Recognizing your skin type is the first step to creating a personalized skincare program that meets your needs.
The skin is the largest organ of our body, it protects us from external agents and makes us recognizable from everyone: did you know that every skin is unique and has its own characteristic odor?
Skin type is mainly determined at the genetic level, but the condition of the skin can be influenced by several factors such as :
- age
- change of season
- time of day
- diet
- stress
- hormones
How to recognize your skin type?
To get a first idea of your skin type you can do a very quick and easy test .Take a cotton pad and wipe it over your dry face : if there are traces of oil on the pad, your skin is probably oily or combination. If the pad remains clean, you probably have normal or dry skin.
We can then do a more in-depth test to recognize the skin type .
I recommend doing this test when you are at home relaxing, on a cool day where you are not likely to sweat.
Cleanse your face with cleansing milk, so as not to dry your skin. Rinse thoroughly and pat your skin dry. Do not apply anything to your face for 30 minutes and proceed to observe your skin.
How to recognize oily skin?
You can recognize oily skin by the widespread layer of sebum that makes it oily.
You can recognize this type of skin like this:
- it is greasy to the touch and leaves an oily residue on the fingers;
- there are blackheads, whiteheads and pimples all over the face;
- the pores are dilated and clearly visible;
- the skin is dull and opaque.
Oily skin can be of different types, with different needs and characteristics.
Oily seborrheic skin
In this type of skin, sebum production is intense and continuous and leads to dilation of the pores, especially on the cheeks and cheekbones, which generates an "orange peel" skin.
If you have this type of skin, a medical consultation is necessary to understand what is causing the hyperproduction of sebum . Once you understand the origin of the problem, it will be easy to understand the right path to solve it at the root.
Oily greasy skin
Even in this type of oily skin, sebum production is increased, but it is a fluid and oily sebum that gives the skin a shiny appearance. In these cases, you can use a skincare for oily skin with an abstinent, purifying and sebum-regulating action.
Impure oily skin with acne proneness
In this type of skin, there is an imbalance in the skin microbiota and the "good" bacteria are unable to counteract the action of pathogenic bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes, the bacterium responsible for acne.
In this case I recommend a skincare product for acne-prone skin, which purifies the skin and reduces inflammation.
Combination skin
In the case of combination skin, we find areas on the face with different characteristics: there are areas that tend to be oily (the famous "T-zone": forehead, nose, chin) and dry areas. In the T-zone, the skin appears shiny and tends to form blackheads and impurities; on the cheeks, however, the skin is dry and tight and rosacea may be present.
Skincare for combination skin includes soothing products for the entire face and localized treatments with a purifying action such as pure active ingredients and boosters.
Oily asphyxiated skin
Asphyxiated skin produces waxy, compact sebum that cannot escape from the follicles. The surface layer of the skin appears dry and lacking in hydration; the occlusion of the follicles causes the accumulated sebum to form whiteheads, pimples or sebaceous cysts. Asphyxiated skin is difficult to recognize, precisely because of the contrasting symptoms: dry to the touch, but impure, shiny and oily.
Asphyxiated skin can be caused by hormonal disorders, an incorrect lifestyle or even the use of cosmetics that are not suitable for your skin or a skincare routine that is too aggressive. Skincare for asphyxiated skin is delicate but enriched with exfoliating and balancing active ingredients, to combat skin thickening, accumulations of dead cells and impurities.
How to recognize dry or sensitive skin?
You can recognize dry skin by the sensation of skin that "tightens" after cleansing; this type of skin needs to be nourished and protected with the right cosmetics, since the amount of sebum it can produce is not enough to keep it elastic and healthy.
Dry skin can be of two different types:
- dehydrated skin , caused by the lack of natural hydrating factors, which help retain water.
You can recognize it by the feeling of tension on the face and the lack of elasticity, by the dry appearance and the tendency to crack. It can present blackheads and blemishes. -
alipidic skin , caused by the lack of epidermal lipids which form the skin's protective barrier.
You can recognize it by its delicate, thin texture, with almost invisible pores, the sensation of tension and itching. Blackheads and blemishes are very rare, but there may be fine wrinkles and redness due to changes in climate or psycho-physical stress.
The skincare routine for dry skin is gentle, soothing and rich in hydrating active ingredients (such as Hyaluronic Acid and NMF) and ingredients that help the skin restore its natural barrier function.
Sensitive skin is a reactive and delicate skin, which often presents redness, irritation and rashes. All it takes is the wrong cleanser to irritate the skin and feel uncomfortable.
The skincare routine for sensitive skin includes hydrating products, but above all nourishing and soothing, with ingredients that actively protect it from stress.
How to recognize normal skin?
Normal skin is very rare among adults, due to hormonal influences, hectic lifestyles, poor diet and many other factors that, as we have seen, affect the health of the skin.
Normal skin is skin that does not present any of the problems we have seen for oily skin or dry skin: the production of sebum is regular, the skin does not tighten and appears smooth and even. Even after cleansing it remains soft, the pores are of normal size and imperfections are rare and occasional.
Skincare for normal skin is gentle and hydrating, to preserve the natural well-being of your skin.
Now that you know your skin type, it's time to find the right skincare routine for you .
