How to determine your skin type – A beauty therapist’s guide

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How to determine your skin type?

 

Knowing your skin type is not that tricky; you just need to evaluate how your skin looks and feels. Focus on your skin’s qualities, such as your pores and the overall look.

Typically a beauty therapist can help you to determine your skin type. Luckily I happen to be one! Knowing your skin type has massive benefits; it basically means it’s easier to find suitable products that work.

quide to determining your skintype & different skintypes

How to determine your skin type?

To determine your skin type, take a look at your bare skin. Can you see your pores clearly and what’s their size? Are there impurities and if so, what kind? Does your skin look dry or shiny? If your pores are large or there are impurities, you most likely have combination or oily skin. If you can see some flaking or wrinkles, you’re most likely dry.

There are four skin types: Normal, dry, combination and oily.
Now you might think, wait, what about sensitive skin or acne? Sensitive skin is actually not a skin type, it’s more of a feature. You can be sensitive to some ingredients. And acne is a skin condition, which I’m a little too familiar with, especially hormonal acne. You can read more about my acne struggles here.

I should also note that your skin type or your skin’s qualities can and will change with age, as your skin produces less collagen, oils and sebum. In other words, your skin gets more dry and loses firmness.

This means that mature skin is not a skin type per se, it’s just your skin type except more dry. Products advertised for mature skin are usually creamy and nourishing. What that means is that choosing mature skin’s cream (“anti-age cream”) for dry skin might be the right choice and vice versa.

how to determine skin type cheat list
Cheat list for determining your skin type; evaluating the skin.

Different skin types and their characteristics

Your next read: How to build a skincare routine for all skin types

NORMAL SKIN

On normal skin the pores are very small or not visible at all. The skin is even and it doesn’t really have impurities, excluding the occasional spot here or there. It can get dry or sensitive on some occasions, but usually there’s no problem with it. I would still recommend taking good care of your skin, because it’s easy to take it for granted.

When it comes to skincare products, you have the most room to play. It all depends on your personal preference and what do you feel your skin needs: more hydration or lighter products? Explore products for normal, combination or dry skin.

COMBINATION SKIN

Probably the most common skin type.

Combination skin is a mix of normal, dry and oily skin. Usually the T-zone is more oily and the pores are visible, but the cheeks are almost normal or even dry. Impurities, enlarged pores and dryness all go within this skin type. With a good skincare routine combination skin can look close to normal – with the exception of enlarged pores, which you can’t really minimize at home.

Combination skin might be prone to breakouts, so a good wash routine is crucial to keep those pores clean. But don’t fool yourself by choosing the most purifying products; oily skin is a different story. Lightweight and hydrating products are the core to your routine. You might benefit from products that contain AHA or BHA, especially if you have impurities. It’s likely that you need different types of products for different occasions (say, lighter products for summer vs. extra moisture for winter).

I have combination skin, so my skincare recommendations on this blog should be helpful to you.

Quick picks for combination skin:
*Patyka Hydra-Booster Serum (+ other Patyka Hydra line products)
*Pura D’Or Organic Argan oil (actually awesome for all skin types)

how to determine your skintype

OILY SKIN

Oily skin has a tendency to impurities. The pores are visible and likely enlarged. Skin gets oily and shiny. Even oily skin can be sometimes dry and sensitive, but the biggest problem is the oil production and impurities.

A good wash is important to keep the pores clean, but don’t overdo it.  A little bit of oil on the skin is a good thing – but more about that below in the dry skin section. You also need to hydrate and moisturize. If you really struggle with impurities, I would definitely recommend adding a purifying serum, that works its magic under your lotion.

I have a blog post for the best moisturizers for oily skin.

Quick picks for oily skin:
Neal’s Yard Remedies Palmarosa products
*The Body Shop Drops of Youth Serum

 

DRY SKIN

An acid mantle is the skin’s barrier, which consists of sebum and sweat. That protects the skin from dryness, bacteria, air pollutants and other external threats. Dry skin type doesn’t produce enough sebum, which is why the skin can appear dry, flaky or dull.  Basically the acid mantle isn’t working properly. Dry skin has small pores or they’re not visible at all.

Feeling like your skin gets tight after a shower is probably all familiar to you. Dry skin demands oil and moisture. It can’t take certain ingredients and it can react to things like weather quite dramatically, since the acid mantle isn’t fully there to take the hit. In other words, dryness can cause redness and sensitivity. There might be the occasional spot here or there, but it’s quite rare.

Your skin can be problematic but with the right products it can almost be perfect. Take good care of your skin, find the right moisturizers and don’t forget to exfoliate too. (Yes, even dry skin needs exfoliating).

I have dedicated a post for dry skin with a lot of product recommendations. You’ll find the best products for dry skin here!

Quick picks for dry skin:
*Clarins Extra Comfort Toning Lotion
*Loccitane Aqua Reotier Ultra-Thirst Quenching Cream

how to determine your skintype

Hopefully you now know how to determine your skin type and were able to learn a thing or two from this post. Let me know if you have any questions.

Make sure to also check out my post on how to build a skincare routine for all skin types. There you’ll find a lot of product recommendations!

 

SKIN 101 – How to build a skincare routine for all skin types

how to build a skincare routine

 

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If you want good skin, you need a skincare routine. Chances are, if you’re oily or combination, it’s the difference between breakouts and clean skin. Your diet, exercise and genes play a part in your skin’s condition, but good skincare does make a difference too. I didn’t win at the gene lottery (actually, I still have hormonal acne), so my skincare routine together with a healthy lifestyle are crucial to me.  My skin doesn’t feel oily or dry and my hormonal acne stays manageable with my routine.

Skincare is more than just washing your face and slapping some lotion on. To me it’s self care, pampering myself and feeling good in my own skin.

I created a skincare routine that works for all the different skin types: Normal, Dry, Combination and Oily.

skincare routine all skintypes

Different skintypes & how to determine your skintype?

If you don’t know your skin type, check out my post: How to determine your skintype
Then it’s easy to choose products that are meant for your skin.

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Basic skincare routine for all skin types

Here is a basic skincare routine for all skin types, with different product options depending on your skin.

If you have oily skin, you can check out the best moisturizers for oily skin here. And if you have dry skin, check out this dry skin post for even more product recommendations.

simple skincare routine

 

 

Here is what your skincare routine should look like in the evening. If I were to simplify it even more, it would consist of double cleansing, toner and lotion. But if there’s any problem with your skin, I really recommend using a serum. You’ll also benefit from using an oil. Argan oil actually works for battling different skin problems too.

Evening skincare routine steps & product recommendations

  1. Makeup remover
    *
    Makeup eraser  all skintypes
  2. Cleanser
    *Lavera Hydro Effect Cleansing Balm  normal, combination & oily skin
    *Lumene Valo Balm Cleanser   normal and dry skin
  3. Toner
    *
    Pixi Glow Tonic   normal, combination & oily skin
    *Clarins Extra Comfort Toning Lotion   normal and dry skin
  4. Serum
    *
    The Body Shop Drops of Youth Serum  combination & oily skin (+acne)
    *Evolve Beauty Liquid Radiance Glycolic Toner combination & oily skin (+acne)
  5. Oil
    *Pura D’Or Organic Argan oil  all skintypes
  6. Lotion
    *
    Patyka Hydra Intensive Soothing Lotion   dry, normal, combination skin
    *Loccitane Aqua Reotier Ultra-Thirst Quenching Cream dry skin
    *SVR Topialyse Palpebral Irritated eyelids Soothing Cream  eye cream

Tip: You can mix your oil with your lotion to save some time.

how to create a skincare routine

Morning routine is slightly simpler. I like to splash my face with cold water before cleaning my face with a toner. Then I just apply my serums and lotions. I use a lighter cream in the morning, so that it works under makeup too.

Morning skincare routine steps & product recommendations

  1. Toner
    *
    Patyka Soothing Milky Toner all skintypes
  2. Serum
    *
    Patyka Hydra Booster Serum all skintypes
    *Evolve Beauty Hyaluronic serum  all skintypes
  3. Lotion
    *Patyka Hydra Soothing Lotion all skin types
    Loccitane Aqua Reotier Ultra-Thirst Quenching Cream dry skin
  4. Sunscreen
    Madara Plant Stem Cell Age-Defying Sunscreen SPF 30  dry skin
    Alga Maris Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30 normal, combination, oily skin

    (Check out all my favorites: The best natural sunscreens for face)

Tip: if your skin is very oily, you could wash your face with a face cleanser in the morning as well. The Lavera Cleansing Balm is good for that.

Weekly skincare

An exfoliating mask
*Evolve Beauty Radiant Glow Mask normal, combination & oily skin
Evolve Beauty Miracle Mask all skintypes & dry skin

how to take care of your skin skincare routine

Basic skincare routine – a few notes

 

Double Cleansing: Makeup remover & Cleanser

You should always take off your makeup with a makeup remover. I recommend an oil based makeup remover, because it’s gentle but effective in soaking the makeup off. Another good option is makeup eraser, which is a soft microfiber towel. That also removes makeup well and is machine washable.

After you’ve taken off the makeup you need to wash your face to get rid of sweat, excess sebum and dead skin cells.

A toner 

Many people skip toner thinking it’s not important. Guess what – it is! A toner helps to maintain the right ph-balance on your skin and bring some very much needed hydration to the skin. I like acid containing toners in the evening, because they help to brighten up the complexion and keep blackheads at bay. In the morning I like to switch to a hydrating toner.

The importance of serums

A hydrating serum works wonders and suits all skin types. It absorbs deeper into your skin and keeps your skin hydrated and radiant. My favorite hydrating serums contain hyaluronic acid, which helps to absorb water to your skin. I use a hydrating serum in the morning before my lotion.

If there’s any problem with impurities or texture in the skin, I would choose another serum for the night. AHA or BHA containing serums are awesome for oily or combination skin and acne. They really improve the skin’s texture by gently exfoliating the skin with acids. You can use serum as a treatment when needed. TBS Drops of Youth Serum is great when my skin is acting up. Recently I’ve been using Evolve Beauty’s Liquid Radiance Glycolic Toner, which is very effective as well. The morning after I’ve applied it my skin feels very smooth and my redness/impurities have calmed down. It’s a toner, but I would use it as a serum, since it’s a bit too effective for constant use.

Oil

Natural oils are amazing when it comes to moisturizing and treating the skin. Argan oil is non comedogenic and it works for all skin types – even acne. I always mix oil to my lotion and then apply it all over my face and neck. I use oil only in the evening, so that it really has time to work its magic during the night.

Lotion/Cream


To lock all the moisture in, you apply a moisturizer. You can get away with just one, especially if you’re using argan oil (which you can mix in with your moisturizer for the night). But you can also choose a lighter one for day and a creamier one for the night. Most of the time I use two different lotions, but it’s not a necessity.

Don’t forget your eye cream! It should be a different product made for the sensitive eye area. The one I linked is awesome, because it suits irritated eyelids and soothes the skin.

how to build a skincare routine

Radiant skin comes from masking

I really feel like the secret to a radiant happy skin is a weekly mask. Exfoliating masks are the most effective, because they get rid of dead skin cells. Exfoliating makes the other products absorb to the skin better (so it benefits even dry skin). Better yet, your skin feels softer and looks glowy. This step is done only once per week so take it as your personal spa moment – enjoy it!

My absolute favorite masks are from Evolve Beauty and they both work in just 5 minutes. *Radiant Glow mask is a safe bet for everyone and a great option also before a big day (I also recommend it for brides!). It smells like vanilla and exfoliates the skin gently using coconut shell powder.

*Miracle Mask is an awesome even more effective one, that is your salon-like treatment at home. It looks like mango jelly, but is packed with fruit acids that make your skin baby smooth. It doesn’t have those ‘grains’ so I would choose this for dry skin.

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Hopefully this post was helpful to you and not too in-depth. Let me know in the comments!

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