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Knowing your skin type is absolutely key to getting the most out of your skincare routine. With so many products out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but trust me, once you know what your skin actually needs, everything gets a lot easier. So, let’s break it down!
What are the 5 main skin types?
Knowing whether your skin is oily, normal, dry, sensitive, or combination can be super helpful when it comes to choosing the right products to get the best out of your skin.
- Normal – balanced, not too oily or dry
- Oily – prone to shine, breakouts, larger-looking pores
- Dry – feels tight, can look flaky, and needs extra hydration
- Combination – mix of oily and dry, often with an oily T-zone and drier cheeks
- Sensitive – easily irritated, prone to redness, and reacts to new products quickly
How to Test Your Skin Type
The key to understanding your skin type largely comes down the amount of natural oil, known as sebum, that your skin produces. How oily your skin is can change, however, and this can be influenced by age, hormones, genes, and even environmental and weather factors.
The other thing to note is that all skin types can be sensitive, despite the fact that it’s considered a skin type on its own. Sensitivity is a measure of how reactive your skin is.
The Watch and Wait / Bare-Faced Method
This little process is said to allow you to understand your skin type by seeing how your skin behaves after cleansing.
For a complete guide to all the different cleansers I love, read: Best Cleansers for All Skin Types and Budgets.
How to:
After cleansing, pat the skin dry and then leave your skin bare for 30 minutes without moisturisers or serums. Use nothing!
After 30 minutes, you can follow this guide:
- Skin appears shiny all over – you most likely have oily skin
- Skin appears flaky, rough, or tight-feeling – you likely have dry skin
- Skin appears shiny only around your T-zone – you most likely have combination skin
- Skin feels hydrated and doesn’t appear dry or oily anywhere – you most likely have normal skin
The blotting sheet method
If the watch and watch test doesn’t seem right for you, you can try this blotting sheet method,
How to:
Again, wash your face, pat dry and wait 30 minutes. Again, apply nothing to the skin. After the time has elapsed, press blotting sheets to your face in different places, and hold the sheets up to the light to see the oil that has transferred:
- Sheet has soaked up a lot of oil – you most likely have oily skin
- Sheet has soaked up little or no oil – you likely have dry skin
- Sheet has soaked up only from your T-zone – you most likely have combination skin
- Sheet has soaked up minimal oil from every area of your face – you most likely have normal skin.
Your Skin Type Explained
Regardless of your skin type, it is always important to ensure that your skin is hydrated and moisturised.
For some of my best product recommendation for serums and moisturisers, read:
Oily Skin Type
Oily skin is usually caused by the overproduction of sebum from sebaceous glands, as a result of a range of different factors. This will tend to make your skin feel greasy or appear shiny and also the skin can be prone to clogged pores.
The upside is that many individuals with oily skin may potentially have less wrinkles than someone with dry skin.
Dry Skin Type
Dry skin tends to produce less sebum than other skin types. Because sebum helps to lubricate the skin and prevent moisture loss, dry skin’s are prone to finding it difficult to retain moisture which means it may appear dull, flaky, scaly or simply dehydrated. It can often feel tight and have a rough texture. If the skin gets too dry, it can become irritated or itchy, as a result of the skin barrier being compromised.
Skin dryness can also be caused by external factors like using abrasive products or exposing the skin to hot water.
Combination Skin Type
Combination skin is just that – a combination of both oily and dry skin. In this circumstance, the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) tends to be oily, and the cheeks can be more dry.
Depending on the time of year, combination skin can vary in levels of oil and dryness, and changes can also been seen as a result of hormone fluctuations or stress levels.
Normal Skin Type
This skin type doesn’t really experience any extremes of oiliness or dryness, but mainly experience comfortable and hydrated skin. These skin types or less prone to breakouts, redness or sensitivity, and generally have less visibly noticeable pores.
Sensitive Skin Type
This skin type doesn’t really come down to how much sebum your skin naturally produces. Sensitive skins are more reactive than other skin types and irritation (stinging, burning, redness) can be caused by environmental factors and certain ingredients, like fragrance. We generally believed that skin becomes sensitive as a result of a compromised skin barrier.
How To Care for Your Skin Type
Understanding your skin type is essential for choosing the right skincare routine. Here are some key tips to help you care for your skin effectively.
Read:
Oily Skin
While excess oil can be managed, it’s important to use lightweight, oil-free products to prevent clogged pores. A gentle foaming cleanser can help remove impurities without stripping the skin. Despite having natural oils, hydration is still crucial—opt for a non-comedogenic, oil-free moisturiser to keep your skin balanced.
Dry Skin
Hydration is key for dry skin. Look for cleansers with nourishing ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to maintain moisture. Using a rich, cream-based moisturiser immediately after cleansing helps lock in hydration and prevents dryness throughout the day.
Combination Skin
Since combination skin has both oily and dry areas, a targeted approach works best. Apply richer moisturisers to dry areas like the cheeks and use a lightweight gel-based formula on oil-prone areas like the T-zone. Blotting papers can help control excess shine throughout the day.
Normal Skin
Even if your skin isn’t overly oily or dry, maintaining hydration is still important. A balanced routine with a gentle cleanser and a moisturiser containing hydrating ingredients will help keep the skin looking and feeling its best. Opt for non-comedogenic products to minimise the risk of breakouts.
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin requires extra care to avoid irritation. Using fragrance-free, gentle formulations can help reduce reactions. It’s also beneficial to identify potential triggers and make environmental adjustments to minimise exposure to irritants.
Regardless of your skin type, choosing suitable products and maintaining a consistent routine can help keep your skin healthy and radiant.
