Identifying Your Skin Type

I've always thought that my skin is normal to combination all these while. In fact, I thought that this will always be my permanent skin type! In fact, I was wrong. Skin type do change season to season and as you age.

My skin type currently is combination and sensitive skin. I had many beauty advisors giving me 'multiple' diagnosis all the years. One would tell me that I have combination skin, the other will then say that I have dehydrated skin. One would say that I have normal skin. Usually it's between these three. But surprisingly, to date, only one told me that I have sensitive skin as well. ( and she is right ).

How do know that I have sensitive skin? I have the tendency to blushing to skin flushing when exposed to temperature change and I do experience stinging or burning reactions when using certain skin products. To some severity, I do develop some tiny skin bumps if the reaction is bad. Overly dry skin is also one of the symptoms of one having sensitive skin. We often misinterpret the dry skin condition and concludes that we have dehydrated skin type as a whole but not knowing that it is part of the signs of having sensitive skin.

I think many of us are still uncertain on what type of skin type that we have. We are so often influenced by what other tells us. Honestly, the best person to know your skin type is only YOU. I think no one can understand our skin better except ourselves.

Determining which skin type your skin matches is an important step in proper and healthy skin care. For example, you do not want to pursue a skin care regiment or use skin care products for oily skin if you have dry skin. In addition, if you have sensitive skin, then you need to pay closer attention to the type of products being used on your skin to avoid possible allergic skin reactions.

NORMAL SKIN 

The characteristics of an individual with a normal skin type are:

• skin texture is even, soft, smooth, and plump
• the skin is reasonably firm to the touch
• the skin has good elasticity
• no red or dark patches on the skin and the skin color is fairly even
• pores of the skin are small to medium in size
• blemishes are uncommon
• in general the skin neither feels too oily or too dry
• most quality skin care products do not irritate the skin
• overall the skin looks vibrant and healthy

OILY SKIN 

The first type of problem skin is oily skin. An individual with oily skin may have the following skin features:

• shiny or slippery skin appearance, especially on the forehead, nose, and chin (the T-zone)
• skin is course, overly firm, and thicker, beyond that of normal skin
• pores are large and visible
• pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and other acne blemishes are present or frequently appear
• after washing, skin gets an oily build-up after only a couple of hours
• oily film on face is present after sleeping
• for women, make-up foundation only lasts a couple of hours
• flakiness around the nose area may exist due to dried excess oils
• oily skin is slow to develop discolorations such as freckles, fine lines, and wrinkles as the skin ages
• the skin tans easily
• hair is oily

DRY SKIN

Opposite to oily skin, dry skin is another common type of problem skin. The various signs given below identify dry skin:

• flaking of the skin is common
• skin feels tight (especially after washing), looks dull, and is rough
• the skin may have red patches
• in more severe cases, this skin problem will cause cracks in and bleeding of the skin
• fine lines and wrinkles are evident
• skin generally has fine pores
• few acne blemishes are present
• the skin is often itchy
• hair is dry

COMBINATION SKIN

Combination skin is a term used to described skin that can be both oily and dry at the same time. It is perhaps the most common type of problematic skin and looking for the following characteristics can identify it:

• the forehead, chin, and nose are oily (the T-zone area), but the cheeks and skin around the eyes can range from normal to dry
• in another manifestation of combination skin, the skin may be oily along the chin, jaw line, and temples, but dry or normal elsewhere
• skin pores are medium in size
• overall the skin appears normal and healthy, not including those small affected areas that are too oily or dry

SENSITIVE SKIN

Sensitive skin is very troublesome for many individuals. People with this skin type experience the following:

• sensitivity to cosmetics (especially those that are heavily scented)
• rashes or red blotchy patches may develop on the skin with exposure to applied pressure, wind, sun, or temperature changes
• certain skin care products also trigger rashes
• broken blood vessels and capillaries are evident under the surface of the skin
• this problem skin type usually has a fine texture
• skin has fine pores
• sensitivity to the sun

( Source: Healthy Skin Care )

So, have you diagnose your skin type correctly?