Skincare 101: Skin Type

The most important part of skincare is deciphering your skin type.  Without knowing this you're essentially blindly taking care of the most visible part of your body - your face.  Once you do know your skin type though you can go about building a skincare routine to properly cleanse, tone, moisturize and treat the skin on your face.  Using the right products will yield better results and get you that glowing skin we all want so badly!

My skin has changed a lot over the years and I have actually been three different types at various points in my life.  In middle school I had oily skin, then in high school through early college I had combination skin, and the last few years I have developed very dry skin.  Realizing that my skin type changed from combination to dry was the key to clearing up issues I had been experiencing and to get my skin looking great.  While I'm usually pretty good at noticing changes in my skin I came to the realization of how dry my skin really is when I worked with an esthetician for a facial.  If you can get to an esthetician or dermatologist they are wonderful at helping you identify your skin type.  If you cannot get to one or prefer to do it yourself below, I am breaking down the five different skin types!

You have NORMAL skin if...you have small pores, rarely breakout, have no major sensitivities, your skin is balanced (neither oily or dry), and have few imperfections.

The basic product you should use are...a gentle lathering cleanser, an alcohol free toner, a moisturizer with SPF, and a nighttime moisturizer.

My product recommendations...

You have COMBINATION skin if...your t-zone (forehead and nose) and chin are oily, your cheeks are dry, and you only breakout on your t-zone and/or chin.

The basic product you should use are...a gently exfoliating cleanser, an alcohol free toner with witch hazel, a lightweight moisturizer with SPF, and jojoba oil.

My product recommendations...

You have OILY skin if...you have large and visible pores, your skin has a shiny or greasy look, you breakout all over your face, and you experience blackheads all over your face.

The basic product you should use are...a gel, foam or oil cleanser, a toner with witch hazel or glycolic acid, an oil free moisturizer with SPF, and an oil free moisturizer (for night).

My product recommendations...

You have DRY skin if...you have small pores, your skin feels rough or tight, you experience redness, you have rough patches, and you have more prominent visible lines.

The basic product you should use are...a gentle cleanser, rose water toner, a moisturizer with SPF, a heavy night cream, and facial oil.

My product recommendations...

You have SENSITIVE skin if...you are very prone to redness, your skin gets itchy, your skin reacts to products very easily, skin feels like it is burning or painful, and you experience a skin condition such as rosacea.

The basic product you should use are...a gentle cleansing lotion, a simple alcohol free toner or rose water, a fragrance free moisturizer with SPF, and a fragrance free night cream.

My product recommendations...

If you have any questions about any of this please feel free to ask in the comments or email me.  I love talking about skincare so I would love to help you or answer any questions!

  

                

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Today I'm linking up with #HowISummer, Hello Monday, Let It Shine, Weekending, and MIMM.