The five main skin types are normal, dry, oily, combination (dry and oily), and sensitive. Your skin type is usually predetermined by genetics. Environmental factors like sun exposure, hormonal changes, and health conditions can also influence your skin type.
1. Normal skin
Normal skin has balanced oil and hydration, so it does not feel too dry or oily. If you have a normal skin type, you typically will not deal with acne breakouts or be sensitive to skin care products. You probably have normal skin if you have clear, smooth, and hydrated skin.
2. Dry skin
Dry skin, also called xerosis or xeroderma, does not have enough hydration or the ability to retain moisture. People with dry skin experience rough, tight, flaky, or itchy skin. Skin conditions like rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis can also cause excessively dry skin.
3. Oily skin
Oily skin produces excess sebum, oil produced by the sebaceous glands in your pores. If you have oily skin, your skin often looks shiny or greasy. These skin types are also more acne-prone because excess sebum can clog pores. You probably get shine, pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads if you have oily skin.
4. Combination skin
Combination skin is both oily and dry. If you have combination skin, some areas of your skin lose moisture too quickly and dry out, while other areas produce excess sebum and feel oily. Typically, oily skin is on the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin), and dry skin is on the cheeks.
5. Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin has a broken-down skin barrier, causing itching, stinging, or burning, especially after using certain products. You may also experience redness, swelling, peeling, and rough patches. This skin type is not fully understood, but it is likely caused by certain climates, products, or underlying health conditions.
How to care for your skin
Every skin type needs a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Tailoring your skincare routine to your specific skin type can help improve your skin health.
Normal skin
If you have normal skin, you can do a bare minimum skincare routine that includes:
• Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water.
• Use a moisturizer to hydrate your skin.
• Apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 every morning.
Dry skin
Dry skin craves moisture, so you want your skincare routine to add moisture back to your skin barrier. If you have dry skin, follow these steps:
• Wash your face with a moisturizing cleanser or an oil-based cleanser.
• Use thick cream or oil-based moisturizers with ingredients like ceramides and glycerin to repair the skin barrier and lock in moisture.
• Apply sunscreen with at least 30 SPF every morning. See a dermatologist if your dry skin is caused by a skin condition like eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis.
Oily skin
Oily skin needs help balancing oil production. You will also need to avoid products that can clog your pores. To help treat acne and reduce oil production, your skincare routine can include:
• Wash your face with a gentle, oil-free cleanser.
• Use toners with astringent ingredients like salicylic acid or witch hazel, which reduce excess oil.
• Apply a serum or acne treatment with ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide to help clear out pores and remove oil from the surface of the skin.
• Use a retinol or prescription retinoid at night to help stimulate skin cell turnover and reduce breakouts.
• Apply oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizers or lightweight gel moisturizers with hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin without clogging pores.
• Apply sunscreen with at least 30 SPF every morning.
Combination skin
Caring for combination skin includes keeping dry areas hydrated and oily skin balanced. You may have to get creative by applying acne products to your oily, acne-prone areas and thick moisturizers to dry areas. A skincare routine for combination skin may include:
• Wash your skin with a gentle, oil-free cleanser.
• Use a serum or acne treatment with ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide for oily, acne-prone areas.
• Apply thick cream moisturizers with ceramides and glycerin to dry areas and lightweight gel moisturizers to oily areas.
• Apply sunscreen with at least 30 SPF every morning.
Sensitive skin
Since sensitive skin is easily irritated, you want your skincare routine to help calm red, itchy skin. Your routine should also help prevent future skin reactions. Follow this routine if you have sensitive skin:
• Wash your skin with a gentle, soap-free, and fragrance-free cleanser.
• Avoid any skincare, beauty products, and laundry detergents with fragrance.
• Apply a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic moisturizer with hydrating hyaluronic acid and skin-repairing ceramides.
• Use over-the-counter (OTC) hydrocortisone creams on inflamed skin.
• Apply a hypoallergenic or mineral-based sunscreen with at least 30 SPF every morning.
