What kind of skin you have determines what kind of cleansers, toners, and moisturizers you should use. Skin type also serves as a prediction tool for what your skin will be like without proper care. There are five main skin types: normal, sensitive, dry, oily, and combination. Knowing which of these you are will help you make better skin care decisions.
Normal skin is exactly what it sounds like: normal. There are no significant issues; it’s never extremely oily or dry, pores are average sized (in 
other words, not enlarged), skin isn’t easily irritated, and skin tone is generally consistent. Normal skin is what most people strive for.
Sensitive skin can be irritated easily. Skin can burn easily with exposure to UV rays, wind, extreme temperature fluctuations, or products that contain harsh chemicals, fragrances, dyes, or cleansers. Sensitive skin needs gentle products that work naturally without a lot of ingredients.
Dry skin flakes, peels, and causes a feeling that your skin is too tight for your face. It’s uncomfortable, and there are many things that can cause it, such as weather, facial cleanser, laundry detergent, some medical illnesses (like psoriasis and eczema), or an ineffective moisturizer.
Oily skin is caused by the production of too much sebum, the body’s natural oil, on the face. Sometimes, this sebum gets trapped into pores, which become blackheads, whiteheads and zits. Often times, the case is that the more oil you have on your face, the more pores will clog up. Pores are generally bigger, and the sebum causes a shiny face.
Combination skin is the most difficult to live with. Different areas of your face have different skin types. The most common type is where the T-zone is different than the rest of your face. For example, you may get blemishes on the bridge of your nose and between your eyes and forehead, but the rest of your face may be normal or even dry.
Being able to identify your skin type is crucial in properly caring for your skin. Knowing which of the five types you are will help you pick products that are effective, safe, and appropriate for you.
To learn about a good moisturization routine for summer, click here!
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What would you recommend for oily skin?
Yes, you can email me a photo for a more in depth analysis of your face. alana@skincarebyalana.com
I have eczema, and sometimes I get patches on my face. I wasn’t sure if eczema could be classified as just dry skin. I guess I should look for products that offer high end moisturization?
Since I identified that I had combination skin, I’ve been able to pick the right products to use! This is a really helpful article, thanks for posting it!
Skin type is crucial! Very helpful information… Can I email a photo in for more help?
This guide is super helpful in picking out products, especially for sensitive skin. I started using only fragrance free and dye free products, and I’ve already noticed less irritation.
My skin is so oily! Now I know to look out for oil controlling formulas, the cleanser I recently started using has reduced it a little, but it takes time!