Understanding the four skin types: normal, dry, oily and combination
SKIN TYPES
Our skin can be a mirror for what’s going on inside our bodies and can also reflect what it’s exposed to in our environment. We’ve found that most of our clients have accurately assessed their skin type, we would also like to remind people that skin type isn’t a permanent marriage. It can change as we age or even over the course of a few months. Some women have dry skin for most of their lives, and then start to get a few oily patches here and there. Or some may relocate, and their new environments leave once-oily skin feeling parched. Being open to the fact that skin type can shift can help you adapt if changes occur. Sometimes the skin can seem as unpredictable as life itself.
NORMAL
Normal skin is neither overly dry nor overly oily. Women with normal skin still deal with environmental concerns (like sun protection and air pollution), the occasional breakout, or normal aging. Even “normal” skin has issues that need attention. However, we often see people with normal skin reaching for products that are not appropriate for their needs. If you have a few blemishes, you don’t need to switch to an entire acne-fighting regimen. You can simply spot treat the blemishes until they disappear.
Normal skin has:
- fine pores
- good blood circulation
- a velvety, soft and smooth texture
- a fresh, rosy color uniform transparency
- no blemishes
and is not prone to sensitivity.
DRY
Dry skin can exhibit slight scaliness, flakes, tightness, or be ashy, red, or rough. Dryness can result when the skin is lacking fluids (dehydration) or oils (moisture). You need a balance of both fluid and oil to have properly hydrated skin. There are many factors that contribute to dry skin—from constant exposure to low humidity, air conditioning, and heating in office buildings and homes to chemicals in skin-care products. Some skin-care products that aim to treat dry skin are filled with dehydrating chemicals or lack the necessary ingredients for transdermal penetration (a substance’s ability to get into your skin). This means that even though some women are regularly applying moisturizer in the morning and evening, they still experience dryness because the product they are using simply sits on top of the skin or is packed with moisture-robbing chemicals.
Dry skin
Mildly dry skin can feel tight, brittle, and rough and look dull. Skin elasticity is also very low.
Very dry skin
If the dryness is not treated, the skin may develop:
- mild scaling or flakiness in patches
- a rough and blotchy appearance (sometimes it appears to be prematurely aged)
- a feeling of tightness
- possible itchiness
It is also more sensitive to irritation, redness, and the risk of infection.
Try Veruska 925 Natural Skincare serum for dry skin:
OILY
Oily skin is not necessarily oily all the time; it often makes its presence well known around midday with shiny patches on the nose, forehead, or chin. People with oily skin might experience frequent breakouts due to an excess of sebum (an oily secretion produced by the sebaceous glands) that mixes with dead skin
cells and causes a plugin the pores. Bacteria that can live on your skin thrive in the excess oil in your pores. Keeping congested pores clean is a top priority to help the skin function properly and reduce oil production. You want to use oils that are noncomedogenic (meaning they don’t clog pores) and will help your skin balance and maintain normal oil flow.
Oily skin is characterized by:
- enlarged, clearly visible pores
- a glossy shine
- thicker, pale skin: blood vessels may not be visible
Oily skin is prone to comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) and to the varying forms of acne.
Try Veruska 925 Natural Skincare serum for Oily Skin:
COMBINATION
Combination skin is, as the name suggests, skin that consists of a mix of skin types. Combination skin can be dry on the cheeks and oilier in the “T” zone (the forehead, nose, and chin), presenting challenges that are common in both skin types. Women with combination skin are often unsure how to care for their complexion, as it can be unclear which products will best suit them. There are several approaches to combination skin. You can use a serum (a skin-care product targeted to a specific issue) only on the area where the skin is having an issue. You don’t need to treat all your skin with the same active ingredients. Or you can work on cleaning and unclogging your pores. Oftentimes, women will develop combination skin with weather changes, or through hormonal changes. By deep cleaning your pores, balancing your pH, and proper oil and hydration balance, some women find this an effective solution to restoring a unified skin type. Other women will always have a bit of excessive dryness in one area or excessive oil in the T-zone; for them, the deep cleaning will help along with spot treating the problem area with different products.
Combination skin is characterized by:
- an oily T-zone (forehead, chin, and nose)
- enlarged pores in this area perhaps with some impurities
- normal to dry cheeks
Try Veruska 925 Natural Skincare serum for Combination Skin:
