your body actually produces more oils, and you’d think you’re oily, but your skin still feels dry and tight. In fact, you may not see that much transfer on your blotting paper. The reason for this mysterious skin phenomenon? Dehydrated skin. When your body lacks water, it shows off at your appearance, say, through scaly skin or white patches. But still, your body could have really active oil-producing glands. So you could be mixing up skin types and skin conditions as you try to learn more about your skin. If you’re unsure what to make of your blotting results, then the best move is to go for the third option.
Go ask your skin doctor.
Your dermatologist is the best source for information on your skin type. They can run tests to determine what’s yours exactly. You can consult them directly about which products to get and avoid coming up with an effective skincare routine.
For instance, some doctors would advise those who have dry skin to avoid alcohol and sulfate-based items, since these can trap natural oils, exacerbating the dryness. You can have direct access to information like this when you have a go-to dermatologist. So find one that has years of experience in your specific skin needs. Check out their credentials. Talk to some of their patients, if possible.
What’s Your Skin Type?
Again, don’t disregard the golden rule of better skincare: know your exact skin type. You’ll save a lot of money and heartaches if you consider your unique needs, instead of joining celebrity-trending bandwagons.
