3 Reliable Ways to Determine Your Skin Type : Walking down the skincare aisle at your local drugstore can be a daunting experience. There are so many choices with labels declaring their miraculous potion for the skin. It can be very overwhelming and, frankly, confusing, especially if you’re not sure of your skin type.
If you’ve always had red, patchy skin or oily zones but didn’t know how to treat them, knowing your skin type will allow you to choose the products customized to that specific skin type. Your skin type can change over time and even during the seasons. The best product for your skin in the cold, winter months may not work as well for your skin in hotter months.
Finding the right products for a beauty regimen is trial and error, but knowing your skin type can put you in the aisle, at least.
What’s Your Skin Type?
Before you can find your type, you have to know what the different choices are. There are five main skin types. Each one has recognizable signs but not all skin products are right for every type. In some cases, such as with sensitive skin, it can be an indication of an underlying medical problem. The 5 common types of skin are:
- Normal
- Oily
- Dry
- Combination (Dry and Oily
- Sensitive
You can easily and reliably test your skin type using one of the following three methods.
1. The Blot Test
The blot sheet method is a fast way to determine if your skin is oily or dry. It is best done on a clean, dry face before applying any type of skin products, including moisturizer. The test can be done within minutes.
Press a clean piece of blotting paper on the forehead and nose areas of your face. Hold the blotting sheet up to the light. How much oil is visible will help determine if your skin is dry or oily. The more oil you see, the more likely it is that you have oily skin. If you see minimal oil, then you have normal skin. The absence of any oil indicates dry skin.
2. Take a quiz
There are lots of online quizzes with brief questions to help you determine your skin type. Many of the quizzes present the descriptions of the type and ask which ones best match your unique skin situation.
A few of the different skin types are self-explanatory. If your makeup brushes often have an oily residue, you likely suspect you have oily skin already. However, it can be difficult to determine how much oil is too much. The most important skin type information includes the types of skincare products that should be staples in your skincare routine.
3. The Clean Skin Method
The clean skin method of determining skin type takes a little longer than the quiz and blot test. Once your face is clean of any products, there’s a 30-minute lapse between the facial cleansing and the appearance of oil.
Once 30 minutes have passed, examine your face for oil. If your face is particularly shiny, your skin type is oily. If you don’t see much oil after 30 minutes, wait another 30 minutes to see how your face feels. If your face feels tight, your skin type is dry.
Your Skin Type Determines Your Skin Care Ritual
Before you can tackle your skin problems, you need to know what type of skin you have. You don’t have to make an appointment with a dermatologist to find out the answer. These tried-and-true methods are a reliable way to determine your skin type.
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