How do I identify my skin type?

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Skin awareness and seasonal

How do I identify my skin type?

With the perfect skin, care is always such a controversial matter. What works for one person is a guarantee for impurities or intolerances in others. Our skin is as individual as we are. Every skin type has its own special needs. It is therefore important to know your own skin type in order to be able to ideally tailor your care to it. You are welcome to come to the Hautzentrum Wien for a free skin analysis! Please call 01 817 49 93 – 0 to make an appointment.

With the following tips, you can easily determine your own skin type at home.

What does skin type depend on?

There are several factors that affect the texture of the skin. On the one hand, genetics plays a not insignificant role. On the other hand, other characteristics of the skin are influenced by external factors and lifestyle. For example, diet has a significant impact on skin texture. Risk factors such as regular consumption of alcohol and cigarettes or intense UV radiation also dry out the skin and cause it to age more quickly.

Hormone balance is also a factor that influences the appearance of the skin. Young people, for example, are particularly susceptible to acne vulgaris due to their tendency to have hyperactive sebaceous glands.

These skin types exist

The classification of the different skin types is individual. Some dermatologists distinguish three different skin types, while others find several gradations. Here we will distinguish between the following five different skin types:

– Normal skin

– Dry skin

– Oily skin

– Mixed skin

– Sensitive skin

Not a separate skin type but also worth mentioning is mature skin. Over the years, the skin develops a special need for care, which must be balanced with the right care.

The different skin types are described in more detail below. These descriptions should help to identify your own skin type. To get a reliable result, we recommend that you first wash your face with lukewarm water only and then identify your skin type.

Identifying normal skin

“Normal” skin is generally understood to mean balanced skin. The skin is neither too dry nor particularly oily. As a rule, normal skin also has relatively fine pores and good circulation. It feels velvety, soft and supple, is not prone to sensitivity or impurities and has a uniformly fresh, rosy colour.

People with normal skin are usually envied because their skin is relatively easy to care for. A pH skin-neutral wash gel and, if needed, a light day cream with UV protection are usually perfectly adequate for skincare.

Recognising and caring for dry skin

Is your skin usually taut shortly after washing? Without some form of rich care does your skin itch, tighten or even flake? Dry skin does not produce enough moisture and sebum. It lacks lipids and the skin’s natural protective film can no longer be maintained. The result can be unpleasant irritation. The advantage of dry skin, however, is that it has little to no tendency for pimples and blackheads.

To compensate for the lack of moisture, a rich skincare product should be used. Creams with moisturising ingredients are particularly recommended.

Recognising and caring for oily skin

Oily skin produces an excessive amount of sebum. The technical term for this excessive sebum production is seborrhea. There can be various triggers for this, for example, a hormone imbalance. Seborrhea therefore often occurs in connection with puberty or hormonal contraceptives, or the discontinuation of the same. However, genetic predispositions, medications, stress or the use of comedogenic cosmetics can also lead to an increased tendency of the skin to produce sebum.

If the skin is already slightly oily again shortly after washing, you probably suffer from oily skin. This tends to increase impurities, which is why those affected usually suffer particularly. The pores are also usually enlarged and clearly visible and the skin is shiny.

It is important for oily skin to cleanse gently with soaps specially formulated for the skin’s needs. The mistake mostly made is using cleansers to fight pimples that are too aggressive – but these usually aggravate the problem.

Recognising and caring for combination skin

Combination skin has both dry and oily areas, whereby the latter are preferably located in the T-zone, i.e. on the forehead, nose and chin. This is also where pimples and blackheads are more likely to form. The cheeks, on the other hand, are usually relatively dry. This special skin condition usually makes skincare difficult.

It is true that there are some products for combination skin on the market. However, there is no care product that combines both drying and moisturising ingredients in such a way that they exert the right effect on the right skin area. Therefore, it is wiser to resort to different care products for different parts of the skin.

So, use dry skin products for the dry areas like the sensitive eye area and cheeks and cream for the oily skin areas with lighter care for oily skin.

Recognising and caring for sensitive skin

The transition from dry to sensitive skin is fluid. Basically, sensitive skin has the same characteristics as dry skin but here skin irritations, allergic reactions, inflammations or even neurodermatitis can also occur. The production of the skin’s protective film, which is also responsible for important functions such as defence against germs, is disturbed. Here the skin needs special attention and care.

If you have sensitive skin, avoid aggressive or irritating care and cleansing products at all costs. Alcohol-containing cleansing products are taboo. Instead, moisturising ingredients specially formulated for this skin type should be used to provide the right care.

The right type of care for mature skin

Mature skin is not a skin type in the cosmetic sense. Nevertheless, it should be mentioned at this point. Over time, the skin loses moisture and risk factors such as alcohol, nicotine and excessive UV radiation also dry out the skin and cause it to age more quickly. The result is the first wrinkles and reduced skin elasticity. Unfortunately, these processes cannot be stopped completely but you can influence them.

Rehydrating and moisturising skincare products are best suited for this skin type. Also, make sure you have sufficient UV protection!

Conclusion

There are several factors that condition our skin type. However, unlike our fingerprint, for example, skin type is not set in stone and can change throughout life. While people often struggle with oily skin during puberty, they are more likely to have the problem of dry skin as they age. If you know your skin type, you can tailor your daily skincare routine to get the best out of any skin. A healthy lifestyle is also equally good for every skin type!