Skin Types: Do they exist?

Skin Types: Do they exist?

The biggest misconception many people with problematic skin have is what type of skin they have. I’m often amazed how many people with very oily skin think they have dry skin.

So, do skin types actually exist?

Well, yes and no. Most people do fall into a general category and often knowing which category you fall into helps you figure out your skincare.

The easiest way to figure out what type of skin you have are by identifying key features:

Normal Skin– The vast majority of people who have “amazing” skin are often people who have ‘normal skin’ type. It basically means that your skin is often the same in all parts of your face. You very rarely get any major problems on your skin. You’ve probably only had the odd pimple here and there and never really suffer from dry and flaky skin. You can pretty much put most creams or cosmetics on your skin and you won’t have any issues with it. Many of the “beauty bloggers” have normal skin which is why they can have often seemingly wear many different products with no issues.

Oily Skin– People with oily skin tend to have larger pores. The easiest way to identify oily skin is to ask yourself does your face get shiny? Or, if after a few hours of washing your face when you run a finger on your face, your finger looks a bit shiny.  If you have oily skin, after a few hours your makeup no longer looks ‘fresh’. Not all people with oily skin have acne, but if you are acne prone you almost certainly have oily skin.

Combination skin– This skin type is really mostly a ‘normal’ skin type but with a forehead, nose and chin area that gets a bit shiny after a few hours (i.e. some parts of the face are oily and others are not). You might be more prone to the odd pimple in these areas.

Sensitive Skin– The classic definition for sensitive skin is fair skin that blushes easily. However, I have always disagreed with this definition. I define sensitive skin as skin that easily reacts to products. This can mean that you get dry patches from a new face cream or acne from new makeup. More importantly, your skin tends to react with many things and it takes a lot longer to get back to “normal”.

Dry skin– Skin that is dry simply feels papery to touch and often you need to pile on moisturising creams so your skin doesn’t feel “tight”. Dry skin is the skin most prone to eczema or dermatitis.

So, have you figured out what type of skin you have? Identifying your skin type is key to beginning your journey towards radiant skin.