Written By: Zenani Sizane
Finding the right skincare products for a functioning skincare routine can be difficult if you do not know what to buy or, more importantly, what your skin requires, because it would be a waste of money and product to buy something that ends up exacerbating the skin problems you are attempting to resolve. As a result, I believe that the first step to take before going through the trouble is to first determine what kind of skin type you have, because knowing what your skin needs and also what to avoid for your skin type will make the process of developing a proper and functional skincare routine much easier. This article will explain what a skin type is and how to determine which one you have.
Factors that influence your skin type
When it comes to skin, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Some people have great skin no matter what they do (genetics play a role), while others have skin that changes as frequently as the weather. Environmental changes (sun, weather, pollution), hormones, stress, lack of proper sleep, diet and lifestyle choices (smoking), medication – the signs are literally written all over our faces.
Other factors unique to your skin type include water content, which influences how your skin feels and how bouncy/comfortable it is, oil content, which influences skin softness and glow, and sensitivity levels (to temperature, foods, and skincare ingredients ). It is not just what you put on your skin that affects its mood; all aspects of our daily lives are reflected in our skin. If your body is in balance, so will your skin, but chances are it is not, and your lifestyle can play a role in pushing our skin in one direction or another until it feels and looks out of sorts.
Because of all the advice out there, you may discover that your skin is at one end of the spectrum and is dry or dehydrated, or at the other end, it is overtly oily, spot-prone, or inflamed. Neither option is ideal, but fortunately, by getting to know your own skin and how it reacts to these various factors, you can see how pinpointing any causative factors can prevent your skin from throwing a fit.
While our bodies work extremely hard to keep us in homeostasis (balance), the working conditions we subject it to frequently leave it in need of assistance. If you understand this, you can begin to see a spot or dehydration as a signal from your body, through your skin, that you may need to make some changes to your lifestyle, diet, and products.
The things that irritate us about our skin are exactly what we should be paying attention to and acting on (A classic case of it's not me (skin), it's you, but hormones can play a significant role in your skin's behavior too), Your skin is sending messages, which can manifest themselves in a variety of ways.
The vast majority of people believe they have sensitive skin. However, it is not always that simple. Skin is frequently a combination of types: sensitive and oily, sensitive and dry, or sensitive and dehydrated-combination skin is more than just the oily and dry mix we commonly think of. Our skin type can change on a weekly basis (if we are prone to hormonal fluctuations and are at different stages of life).
Before you start looking in the mirror to analyze your skin type, it is important to first analyze your lifestyle and diet so that you can get a more complete picture of what your skin requires.
Skin types are a result of a combination of our genes (hereditary) and the climate in which we live (environment). This combination of inherited and environmental factors results in three basic categories: normal, dry, and oily. These skin types can range in severity from slightly oily to slightly dry, all the way up to very oily and very dry. Furthermore, it is not uncommon to see a combination of these skin types, which is known as combination skin, with normal to oily and normal to dry being the most common.
These conditions or combinations are most common in the T-zone, which is the area across the forehead, down the nose, and down to the chin. The vast majority of people will fall into one of these three categories, but there are always exceptions to every rule. People frequently misidentify their skin type and are usually off by one of two categories. The best example is among those who have mild oiliness in the T-zone. Some people will tell you that their skin is very oily and that they use an exfoliating cleanser followed by a strong oily skin cleanser every day.
Such a cleansing regimen is far too harsh for this skin type, and the person will frequently have red, irritated skin that is dehydrated (lacking moisture but not oil) due to stratum corneum layer damage. As a result, it is critical to properly evaluate the skin and recommend or use products based on what is seen rather than what is perceived or said.
THE SKIN TYPE TEST
ONCE YOU'VE DETERMINED YOUR EATING HABITS AND LIFESTYLE, TRY THIS SKIN TYPE TEST AT HOME TO DETERMINE WHAT YOUR SKIN TYPE IS:
A variety of skin characteristics determine your skin type:
Elasticity is influenced by water content.
Content of lipids (oil): Softness is influenced
Level of Sensitivity: Influences substance reactivity and tolerability
Step 1: Remove all make-up and cleanse your skin with a gentle cleanser (non-foaming is best).
Step 2: Use a gentle toner or floral water that does not contain alcohol; plain rose water is ideal.
Step 3: For at least two hours, do not apply any moisturizer, facial oil, or serum to the skin.
Step 4: Examine your skin in the mirror, looking for dryness, flakiness, and oily areas. Make a list of what you see and begin matching it to the skin types listed below.
Outcomes (at the end of the day) Skin tone
Do you have an oily or shiny complexion?
Is your T-zone glistening but the rest of your face is matte?
Do you have a little or a lot of oil, flakiness, or redness, or none at all?
Is your skin flaky or congested?
Is your skin irritated, red, or swollen?
If you have time, leave your skin alone for four or five hours to see how much oil there is and where it develops; if you can't go more than two hours without applying moisturizer, it's safe to say you have dry skin (best ingredients for dry skin that won't dry you out); it's also important to note that skin type is distinct from skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea, acne, and allergic reactions.
If you do not trust your judgment or simply cannot figure it out, the next step will be for you to book an appointment with a Dermatologist or a Facialist, not only will they help you determine your skin type but they will prescribe or recommend products that best suited for your skin type.
In the following blog posts, we will unpack each skin type individually, and figure out what is needed to take good of that particular skin type as they have their own individual need.
Until Next Time,
Remember: Hydration is the best step for glow skin.
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