Introduction

There are different skin care products that are available on the market for different skin types. However, most people use these products without knowing their skin type. As a result, most people suffer from acne and breakouts. To help you out, we will discuss the different types of skin and how you can take care of your skin.

Why is it important to know your skin type?

When you know the characteristics of your skin type, you will be able to know how to address its needs. For example, if you have oily skin, you must avoid heavy moisturisers and instead go for light creams. Due to all these reasons, it is important to know your skin type.

How can you know your skin type?

To know your skin type, you need to start observing. You can do two tests at home to understand and identify your skin type. Usually, these tests do not take more than ten minutes.
Initially, you have to clean your face with the help of a gentle cleanser that can enable you to pat it dry in a gentle manner. After resting for 30 minutes, start examining your skin. In case your skin looks shiny, it means that you have oily skin. On the other hand, if your skin looks tight or flaky, it means that you have dry skin. If your skin appears hydrated, you have normal skin, and if you have combination skin, your T-zone will appear shiny.

What are the different skin types?

1. Normal Skin

Cerave says that normal skin refers to the type of skin that is neither too dry nor too oily. If you have a normal skin type, you will not experience any flakiness or breakouts. There will not be any severe sensitivity, and your pores will not be very visible. In addition, your skin will have a smooth texture.
Normal skin also refers to a skin type that is healthy and is hydrated well. It produces adequate sebum for hydration that retains its healthiness. To take care of normal skin, you need to use a face cleanser, a non-irritant BHA or AHA exfoliant, a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and a moisturiser that soothes your skin.
Do not skip your sunscreen just because you have normal skin, as otherwise, your skin will suffer from sun damage. In order to prevent signs of ageing, you must use a moisturiser suitable for your skin type diligently. This will ensure that your skin remains radiant at all times.

2. Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is extremely fragile and reacts quickly to stimuli, according to Almirall. People with sensitive skin usually experience itching, tightness, and redness on their skin. Such skin types do not have a protective skin barrier, which makes it easy for irritants and microorganisms to target the skin. This makes it prone to allergies and other infections. Because of this, sensitive skin requires intensive care.
If you have sensitive skin, your skin may suffer from dermatitis, rosacea, or acne. Thus, you can also get itchy, red rashes. For this, you will most often have a burning and tingling sensation. Taking care of sensitive skin primarily involves avoiding certain harsh ingredients that are present in most beauty products. Like, some hair conditioners have isopropyl myristate that you must avoid. Moreover, you need to avoid excessive heat and friction on your skin.
Sensitive skin is not a skin type that is permanent. Your skin can become sensitive if you over-exfoliate or over-scrub, which further strips the protective barrier of your skin. Do not try to irritate your skin. Hence, you will have to use a gentle face wash if you want your sensitive skin to turn into healthy skin quickly.

3. Oily Skin

As per WebMD, if you have oily skin, your skin will have large pores, blemishes, pimples, and blackheads. Additionally, if you have oily skin, you will have a shiny or dull complexion. Oily skin usually occurs due to puberty, hormonal changes, humidity, heat, and stress.
Stress makes your body release hormones such as cortisol which makes your skin oily. Thus, your skin becomes more prone to breakouts and acne. For taking care of your oily skin, you need to wash it at least twice a day, use a cleanser, avoid scrubbing, and not squeeze, pick, or pop your pimples. Otherwise, it will take your skin a long time to heal.

4. Dry Skin

Dry skin appears scaly, flaky, and rough. It looks less elastic and tight. Due to this, you will be able to notice fine lines on your skin. Mostly, dry skin has some dullness because of the presence of dead skin cells. Exposure to the sun, hot showers, and over-exfoliation with glycolic and salicylic acids can make your skin dry. Over exfoliation can remove the essential oils from your skin, which takes away the moisture.
In order to take care of your dry skin, you need to hydrate your skin. You must avoid products that comprise sulfates and detergents that can make your skin even more irritated.

5. Combination Skin

Combination skin refers to the kind of skin that changes with each season. For instance, in the summer, your skin can appear oily, and in the winter, it can appear to be dry. It is because when you have combination skin, in summer, the oil secretion can increase and in winter, it can decrease.
You can use different cleansers alternatively for different seasons. For instance, you need to use cleansers that keep your skin hydrated in the winter. On the other hand, for the summer season, you can use cleansers that eliminate excess oil from your skin.

Conclusion

If you want to give your skin the right care that it needs, you need to recognize your skin type. There are five types of skin- normal skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, dry skin, and combination skin. You will need to incorporate a cleanser, exfoliant, and face wash, keeping in mind your skin type. This will help to keep your skin healthy.