How to determine your skin type?

In Beauty Heaven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Do you know your skin type?

Most of us don’t automatically know our correct skin type until we use tools or get assistance to properly determine it. As teenager and young adult, I always figured that I had oily skin; it was the skin type that most of my family claimed to have so I assumed that I did too. I’d actually go out and purchase skincare/makeup products that were designed to work best with oily skin. As I used the products, I could never understand why I wasn’t getting the same results as others. After decades of mistaking my skin type, I finally learned my correct type. I learned my actual skin type after enrolling into makeup school & starting my skincare course. In the course, I learned the characteristics of each skin type. I also had to complete an assignment that required a facial examination on myself and several others to properly determine our current skin type. After doing a through exam & comparing the characteristics of each skin type, I learned that I actually have combination skin. My skin is oily around my noise and forehead but dry around my mouth and eyes.

By finding my correct skin type, I’ve been able to purchase skin care products & makeup that are designed to work better with my skin. Since then, the outcome of my makeup has drastically improved. In the course, I also did an examination on my mom & learned that she didn’t have oily skin either as she’d previously thought. Misdiagnosing skin types are common especial in individuals that don’t properly take care of their skin. The misdiagnosis of our skin types helped me decide to share some of the things I learned in my skincare course here. I would truly love to help others determine their skin type to improve their skin and makeup outcomes. When individuals properly access and determine their skin type, they become better equipped to purchase makeup and skincare products that work best with their skin. 

It’s important to pay close attention to your skin and your skins changes throughout the day to determine whether you have sensitive, normal, oily, dry or combination skin. To properly determine your skin type, begin by using a gentle cleanser to clean your face in the morning and observe how your skin appears by the end of the day. Keep in mind that the products you use can affect your skin as well; therefore, if you use any products that are designed to target specific issues or work best with certain skin types, be sure to factor that into your examination. To prevent you from misdiagnosing your skin, I would suggest using a cleanser, toner and moisturizer that are created to work well with all skin types on the day of your examination so your results aren’t affected with target specific products.

Here are the 5 skin types and their detailed characteristics to help you properly determine your skin type (after thorough examination):

Normal skin

Normal skin is characterized by having a radiant complexion that isn’t sensitive, too dry or too oily. Individuals with normal skin typically have fine pores on their nose and cheeks that are barely visible. Individuals with normal skin may find that they have very few or no imperfections. Individuals with normal skin have good blood circulation along with a velvety, soft and smooth skin texture. Normal skin is extremely rare and won’t last if individuals with it fail to take care of it. It’s highly important for individuals with normal skin to use sunscreen to preserve their flawless complexion and prevent signs of aging.

Dry skin

Dry skin is characterized by a lack of moisture and sufficient oil, which results in tightness and even flaking. Individuals with dry skin may find that the skin appears dull, especially on the cheeks and around the eyes. Individuals with dry skin may find that their skin lacks elasticity which makes lines and wrinkles appear more visible and their pores are almost invisible. In more severe cases, itching and burning may occur. Individuals with dry skin may find that their skin feels raw, uncomfortable and tight right after cleansing. They may find that their skin has a rough texture or has flaky patches of dead skin. In severe cases, their skin can be itchy and prone to cracking. Dry skin can affect your makeup by preventing it from blending well into the skin and causing it to sometimes appear cakey and chalky looking. Environmental factors can make dry skin worse; exposure to extreme cold, dry air and sunshine can strip dry skin on the little oil it produces.

Oily skin

Individuals with oily skin may find that your face is shiny and usually appears greasy later on in the day. Makeup doesn’t stay on as long as it does for others; it seems to “slide” off. People with oily skin may also find that the oilier areas of their face has blackheads, pimples or other types of acne. They may also notice that their pores are visibly enlarged, especially on the nose, chin and forehead.

Combination skin

Individuals with combination skin will find that their skin can be dry or normal in some areas and oily in others, such as the T-zone (nose, forehead, and chin). Another characteristic of combination skin is having pores in the area of the nose obviously more dilated than those in the cheekbones and the outline of the jaw. Individuals may find that their skin is oilier in summer and dry in winter. It may need slightly different care in different areas.

Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin is a characterized by having skin with a low tolerance to the application of cosmetics and personal care products. Some of the symptoms of sensitive skin are stinging, itching, burning and/or visible skin changes to skin such as redness, dryness, scaling, peeling, bumps or hives. Most sensitive skin complaints relate to the face. Some medical diagnosis that cause sensitive skin are irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, contact urticaria, rosacea, physical urticaria and dermographism, aquagenic pruritus, dry skin, eczema/dermatitis of any type, photodermatoses, cutaneous mastocytoses and carcinoid syndrome.

Now that you have been given all of the details necessary to determine your skin type, you’re now ready to examine your skin and figure out your correct skin type. Once you’ve determined your skin type, it’s important to adjust your skincare and makeup products to fit it. Individuals oily skin would benefit most by purchasing matte products, products that dry down to a matte finish, and products that eliminate oil & block shine. Whereas, individuals with dry skin would benefit from moisturizing products, products with a dewy finish and products that are illuminating. Individuals with normal skin can use both products that are matte or dewy, oil blocking or illuminating or products that fit their specific desire or need for each season and occasion. However, individuals with combination skin may have to use both products that target oily skin in some areas and products that target dry skin in others; for example, using a matte primer in oily areas and moisturizing primer in others would prepare the skin for whichever foundation they choose. Individuals with combination skin may also have the option to choose items that fit their needs for specific seasons and/or occasions.

If you previously thought you had one skin type but found out that your skin fits another category, we’d love to hear about your experience in the comment section below. If this article helped you to figure out your skin type, we’d also appreciate your sharing that with us in the comments. For other helpful articles on makeup and skincare, check out our articles that help your learn How to Keep Your Foundation Flawless,  How to Fix Broken Makeup, How to Properly Clean Makeup Brushes and My Current Skincare Routine which leads you to receive a free Ultimate Skincare Checklist after signing up for our email list to help you incorporate better skincare practices.