Understanding your skin type is essential for achieving healthy, clear skin and helps you decide which skin care products will work best for your skin. Buying random products and following random tips will not transform your skin. You’ll only be able to create your perfect daily skincare routine after you’ve determined your skin type.
Basically, there are 6 types of skin; Normal, Dry, Oily, and Combination (Dry + Oily) Type. There are also skin types that are Sensitive and Aging/Mature.
Remember that your skin type may fit into a single category/type but can also crossover into multiple categories/types.
Everyone’s skin is different. Like, some men may have dry skin, while others may have oily skin or a combination of the two. So, you can’t just go straight for the product and advice that everyone else is using/following. It would be best if you first determined your skin type.
Before we get into the methods for determining your skin type, let’s first learn about each one.
Different Types Of Skin
As already mentioned above, there are 6 different skin types.
1. Normal Skin
Men with normal skin types have a naturally well-balanced amount of sebum secretion and moisture. Pores are typically small and barely visible. The T-zone (the area of the forehead and nose) is balanced and the skin feels soft and smooth.
Normal skin is effortless to care for. Simply cleanse your face with a good cleanser. Always remember to moisturize your face after cleansing. Also, don’t forget to apply SPF to your skin during the day.
2. Dry Skin
This type of skin feels rough, scaly, and itchy. A lack of sebum production causes your skin to lack lipids, which it requires to retain moisture. These lipids also aid in the protection of your skin from external factors.
The only solution to properly care for dry skin is to moisturize it deeply. Using a good moisturizer on a regular basis will help reduce itchiness and keep dry skin hydrated. It will also result in you feeling your skin less tight and more supple.
3. Oily Skin
People with oily skin will notice this more in their T-zone; the skin will appear and feel greasy, indicating an increase in sebum production.
Excessive sebum production makes oily skin more susceptible to blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and enlarged pores. Oily skin collects a lot of dirt that gets trapped in your skin pores. If not treated properly, this dirt can cause breakouts and result in causing acne.
To control and properly care for your oily skin, you can use a face wash that is formulated with clay. Clay helps reduce the secretion of oils and also deeply cleanses your pores. After cleaning your face thoroughly, you can use a lightweight gel-based moisturizer. This will help in giving your skin the hydration it needs after that deep cleansing process.
4. Combination Skin
When your T-zone is oily, but your cheeks and chin are dry and flaky, you have combination skin. In simple, this type of skin will have both dry and oily areas. Blemishes may also be visible in oily areas. Furthermore, it can be slightly tricky to care for this combination type of skin.
Cleanse your face twice a day and after that, apply a toner to your T-zone to help balance out the production of oil. You can then top it off with a men’s face cream/moisturizer to hydrate the drier parts of your face.
You can also use a charcoal face mask a couple of times a week. This will help you hydrate your skin while ensuring that the pores around your T-zone feel tightened.
5. Sensitive Skin
This type of skin will be mainly sensitive to environmental factors such as dry air, UV light, and wind, as well as stress and other emotional/hormonal factors. Also, if you have skin problems like rosacea, flushed skin, rashes, itchiness, or simply skin reactions to the products, you seem to be a member of the sensitive skin family.
It can be irritating to have itchy, tight, and dry skin. Furthermore, sensitive skin is more prone to problems. So, this type of skin requires extra attention.
However, you don’t need to be too stressed if you have this skin type. Maintaining your skin with a simple routine of cleansing, moisturizing, and toning your face on a regular basis will help you care the sensitive skin in the right way. Also, if you are dealing with breakouts, you can simply treat them with a pimple cream for men.
6. Aging/Mature Skin
As we get older, our skin can change dramatically. The physical structure and appearance will also change. Deeper lines/wrinkles, lack of color, and elasticity are the most visible signs of aging skin. This is due to a decrease in collagen and a reduction in cell regeneration. Pigmentation or brown spots may also appear later on as a result of sun (UV) damage.
We are all aware that this is a natural process. But aren’t there ways to control and care for aging/mature skin?
It is obvious that you must put a proper and right effort in order to look younger. From cleansing your skin, moisturizing it, and protecting it from the sun, you must be careful about the process and the products.
But don’t get too carried away. Let’s keep it simple and straightforward.
Upgrading your facewash, remembering to moisturize your face after cleansing, and getting serious on sun protection while going out in the sun are all sensible choices. Additionally, wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes are to be expected because the skin around the eyes is thin and delicate and is particularly prone to wear and tear. Therefore, it is a must to show your eyes some love by using eye cream for men.
Furthermore, choose an anti-aging cream with hyaluronic acid, retinol, and vitamin C as a top priority to encourage cell renewal and combat skin aging.
Methods To Determine Your Skin Type
Now that you’re aware of the various skin types, you can take action to determine which one you have.
Learn these two quick ways to determine your skin type by yourself at home.
1. The Bare-Faced Method
Gently cleanse your face with a cleanser and pat dry. Allow your skin to breathe. Remember not to apply any additional moisturizers, serums, or treatments.
After 30 minutes, check your cheeks, chin, nose, and forehead for shine. After another 30 minutes, check to see if your skin has dried out, particularly if you smile or make other facial expressions.
If your skin feels tight, it is most likely dry. If you have visible shine on your nose and forehead, your skin type is most likely to be a combination one. And you are most likely to have oily skin if you have shine on your cheeks in addition to your nose and forehead.
2. The Blotting Sheet Method
This method is much faster and can often tell the difference between oily and dry skin.
Gently pat different areas of your face with blotting paper. Then, hold the blotting paper/sheet up to the light to see how much oil is visible. If the sheet picked up little to no oil, you most likely have dry skin. If the blotting sheet shows oil from the brow and nose, you have a combination type of skin. Finally, if the blotting paper/sheet is saturated with oil, you most likely have oily skin.
To sum up
Keep in mind that the needs of our skin change over time, and taking steps to best identify those needs is critical for it to function and look its best. Furthermore, you do not need to use a lot of products to see results. Simply, find the products that are best suited to your skin type.
Additionally, knowing your skin type allows you to choose products designed specifically for that type for the best results. Maintaining your skin’s health and inspecting it on a regular basis to see if any changes to your current skincare ritual are needed will keep it balanced and flawless.
