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How to Figure Out Your Skin Type
There are several factors to consider when putting together a skincare routine, but your skin type, which is largely determined by your genes, is the most important one. Each of the five skin types has its own unique characteristics and requirements, which dictate how you should be caring for your skin.
If you’re unsure about what your skin type is, read on as Vine Vera explains how to figure this out, along with how to meet the needs that your skin type has.
The Fastest Way to Figure Out Your Skin Type
There are a few different methods that you can use to determine your skin type, but the fastest one is as follows:
Start by washing your face with a mild cleanser, such as the Vine Vera Resveratrol Cabernet Mousse Cleanser. This will remove excess sebum, dirt, and other impurities without interfering with your skin barrier. Then, leave your face bare and wait for half an hour.
After this, it’s time to closely examine your skin to see which of the following categories it fits into:
- If your skin looks shiny and feels greasy, then this means that you have oily skin
- If your skin feels tight and dry, or if you notice scaly or flaky patches, then this means that you have dry skin
- Skin that consists of a combination of the above, such as an oily t-zone and dry cheeks, would be classed as combination
- If your skin feels uncomfortable, irritated, or itchy, or if it looks red and inflamed, then this means that you have sensitive skin
- If you don’t experience any of the above issues and your skin feels comfortable and balanced, then your skin type is normal
Other Ways to Figure Out Your Skin Type
While the method above may be the fastest, you may also want to turn to another method if you need some extra confirmation as to what your skin type is.
Another way to test this out is by cleansing your face in the morning and then, at around midday, pressing some clean blotting paper over different areas of your face. Hold the paper up to the light and you’ll be able to see how much oil it has absorbed. The more oil on the paper, the oilier your skin is. On the other hand, if the paper comes away completely dry, then this indicates dry skin.
You could also follow a minimal skincare routine in the morning and then assess your skin come evening. If your skin type is oily, then your skin will likely have a greasy sheen to it at the end of the day. Likewise, dry skin will look and feel dry, whereas sensitive skin will likely appear red and irritated. Some areas being dry and others being oily points to combination skin.
Caring For Your Skin Type
So, now that you’ve figured out your skin type, what comes next?
Well, you now have the information that you need to understand how to care for your skin in the best way possible. Let’s take a closer look at what each skin type requires in order to thrive:
Oily Skin
If your skin type is oily, then this means that your skin is producing more oil than it needs. The oil produced by your skin serves an important purpose when it comes to protection but, if your skin is producing too much of it, then this can quickly lead to clogged pores and breakouts.
Many of the products out there that are designed for oily, acne-prone skin can often make the problem worse. They work by drying up excess oil but they sometimes do this a little too well, stripping away the sebum that comprises the skin’s natural protective barrier and, therefore, leaving the skin vulnerable to damage and dehydration. Once dehydration occurs, the skin tries to compensate by increasing oil production even more. As you can imagine, this will only leave your skin looking even shinier.
To prevent this, it’s important to keep oily skin hydrated and moisturized, without overloading it and contributing even more to clogged pores. This means using lightweight products – hydrating with moisture-binding humectants rather than thick occlusives.
You’ll also need to make sure that you exfoliate your skin two to three times a week. The Vine Vera Resveratrol Vitamin C Peeling would be a great way to do that. This gel-like solution exfoliates the skin with a mixture of mandelic acid and bamboo powder. It will keep your pores clear of blockages while reducing how oily your skin feels in the long run.
Dry Skin
Unlike oily skin, which produces too much oil, dry skin doesn’t produce enough. Since sebum is what conditions, lubricates, and protects the skin, the lack of it can lead to a number of problems. You could experience everything from itching, flaking, and irritation to accelerated skin aging.
When caring for dry skin, your priority should be to make up for that layer of sebum that your skin is lacking. Look for rich creams containing fatty acids and vitamins, such as the Vine Vera Resveratrol Vitamin C Moisturizer. With shea butter, vitamin E, and a long list of complexion-soothing botanical extracts, this cream will leave dry and rough skin feeling soft and silky-smooth.
Another way to give your dry skin the moisture that it’s craving is with face masks. These products are crammed with active ingredients, making them capable of transforming your complexion when used regularly. Hydrating sheet masks would be a great choice for dry skin, but if you want to take things to the next level, try using a leave-on mask, like the Vine Vera Resveratrol Pinot Noir Phyto-Silk Mask. Since this mask doesn’t need to be rinsed or removed, it remains on the skin for an extended period of time. This means that its moisturizing ingredients have more of a chance to soak into your skin.
Combination Skin
Combination skin has elements of both dry and oily skin. Some parts of the face, usually the t-zone, are oily, whereas others, such as the cheeks, are dry. As a result, this can be the trickiest skin type to care for since different parts of your face will need different forms of care.
You can go about this in two ways. The first is to turn to products that can be safely used on both dry and oily skin. The Vine Vera Resveratrol Vitamin C Cleanser is one example. In addition to cleansing your skin, this formula also provides hydration. Meanwhile, chamomile and calendula extracts soothe the complexion.
Alternatively, you could treat each section of your face individually. While you’ll need to use the same cleanser on your entire face, you could then choose to use different serums and creams on the oily and dry areas of your skin. For example, the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum, which contains kojic acid, licorice root extract, peptides, and vitamin C, would be perfect for the oilier parts of your face. You could then complement this by applying the Vine Vera Chianti Skin Restoring Capsules on the drier areas of your face.
Doing things this way will take more time and effort, along with more products. However, it will enable you to take control of your combination skin and bring your complexion back into balance.
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin is a skin type that develops when the skin barrier has been damaged. This prevents the skin barrier from protecting the skin from irritants. Instead of keeping them out, it has no choice but to let those irritants come into contact with your deeper skin cells, resulting in irritation, inflammation, and sensitivities.
The best way to deal with sensitive skin is to use skincare products designed to boost and strengthen the feel of your skin barrier. Peptides and hydrating ingredients do this well, making the Vine Vera Resveratrol Pinot Noir Phyto Silk a great choice. This serum will also tackle the appearance of redness and inflammation, leaving your skin looking calm and happy.
Sun protection is something else worth paying attention to. Although this is crucial for every skin type, those with sensitive skin will be even more vulnerable to sun damage. However, keep in mind that many sunscreens could exacerbate your sensitivities. Look for a formula that, in addition to shielding your skin from UV rays, will also soothe your complexion. This is something that the Vine Vera Resveratrol Cabernet Replenishing Moisture Cream SPF 30, with its infusion of aloe vera, vitamin E, and green tea, excels at!
Normal Skin
Although the term ‘normal’ makes it seem as though this skin type is the most common, the opposite is actually true. Instead, normal skin, which refers to skin that’s perfectly balanced and hydrated, is pretty rare.
This isn’t a bad thing – in fact, it’s anything but. Normal skin is the easiest skin type to care for since there aren’t any major skin problems that you need to address. Instead, all you need to do is focus on maintaining your skin’s natural harmonious balance.
To do this, make sure that your skincare routine covers all of the basics. Start by cleansing and then toning. The Resveratrol Cabernet Toner would be a fantastic addition to your skincare routine due to how hydrating and balancing it feels. It will also prep your skin so that it feels more receptive to any other products that you apply. This will make your entire skincare routine more effective!
Once you’re done toning, apply a hydrating serum and then follow up with a moisturizer. Choose a cream that’s not too heavy but not too light, such as the Vine Vera Vitamin C Moisturizer. It’s packed with antioxidants that will leave your skin glowing!
Summary
While you could go ahead and put together a skincare routine without knowing your skin type, there’s a good chance that the products that you use will fail to be effective and, even worse, could end up damaging your skin. Spending a bit of time figuring out what your skin type is will go a long way in helping you pick products that cater to your skin’s needs. The result will be skin that looks and feels beautifully happy, healthy, and balanced!
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