How to Determine Your Skin Type

There are a lot of products on the market that cater to oily, dry, or sensitive skin types, but how can you know which one you have?

When it comes to determining one's skin type, the majority of people are mistaken. They are completely mistaken regarding whether they have oily or dry skin, as well as whether or not they have sensitive skin.”

It's especially difficult to determine your true skin type because it changes over time and is influenced by factors such as climate, hormones, and diet. Here's how to figure out your skin type, as well as skin care recommendations for cleanser, serum, and moisturiser.

1. Oily skin

Natural oils are secreted by the skin to keep it hydrated, but for oily skin, this process can go into overdrive, especially if they have larger pores.

The larger the pore, the more active the oil glands are, and the more active the oil glands are, the more secretion they will produce. This can cause an oily film to form on your skin during the day, as well as breakouts.

If you discover that you break out when you apply moisturiser or almost anything else, you have oily skin. People with oily skin may have a difficult time selecting a sunscreen that isn't sticky or heavy.

If you have oily skin, you should avoid using thick creams and moisturizers. However, that doesn’t mean you should skip hydration altogether.

We recommend hydrating oily skin with hyaluronic acid, an ingredient found in many moisturizers. Hyaluronic acid helps the skin retain water, without leaving a greasy film on the top layer.

2. Dry skin

If your skin appears dull and lifeless, you most likely have dry skin.

Because dry skin is commonly covered in a layer of dead skin cells, it seems dull. Light reflects in all directions off these rough skin cells, whereas hydrated skin has a smooth surface that reflects light equally, making it appear more radiant.

Dry skin can be caused by a variety of reasons, including sun exposure, hot baths, and over-exfoliating with salicylic or glycolic acid-based products.

In addition, as we age, our skin naturally becomes drier as a result of hormonal changes. It may seem self-evident, but if you have dry skin, the most crucial thing you can do is stay hydrated. The skin will appear younger, plumper, and more radiant simply by hydrating it.

It's best to avoid excessively hot showers and products that contain detergents or sulphates, as they might irritate the skin.

When it comes to moisturising, dry skin prefers a creamier formula over a lotion or gel. In addition to sunscreen, use a cream moisturiser morning and night.

3. Sensitive skin

Skin that is sensitive is prone to irritation. Acne, rosacea, and contact dermatitis, a type of red, itchy rash, are common in people with sensitive skin. Those with sensitive skin are more likely to experience stinging or burning.

People with sensitive skin are more likely to react negatively to certain ingredients, so they should avoid extremely harsh chemicals in all of their beauty products, not just skin care. People with acne, for example, should avoid isopropyl myristate, a common chemical in hair conditioners.

People with sensitive skin should avoid friction, extreme heat, and triggers such as alcohol or stress if they are known to irritate their skin.

Sensitive skin also overlaps with the dry skin type. I consider dry skin to be sensitive as well. When you put something on it, it hurts, burns, or gets red.
Sensitive skin isn't necessarily a permanent condition; it might develop as a result of overscrubbing, overexfoliation, or the use of harsh products.

Most skin isn't as sensitive as you think it is if you use the right products.

Products Recommendations

Cleanser: Axis-Y Quinoa One-Step Balanced Gel Cleanser
Serum: Beauty Of Joseon Calming Serum
Moisturiser: Iunik Beta-Glucan Daily Moisture Cream

4. Combination skin

There’s not a universal definition for combination skin and some dermatologists, think it’s not a true skin type like oily or dry.

Combination skin is oilier on the forehead and nose, where more oil glands are found, and drier on the cheeks. It's common for the area surrounding the mouth to be both dry and oily, as well as more sensitive in general.

If you notice that your T-zone is oilier than the rest of your face, apply a cream designed for oily skin to those areas only. Different products can also be used on the nose and forehead.

You can also switch up your cleansers based on how dry or oily your skin is at different periods of the year or month.

Products Recommendations

Cleanser: Cosrx Low Ph Good Morning Gel Cleanser
Serum: Axis-Y Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum
Moisturiser: Beauty Of Joseon Dynasty Cream

6. Normal skin

Normal skin, like combination skin, is difficult to describe. "Normal" simply refers to what you consider to be normal. There is no such thing as "normal skin" in my opinion. You've got your typical, which might be combination, dry, or oily. Normal skin, if you must categorise it, is skin that can tolerate most things without overreacting. Normal skin has no medical definition, although it could suggest that the skin is healthy and hydrated in general, according to dermatologists.

Normal skin produces just enough sebum to keep the skin hydrated, therefore it's actually oily skin with just enough sebum production to maintain the skin healthy. A better term would be "healthy skin," but that is not a true skin type.

While normal skin varies from person to person, there are some products that I recommend for people who don’t tend to overreact to skin care ingredients.

Products Recommendations

Cleanser: Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser

Serum: Beauty Of Joseon Glow Serum
Moisturiser: Always Be Pure Forest Therapy Ultra Calming Cream

1. Oily skin

2. Dry skin

3. Sensitive skin

4. Combination skin

6. Normal skin

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