The Easiest Way To Identify Your Skin Type

Skincare is an art and science all at once but if you look closely enough, your skin tells you all the answers itself, it’s no rocket science.

The very first step in taking care of the biggest organ of your body is to identify its type. Using randomly picked products without first knowing your skin type and expecting your skin to respond positively to those products is like trying to hit the bull’s eye with a blind-fold on.

It’s imperative to feed your skin with only the kind of food that will suit it, because let’s say if your skin is oily in nature, of which you are unaware, and you go on to try that oil-based cleanser that’s the talk of the town, it could do more harm than good to your already oily skin.

Every person’s skin is unique, but there are 4 common skin types under which our skin falls:

1. Oily Skin
2. Normal Skin
3. Combination Skin, and
4. Dry Skin

These types explain their nature by their very name and the key to caring for each of these types is to compensate for their nature i.e. if you have oily skin, then apply products/follow a skincare routine that does not encourage extra oil production in the skin.

But how do you find out what type your skin is? Read on for this quick way to determine your skin type at home or simply watch Dimple show you how!

EASIEST WAY TO IDENTIFY YOUR SKIN TYPE- THE BARE FACE METHOD

(Photographer: Alexey Sokolov Model: Kanon)

STEP 1:

Wash your face and leave it bare for 30-45 mins (as long as an episode of your favorite TV show)

STEP 2:

Now your skin is ready to reveal its nature by showing one of the four signs as follows-

OUTCOME 1: If your skin feels stretchy and parched and screaming for moisturiser, then you have DRY skin.

Skin Care Tips for Dry Skin Type:

• Seal in moisture right after washing your face with a cleanser by applying a rich moisturizer during your morning and evening skin care routine.
• Use a soap free cleanser that does not contain artificial fragrance or color because this might irritate and dry out your skin even more.
• If your skin is dehydrated, on the other hand, be sure to look for gentle gel-based products, as oil-based products can actually make your skin condition worse.
• Most importantly, be sure you’re drinking enough water each day!

You can also checkout this easiest dry skin routine with products that we recommend especially for your skin type along with some bonus steps!

OUTCOME 2: If your skin has a shine to it all over, and if there’s oil deposit on a tissue if you dab your skin with it, you have oily skin.

Skin Care Tips for Oily Skin Type:

• There are definitely several plus points of having oily skin (like fewer wrinkles!) If you have oily skin you should avoid ingredients like mineral oil, petrolatum and alcohol.
• Products labeled “non-comedogenic” work great for oily skin as these won’t clog up your pores.
• Lightweight oil-free moisturizers are perfect for you, as are exfoliants.
• Be sure not to over-wash your face, as drying out your pores can cause them to produce even more oil to compensate.

To know more about oily skin and what products are best for it, give a read to our Easiest Ever Oily Skincare Guide

OUTCOME 3: If your skin has oil or shine only on your T-zone (forehead, nose and chin), and the rest of your face feels either normal or tight, then you have COMBINATION skin.

Skin Care Tips for Combination Skin Type:

• You’ll want to stay away from the same ingredients as oily and dry skin, such as alcohol-based products.
• The name of the game with combination skin is balance. Isolate problem areas with spot treatments and use toners or balancing cream to even out the skin.

Watch Kavita telling you all about your combination skin and how to take care of it, with a simple routine!

OUTCOME 4: If your skin shows none of the above signs and if you can’t relate to any of the peculiarities of the other skin types, then you have NORMAL skin.

Skin care tips for Normal Skin Types:

• Thankfully, with normal skin, you experience almost no sensitivity, dryness or oiliness.
• Your skin can withstand most ingredients so you can go ahead and experiment with cleansers, moisturizers and masks until you find exactly what works for you. 

Though being easy to take care of, there are still some important things to remember when it comes to normal skin, watch Bindu tell you things you didn’t know about your well-balanced, normal skin.

Or, follow this step-by-step skincare routine for your normal skin

CONCLUSION

So the next time you wash your face, remember to take this quick test if you already haven’t. Going forward, not only will you choose products carefully but you’ll understand your skin and its needs better.

Although, remember that your skin’s needs can change over time. Your skin could be affected by the environment it’s in, the products you use, your stress levels, hormonal changes, diet, and more. Keeping the health of your skin in mind, you need to identify the changes, determine what adjustments are needed and choose the right products to keep it healthy and happy.

Got more questions about your skin type? Leave them in the comments below and we’ll get back to you!