Facial skin types: How to identify yours and find the right skincare?
A dermatologist or cosmetologist can most accurately determine your skin type, but you can also do it yourself to some extent to understand which skincare products are most suitable. To determine your facial skin type, first thoroughly cleanse your skin and allow it to rest for several hours without any cosmetics. Then, in good lighting, examine your skin in the mirror, using a tissue to assess the oiliness.
Normal skin has virtually invisible pores and they are not clogged. After washing your face with water, there is no tightness. In reality, normal skin is very rare. However, even though skin may be considered normal, it must be properly cared for as its condition can change with age and lifestyle. Note that nowadays, normal skin is rare, especially for those living in urban environments where pollution and stress, such as high information load and irregular lifestyle, are common.
Dry skin has barely visible pores (although everyone can see some on their nose) not on the forehead, cheeks, or chin. After sauna and steam treatments, or after sports, there is often a feeling of tightness. It is sensitive, may be thin, and lacks shine. Cleansing should be done with cleansing oils, such as Oil-To-Milk facial cleansing oil, applied to dry skin before washing to avoid prolonged contact with water.
Oily skin usually has visible pores, larger or smaller, which may also be present in specific areas, as with Combination skin (prominent pores in the T-zone - forehead, nose, and chin, but almost invisible pores on the sides of the face). There is no tightness after washing. Oily skin may have blockages or an orange peel texture - large pores, and the face shines all the time, both morning and evening. Prolonged oily skin tends to thicken. Signs of aging appear later on oily skin compared to dry skin, but it does not look as good in youth. Oily skin requires very gentle gel cleansing, avoiding the common mistake of over-cleansing. It is safer to wash twice with a mild cleanser, avoiding anything with “sulfate” in its name, as the irritating nature of sulfates, especially for oily skin, becomes evident only after years when the skin's foundation is already significantly damaged.
Dehydrated skin is not a skin type but a skin condition and can affect any skin type. Sometimes it is mistakenly thought that flaking skin is dry when it is actually dehydrated. Dry skin lacks natural oils, but not water. Even oily skin can be dehydrated due to lack of moisture. Signs of dehydrated skin include itching, a grayish tone, fine lines, and sensitivity or oiliness as the skin tries to cover its surface and reduce water evaporation.
Couperose skin, or rosacea, is red, dry, thin, sensitive, with a thin epidermal layer through which blood vessels are visible. Under unfavorable conditions, blood vessels expand, causing increased redness on the face. The main factors for couperose skin are heredity, environment, and lifestyle. Professional makeup artists often note that almost everyone has some signs of rosacea, largely due to improper skin care, lack of routine, and the belief that washing the face with just water in the morning is sufficient, which is not the case for city dwellers.
Stages of couperose or rosacea:
Stage 1: Redness episodes appear occasionally, becoming more frequent over time, leading to central facial redness and itching. This stage can last several years before progressing.
Stage 2: Chronic redness and inflammation with pimples forming on cheeks, chin, or around the eyes (ocular rosacea). The skin loses water, becomes dry, stings, and pustules may form, also known as acne rosacea.
Stage 3: Phymatous rosacea, which is relatively rare, developing over 10-25 years, characterized by significant enlargement of the nose or chin, more common in men.
Stage 4: Describes diffuse redness and severe flushing episodes. Common complaints include a stinging, burning sensation in the skin, indicating heightened skin sensitivity due to improper cosmetic choices and long-term use of addictive skincare products.
Acne symptoms are similar to rosacea, but unlike rosacea, acne involves clogged pores, and the skin is more likely to be oily than dry, and does not leave scars. Acne has various types but commonly manifests as open and closed comedones (whiteheads and blackheads) on the face, neck, chest, and back. In moderate to severe cases, redness, papules, and pustules appear.
The causes of dermatitis are varied, and so are the types of dermatitis. The manifestations of dermatitis are mostly similar – skin redness, itching, and tingling, sometimes accompanied by skin swelling, peeling, and burning sensations.
Atopic dermatitis is most commonly a problem in children – it is characterized by the formation of dry skin patches, redness, and swelling, as well as slight peeling of the upper skin layers.
Seborrheic dermatitis is most often associated with metabolic or nervous system disorders and is more common in adults aged 30-40, affecting the scalp, eyelashes, face, and around the nose as skin redness accompanied by rashes and light scales.
Contact dermatitis occurs when coming into contact with one of the contact allergens – chemicals, cosmetics, poisonous plants. Very often, atopic dermatitis patients also develop contact dermatitis, and the doctor cannot differentiate it, so it is not always necessary to start treatment with medical preparations; it is essential to understand what caused the inflammation.
Perioral dermatitis is often observed and is sometimes referred to as a “groomed women’s disease.” Using various beauty and cosmetic products daily can cause irritation characterized by small rashes around the mouth and nose. Periocular dermatitis can also develop, which is caused by allergies to substances in mascara or eyeshadow and manifests as eyelid swelling, redness, itching, and tingling.
To help people understand which products to buy according to their current facial skin type or condition, LABRAINS has developed and prepared instructions on the best products to use: LABRAINS Skincare Guide. Write or call LABRAINS specialists to receive free consultations for the care of various skin types.
