Each skin type has its own characteristics that define and differentiate them from the others. Here in this blog we will give you all the information you need to determine what your skin type is.
Before we start you should know that there are four basic skin types: normal, dry, oily and mixed. Your skin type is determined by your genetics. However, the state of our skin can vary considerably depending on various internal and external factors to which it is subjected.
Each skin is a world and is changing…
NORMAL SKIN
It is soft and firm to the touch. It does not present areas with excess oil or absence of hydration. The scientific term for a healthy skin is eudermic. Normal skin is well balanced: it is not too oily or too dry.
“Normal” is a widely used term to refer to a well-balanced skin. Although es the T zone (forehead, chin and nose) may be somewhat oily, sebum and humidity are balanced and the skin is not too oily or too dry.
How to identify a normal skin?
A normal skin has:
- Fine pores
- Good blood circulation
- Velvety texture, soft and smooth: a velvety, soft and smooth texture is a sign of a healthy and radiant skin.
- Consistent transparency of a pink and fresh color
- Absence of impurities
- It is not prone to sensitivity
As a person with normal skin ages, their skin become more dry.
Tips on how to take care of normal skin:
- Clean your face in the morning and the night.
- Gently exfoliate twice a week as to remove impurities and dead skin cells.
- Use anti-aging creams and moisturizing products.
- Use a specific cream for the eye area.
DRY SKIN
Does your skin look rough and peeling? Dry skin lacks hydration and lipids (oils). As a result, the skin loses elasticity, feels tighter, and in many cases, tends to sting. It is susceptible to external environmental factors and tends to react irritably. “Dry” is used to describe a type of skin that produces less sebum than a normal skin. As a consequence of the lack of sebum, dry skin lacks the lipids it needs to retain moisture and form a protective shield against external influences.
Dry skin (xerosis) exists in varying degrees of intensity and in different ways that can not always be clearly distinguished from each other.
Causes of dry skin:
- The skin’s moisture is a result from the water in its deeper layers and perspiration.
- The skin constantly loses water by:
- Transpiration: Active loss of water from the glands, caused by heat, stress and activity.
- Transepidermal water loss (TEWL): Natural and passive process in which the skin spreads about half a liter of water a day from the deepest layers of the skin.
- The dryness of the skin is caused by a lack of:
- Natural moisturizing factors (NMF): Especially urea, amino acids and lactic acid, which helps fixate water.
- Epidermal lipids, such as ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol, which are necessary for a healthy function of the skin barrier.
Tips on how to take care of dry skin:
- Consume at least 2 liters of water per day, to help moisturize your skin from the inside.
- Use sunscreen, serums and moisturizers.
- Avoid products with an alcohol base and sulfates.
- Do not use hot water to bathe or clean your face.
As a result, the function of the skin barrier may deteriorate. A feeling of tightness and rough skin often indicate the presence of a dry skin. Elderly women with dry skin present more wrinkles and pronounced lines.
Dry skin ranges from skin that is somewhat drier than normal to extremely dry skin. The differences can usually be distinguished as follows:
If the dryness is not treated, the skin may present:
- Slight flaking or lamellar patches
- Rough appearance or full of spots (sometimes the skin seems prematurely aged)
- Feeling of tightness
- Possible itching
- It is also more sensitive to irritation, redness and the risk of infection
Extremely dry skin
- Certain body areas – especially hands, feet, elbows and knees are more likely to:
- Roughness
- Quartered appearance with tendency to form ragades (cracks)
- Callosities
- Peeling
- Frequent itching
- Extremely dry skin is more common in older adults or severely dehydrated hands.
- Internal and external factors can alter the skin’s hydration capacity.
- The soles of the feet tend to dry and crack.
OILY SKIN
“Oily” is used to describe a type of skin with increased production of sebum. The overproduction of sebum is known as seborrhea. With special antibacterial products for cleaning and skin care, you can restore the natural balance of your skin.
The causes of oily skin:
- A certain number of situations trigger the overpopulation of sebum: genetics
- Changes and hormonal imbalances
- Medication
- Stress
- Comedogenic cosmetics (makeup products that tend to cause irritation)
- Oily skin tends to present impurities
How to identify different types of oily skin?
Oily skin is characterized by:
- Enlarged pores, clearly visibles
- Shininess
- Thickened and pale skin: blood vessels may not be visible.
- Oily skin is prone to blackheads (blackheads and whiteheads) and various forms of acne. Mild acne creates a significant amount of blackheads on the face and also frequently on the neck, shoulders, back and chest. In moderate and severe cases papules are created (small protuberances without a white or black head) and pustules (protuberances of medium size with a noticeable white or yellow spot at the center) and the skin becomes red and inflamed.
- Oily skin can be characterized by the presence of enlarged and visible pores.
- Acne problems frequently appear in the T zone and especially in the stage of puberty.
Tips on how to take care of oily skin:
- Use special antibacterial cleaning products
- Avoid using oil-based cleansers, use those from Conffianz.
- Clean your face twice a day to prevent sebum from accumulating
- Use products that contain activated carbon, since they absorb impurities very well
- Avoid rubbing your skin as this generates more oil
MIXED SKIN
Mixed skin is, as the name suggests, a skin that consists of a mixture of skin types, In mixed skin, skin types vary in the T zone and cheeks.
What is a mixed skin?
In mixed skin, skin types vary in the T zone and in the cheeks. The so-called T zone can differ considerably, from a very thin area to an extended zone.
Mixed skin is characterized by:
- Oily T zone (forehead, chin and nose)
- Enlarged pores in this area, perhaps with some impurities
- Cheeks between normal and dry
- An oily T zone (forehead, chin and nose) and drier cheeks indicate the presence of the so-called mixed skin
Causes of mixed skin:
The more oily parts of the skin are due to a hyperproduction of sebum. The drier parts of the skin are due to a lack of sebum and corresponding lipid deficit.
Tips on how to take care of mixed skin:
- It is important to avoid using alcohol-based products
- Avoid using products for oily skin on all your face
- Clean your skin thoroughly twice a day
- Use warm water to bathe or clean your face
- Always use products for mixed skin
Our skin is the largest organ of the body, it covers every centimeter we have and it’s our natural barrier. You must give it such importance with care and healthy food.
“Spend less time in front of the mirror and more time feeling amazing”.-Frédéric Fekkai (French stylist)
