What Skin Type Do I Have?

All types of skin benefit from cleansing and moisturizing, but different skin types do have different needs. But how do you know what type of skin you have?

What You Need To Know

There are five skin types: oily, dry, normal, combination, and sensitive. If you understand what type of skin you have, you make more informed decisions about your skincare products and routine. 

Finding Your Skin Type

You can usually tell by observing your skin. With a simple test that you can perform at home, you can understand what kind of skin you have very quickly. Start with a clean face, using a cleanser from somewhere like clnwash.com and observe your skin. 

Common Characteristics of Skin Types

Oily skin produces more sebum that makes your skin look greasy and shiny. This shininess is most obvious through the T-zone. If you have oily skin, you are more likely to have enlarged pores, acne, and breakouts.

Dry skin looks dull and can become rough, flaky, or scaly. Your skin might feel tight, and be more prone to showing lines. It can feel itchy or irritated. 

Normal skin is neither dry nor oily. It isn’t prone to breakouts, flakiness, or feeling tight. The pores are usually smaller and the skin usually feels smooth and is less prone to blemishes or feeling sensitive. 

Combination skin has areas that are dry and some that are oily. Usually, the T-zone is oily and the cheeks are dry.

Sensitive skin can be combined with having oil, dry, combination, or normal skin. If your skin is sensitive, it can become red, feel as though it is burning, itching, or dry. These symptoms can come from having skin that is sensitive to irritants, or it can be triggered by certain ingredients, like dyes or fragrances. Environmental factors can play a part too. If your skin is sensitive, you might be able to work out what sets off your sensitivity and avoid products with those ingredients or adjust your environment to limit your exposure to irritants. 

If these descriptions of the different skin types haven’t helped you to work out what skin type you have, there is a test that you can perform at home that can help you to spot the characteristics of your skin type. 

Watching and Waiting

This is a simple at-home test that you can do to help you to better understand what kind of skin you have. All you need to do is observe how your skin reacts after cleansing. It’s that simple. 

To get started, wash your face with a gentle cleanser, as you normally would, and then gently pat your skin dry. Don’t do any other steps from your routine. Instead, wait thirty minutes, and then look at your skin. If it looks shiny all over, then you probably have oily skin. If it feels tight and flaky or looks scaly, then your skin is dry. If you have shine only in your T-zone, then it is likely that you have combination skin. If your skin feels comfortable and hydrated, but not oily, then you have normal skin.